[EDEN PRAIRIE, MN, November 6, 2024] — USA Curling is announcing changes to the Qualifier Bonspiel schedule for the 2025 Five-And-Under Nationals, the championship for curlers with five years or less of playing experience.

Previously, the Kayser 5U Mixed was announced as a qualifying event, but the dates and location were not yet determined. Now scheduled to be held at the Utica Curling Club from April 3-6, 2025, it will no longer serve as a Qualifier Bonspiel.

The Cool Duck, scheduled for the Ardsley Curling Club in Ardsley, NY, this coming weekend, will replace it on the official Qualifier list.

“We know the challenge of finding host sites for championships, so we certainly understand why the Grand National Curling Club has chosen Utica as the host site for its Kayser bonspiel,” noted USA Curling CEO Dean Gemmell. “While we have no doubt this year’s Kayser will be a great event, hosting Qualifier Bonspiels is a valuable benefit of Member Club status and, unfortunately, the Utica Curling Club does not currently belong to USA Curling. It would be unfair to the Member Clubs that do support us to have this event serve as a Qualifier Bonspiel in 2024-25.”

This change is now reflected in the list of Qualifying Bonspiels that can be found here.

Gemmell added, “We realize the timing of this announcement will be disappointing for competitors who took The Cool Duck off their schedule when it was not named as a Qualifier Bonspiel, but the event has a full slate of 24 teams who will now vie for a Nationals berth.”

For the 2025-26 season, USA Curling will open applications for Qualifier Bonspiels earlier than in the past. Bonspiel chairs are advised to expect that process to begin this coming February.

About USA Curling

Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, the Dale’s family of beers, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of World Curling and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.