The Maniototo-based Carson has been called up to be an official at the inaugural Pan Continental Curling Championships, to be held in Canada next month.
He is no stranger to officiating international events — Carson was an official at the 2018 Olympics in Korea and the Curling World Cup in Beijing, as well as the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships held in Naseby — but due to closed borders it has been a while between trips.
‘‘I’ve been asked to go to different events in the last three years and just haven’t been able to with Covid restrictions — you don’t know if you can get back into the country or not. It’s going to be great to be able to do it again,’’ he said.
Chief umpire at many of the New Zealand tournaments, Carson said international events were a bit of a step up.
‘‘It’s a big change, but here [in New Zealand] you know everybody, you get on well and you’re working with each other to get the right result for the tournament ... It’s not saying when you get to a world event everyone’s not working together but you don’t know everybody.’’
‘‘When you get TV involved and media of different formats, and all different things trying to gel together, it’s very difficult. But we do it and it’s really pleasing at the end of it that you’ve been part of it.’’
A former New Zealand curling representative, Carson became an umpire to give back to the sport.
‘‘When you’re a player it’s very selfish, it’s all take, take, take. The reason I got into this side of it, is to give something back to the sport and it’s opened a lot of doors for me. It’s great having that opportunity. I just love the sport, it’s awesome.’’
The Pan Continental Championships will be held from October 30 to November 5, and will replace the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships, after the merging together of the World Curling Federation America’s and Pacific-Asia Zones, providing a direct route for teams to the World Championships.
