Both the women’s and the men’s national sides have qualified for the world championships based on their recent efforts at the Pan Continental tournament in Canada.
That is exciting enough for the men, who will break a 10-year drought when they play at their sixth world championships next year.
But it is seismic for the women as they prepare to make their debut on the world stage.
And this is a team with some story.
Reaching the world championships for the first time — impressive.
Finishing in the top half of the table at the Pan Continental championships having played only one international tournament in five years and after initially being set to play in the B event before being promoted at a month’s notice when China withdrew — outstanding.
Led by a young Otago woman who has battled back from cancer — inspirational.
Jessica Smith, of Naseby, is the skip of the team and was playing her first major event since treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in early 2021.
She told the World Curling Federation website it was a massive blow to her professional life as a nurse and her sporting dreams.
“You never expect that at 23 years old you’re going to get cancer," Smith said.
"I had been feeling unwell for a while and was still managing to curl. But everything came to a head and I was feeling quite unwell. It was quite a shock. I was in hospital over Christmas but really not expecting it.
“I just stuck with positive energy the whole way through. I had six months of chemotherapy, so I missed the entire New Zealand curling season.
"One of the most gutting things about it was that I had to sit on the sidelines and watch. I was watching and supporting my team-mates.”
Smith has been in remission since July 2021.
She had plenty of Central Otago support in Calgary, as her team-mates were Holly Thompson (Ranfurly), Natalie Thurlow (Alexandra), Bridget Becker (Patearoa) and Ruby Kinney (Hyde).
The Kiwi women had to show real grit to come from behind to beat Hong Kong 8-6, and they clinched fifth place — the top five qualify for the world championships — with a tense 10-7 win over Australia for a four win-four loss record.
"We played a lot better as a team there," Smith after the Australian game.
"It makes that win special, but we're good mates with the Aussies.
"We just hope that qualifying (for the world championships] will boost curling in New Zealand and get more people playing the sport that we love so much."
The women's world championships are in Sandviken, Sweden, in March.
Meanwhile, the men will be destined for their own world tournament in Ottawa in April after they, too, finished fifth at the Pan Continental event.
Naseby skip Anton Hood was joined by Ben Smith (Naseby), Brett Sargon (Auckland), Hunter Walker (Kyeburn) and Peter De Boer (Wellington) as the Kiwis clinched key wins over Australia — they won 6-5 after trailing 5-2 — Brazil and Chinese Taipei.
The New Zealand men started their last round-robin game against Japan knowing the winner would claim the final top-four spot to reach the tournament semifinals, but that the loser would probably still finish fifth overall and so qualify for the world championship.
A poor start cost the Kiwis, but they were far from despondent after dropping the match 9-5.
"It's a big deal (qualifying for the world championships), especially as both the men and women have got there," Hood said.
"All the boys have been working hard for the start of the four-year cycle, and we're pretty chuffed. I think we've given everyone we've played a decent run."
The New Zealand men have played at five world championships since their first appearance in 1999, most recently in 2012.
