She is one of Canada's most decorated wheelchair curlers.
Podiums in all four Paralympics appearances, a two-time gold-medalist; three titles, two silver medals at 14 straight wheelchair World Championships.
Yet there won't be a 15th straight World tournament for Spallumcheen's Ina Forrest.
But before you feel bad and aghast for her...
Forrest has been named along with longtime teammate Mark Ideson of London, Ont. to represent Canada at the 2025 World Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Curling championships March 10-16 in Stevenston, Scotland.
“Ina and I have built a very close relationship over the last 12 years of playing together in mixed,” said Ideson in a Curling Canada release. “We have really embraced the new challenge of mixed doubles, and we understand and feel prepared for the task ahead.”
Ideson will throw first and last stones for the team, Forrest will throw the middle rocks.
The two were teammates on Canada’s gold-medal mixed team in 2014 at Sochi, Russia, and the bronze-medal teams in 2018 at Pyeongchang, South Korea, and 2022 in Beijing. Forrest also won gold in 2010 at Vancouver.
The final qualification points for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Italy will be determined from these championships.
Although Canada’s mixed team has already earned its spot in the 2026 Paralympics, Ideson and Forrest will need to place well in Stevenston to secure one of eight mixed doubles spots in Milano Cortina.
“I’m confident in all of the work we put in this fall,” said Canada head coach Dana Ferguson. “I’m really looking forward to working with Mark and Ina and seeing what these two experienced and heavily decorated athletes can achieve in mixed doubles.”
Stevenston will provide a historic and inspiring backdrop for the championships, as the venue has hosted several prestigious curling events in the past. Both teams are prepared to face the world’s best, and Canada will be looking to claim top spots on the podium in both competitions.
The 2025 World Wheelchair Curling Championship will take place before the mixed doubles, from March 1-8. The athletes representing Canada at the 2025 World Wheelchair Curling Championship are:
• Jon Thurston (Dunsford, Ont.) – Fourth;
• Gil Dash (Wolseley, Sask.) – Third and Skip;
• Doug Dean (Thunder Bay, Ont.) – Second;
• Collinda Joseph (Stittsville, Ont.) – Lead;
• Chrissy Molnar (Trent Lakes, Ont.) – Fifth.
Canada will compete among 12 mixed-gender teams in Stevenston and will aim for another strong showing following back-to-back silver-medal performances at the 2023 (Richmond, B.C.) and 2024 (Gangneung, South Korea) World Wheelchair Curling Championships.
