LANCOMBE, Canada—The Philippine curling team made history at the Pan-Continental Curling Championships in Canada.
In a thrilling tournament, the team was the only one to remain undefeated as it secured first place in the B division by beating Kazakhstan in the final.
The historic triumph paved the way for the team to move up to the A-Division, bringing them a step closer to realizing their dream of competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina.
In the 12 intense games, the team, consisting of Christian Haller (vice), Enrico Pfister (second), Marc Pfister (skip) and Alan Frei (lead), showed their extraordinary strength and determination.
The victories in the preliminary round against strong opponents such as Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Puerto Rico already demonstrated the team’s strong teamwork, but the road to the final was not without challenges.
In the semi-final against Hong Kong, the team mastered a hard-fought victory, demonstrating its strong nerves and team harmony, while in the final against Kazakhstan, an opponent they had already narrowly defeated, they triumphed with confidence on Saturday afternoon.
Team skip Marc Pfister emphasized: “This promotion to the A Division is an incredible achievement and the result of tireless work. We have grown as a team and proven that we can deliver under pressure. Now we are looking forward to the next challenge, playing against the best teams in the world and tackling the qualification for the Olympics.”
“This is incredible, I’m overwhelmed by what we’ve achieved here!” says Alan Frei. “This last year has been an intense learning process for all of us – from the first time on the ice to this decisive moment here at the Pan Continentals. Today, all the training, passion and determination paid off. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Olympic qualifiers!”
The next step: qualifying tournaments for Milano Cortina 2026
With their promotion to the A Division, Team Philippines will now face the best curling teams in the world. This new challenge opens up the possibility of qualifying for the 2025 Olympics in two (pre-)qualifying tournaments – a goal that is now within reach.
Team vice-captain Christian Haller said: “This success is proof of what can be achieved when you work as a team and aim for the impossible. The Philippines are united behind us – and we’ve also received an incredible amount of support from Switzerland – and that’s a huge motivation for us as we face the next challenges!”
With their unique blend of Swiss precision and Filipino passion, the Philippines team has established itself as a true underdog in the curling scene, comparable to iconic sports stories such as the Jamaican bobsled team and ‘Eddie the Eagle’.
Members of the team are Christian Haller (Vice): With 26 years of curling experience, Haller brings the technical know-how to the team; Enrico Pfister (Second): Supports the team with his many years of experience at the international level; Marc Pfister (Skip): The experienced curler and Enrico’s brother leads the team with strategic skill; and Alan Frei (Lead): The entrepreneur, who underwent a complete transformation, is the heart of the team with his story “From obese to Olympics”.
