The World Curling Federation is preparing to determine part of its next Board of Directors during the Annual General Meeting, which will take place on Sunday, September 6, 2026, as part of the XV World Curling Congress in Bratislava, Slovakia. The meeting will include the election of four positions, including the Presidency, in a process that will bring together representatives of the Federation’s Member Associations. The vote will mark a new stage for the organisation, which will have to determine who will take on leadership and board responsibilities at a time of structural renewal.
The electoral process follows the completion of the terms of President Beau Welling and Board members Helena Lingham, Robin Niven and Sergio Mitsuo Vilela. All four are eligible to stand for re-election, although only Welling appears among the candidates for President, while Lingham and Niven will compete for one of the Director positions. During the summer, the Federation opened a call for applications from different sectors of the international curling community. Each candidate was required to submit a CV, a cover letter and a video explaining their motivations and why they believed they could contribute in the position for which they were applying.
Two candidates will compete for the Presidency
The presidential election will feature Australian Hugh Millikin and American Beau Welling, who will seek to remain at the helm of the World Curling Federation after completing his current term. Welling’s presence on the ballot gives the vote an additional dimension, as the current president will have to defend his position against a candidate from Australia who also advanced to the electoral stage following the selection process carried out over recent months. Both candidates submitted their backgrounds, proposals and motivations to the Nominations Committee, which was responsible for assessing the applications before determining the final list.
The Nominations Committee played a central role in preparing these elections. After receiving the candidates’ documents and video materials, its members interviewed the applicants and recommended both those who would compete for the Presidency and up to six candidates for the Director positions. The process sought to gather information about the experience and motivations of those seeking to join the Federation’s governance structure before the decision is placed in the hands of representatives of the Member Associations during the Annual General Meeting.
Six candidates will compete for Director positions
Six candidates will stand for the Director positions, including two members of the current Board seeking to renew their terms. Swedish Helena Lingham and Scottish Robin Niven will once again put their names forward after completing their respective terms. Joining them will be Canadian Roselle Gonsalves, Swedish Michael Marklund, Irish Eoin McCrossan and Luxembourg’s Karen Wauters, creating a list that brings together representation from different regions and communities involved in international curling.
The diversity of backgrounds will also be reflected in the presidential election, with Millikin representing Australia and Welling the United States, while the six Director candidates come from Canada, Sweden, Ireland, Scotland and Luxembourg. The vote will take place on Sunday, September 6, 2026, during the Annual General Meeting in Bratislava, where representatives of the World Curling Federation’s Member Associations will be responsible for electing those who will fill the four available positions. The meeting will take place as part of the XV World Curling Congress, bringing together the sport’s community in the Slovak capital to address other matters related to the organisation and its institutional future.
Last related articles
