A legendary Canadian curler found himself in an unexpected predicament this week after arriving at the World Mixed Doubles and World Senior Curling Championships in Geneva—without his essential competition equipment.
Wayne Middaugh, a three-time world champion and one of Canada's most accomplished curlers, took to social media Thursday to sound the alarm about missing baggage that failed to arrive with him in Switzerland.
The #BroomlessInGeneva Crisis
Posting on X (formerly Twitter) with the hashtag #broomlessinGeneva, Middaugh expressed frustration after two days without his gear. "It's been 2 days and Team Canada competing at World Championships is still missing equipment," he wrote. "Called. Emailed. Started claim. Can somebody please help find our equipment."
The timing couldn't have been worse—Middaugh was set to compete in one of the sport's most prestigious international tournaments, and missing curling equipment can be catastrophic for any athlete.
Air Canada Explains The Mix-Up
In a statement to media, Air Canada acknowledged the situation and provided explanation for the baggage mishap. According to the airline, Middaugh's original flight itinerary through Montreal was going to cause him to miss his connection to Geneva.
"This regrettable situation arose because the customer was rerouted from his original itinerary after it became apparent he was going to miss a connection to Geneva through Montreal. We wanted to transport him so he would arrive at destination as close to the originally scheduled time as possible, so he was instead connected through Zurich," the spokesperson said.
Air Canada noted that the last-minute rerouting created logistical challenges. "Unfortunately, due to the tight schedule, we were unable to redirect his baggage in time. We regret the delay and are following up directly with the customer," the statement continued.
The good news? Air Canada confirmed Friday morning that Middaugh's equipment had finally arrived in Geneva, allowing him to compete as scheduled.
A Hall-of-Famer's Impressive Track Record
Middaugh brings serious credentials to international competitions. The Canadian curler has competed in 10 Briers between 1991 and 2021, won seven Skins Games (an annual event hosted by The Sports Network until 2019), and captured five World Curling Tour Players' Championships across his career.
His three world championship titles in 1993, 1998, and 2012 cement his status as one of Canada's curling greats.
This story is based on reporting from the National Post.