Eau Claire’s Team Hebert repeats as junior national curling champions

The wins keep coming for Eau Claire Curling Club’s Team Hebert. A month after winning gold at the 2026 Junior World Curling Championships, Team Hebert claimed gold yet again, this time at the USA Curling Junior U20 National Championships on April 4 in Bismarck, North Dakota. Team Hebert, made up of Caden Hebert, Jack Wendtland, Benji Paral and Jackson Bestland, took home the national crown for the second year in a row, defeating Team Grabow in the championship game 5-2.

With the win, Team Hebert will represent the U. S. at the 2027 World Junior Curling Championships.

“Being back to back champions feels amazing, but there is also a sense of relief that we get to defend our world championship next February,” Team Hebert coach Mike Peplinski said. “It’s incredible, it’s not something that felt easy to do,” Hebert said. “Every team was there to beat us, it felt like.

We got everyone’s best game. “To bring our team back to worlds and to have a world championship to look forward to is incredible. ” “It feels amazing to be back-to-back national champions and to have the opportunity to represent the United States once again at the world stage,” Paral said.