Hunter Walker (curler)

Hunter Walker (born 2 February 2002) is a New Zealand curler from Dunedin. He currently plays lead on the New Zealand men's national team.[1]

Hunter Walker
Curler
Born (2002-02-02) 2 February 2002[1]
Ranfurly, New Zealand[1]
Team
SkipAnton Hood
ThirdBen Smith
SecondBrett Sargon
LeadHunter Walker
AlternatePeter de Boer
Curling career
Member Association New Zealand
World Championship
appearances		1 (2023)
Pan Continental Championship
appearances		2 (2022, 2023)

Career

Juniors

Walker began curling at the age of 7 at the Maniototo Curling Rink in Naseby.[2]

Walker joined the New Zealand junior team in 2019, throwing lead rocks for the country, on a rink skipped by Matthew Neilson. The team played at the 2019 World Junior-B Curling Championships, Walker's first international event. There, the team finished pool play with a 5–2 record, and went on to win all three of their playoff games to claim the gold medal.[3] This promoted New Zealand to the 2019 World Junior Curling Championships. There, the team finished the round-robin with a 4–5 record, finishing sixth overall, and avoiding relegation to the B tournament for the following season.[4] At the 2020 World Junior Curling Championships, the team finished with a 3–6 record, in 8th place,[5][6] relegating their country to the B event, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Walker did not play on the junior team for the 2021–22 season, but skipped the team at the 2022 World Junior-B Curling Championships. There, he led the New Zealand team of Jayden Bishop, Sam Flanagan and William Becker to a 4–2 record, just missing the playoffs, and finishing 11th overall.[7]

As a junior, Walker also competed at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics, where he skipped the New Zealand team, which also consisted of Zoe Harman, Becker and Lucy Neilson. Walker led the team to a 4–1 finish in group play, then defeated Germany in the quarterfinals, before losing to Japan in the semifinals. In the bronze medal game, they lost to Russia, settling for fourth. In the mixed doubles event, Walker was teamed up with Brazil's Leticia Cid. The pair lost their only game, against Canada's Emily Deschenes and Spain's Oriol Gastó.[8]

Men's

Walker joined the New Zealand men's team (skipped by Anton Hood) for the 2022–23 curling season as the team's lead. The team represented New Zealand at the inaugural Pan Continental Curling Championships in 2022. There, the team finished with a 3–4 record, finishing in fifth place, but good enough to qualify for the 2023 World Men's Curling Championship, Walker's first men's world championship appearance.[9] It was New Zealand's first trip to the Worlds since 2012.[10]

National championships

Walker was on teams that were runners-up at the New Zealand Men's Curling Championship in 2019 and 2021. Neilson skipped the team in 2019, while Hodd skipped the team in 2021.[11]

Personal life

Walker works as a building apprentice.[1] His brother Hamish is also a curler, while his great-grandfather and grandmother have both competed for New Zealand in curling. He went to high school at Otago Boys' High School in Dunedin.[2] Growing up, he lived on a farm and played rugby union.[12]

References
  1. "2023 World Men's Curling Championship Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  2. "Hunter Walker". New Zealand Olympic Committee. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  3. "World Junior-B Curling Championships 2019". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  4. "Hood keeps sliding to more success". Otago Daily Times.
  5. "World Junior Curling Championships 2020". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  6. "New Zealand curlers' outfits made from Maniototo wool". Otago Daily Times.
  7. "World Junior-B Curling Championships 2022". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  8. "2022 Youth Olympic Games". World Curling Federation. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  9. "New Zealand team ready for Curling World Championships". NZ Sports Wire.
  10. "A capsule look at the 2023 world men's curling championship field". Canadian Press.
  11. "NZ Men's Curling Championship". Curling New Zealand. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  12. "Kiwi curlers are carving it up a long way from home". Retrieved April 7, 2023.
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