Canada’s first repeat champion at mixed doubles curling says the sport is attracting a lot more attention now than it did when he first won it in 2016.

P.E.I.’s Brett Gallant and partner Jocelyn Peterman became the first team to win a second national championship on Sunday.

When they won the first time it was something of an obscure event, with no television cameras on the ice.

“The Olympics last season brought a whole new audience to the discipline,” said Gallant.

In 2016 the pair couldn’t go to the world championship because of scheduling conflicts with their four-person teams, but they will be taking the opportunity to represent Canada this time.