PRESIDENT’S NEWSLETTER December 2014 Welcome The new WCF Board Photo: WCF/Richard Gray Inside this issue: World Curling 2 Congress & AGA Recent Events 2-3 Other News 4 Commissions 5 Development 6-7 It’s been a few months now since our last newsletter and a lot has been happening in the MA News 8-9 world of curling. Event Bidding 10 The third annual World Curling Congress took place in Reno, USA from 4 to 8 September, Deadlines 11 which proved, yet again, to be extremely constructive. Member Associations (MAs) were given the opportunity to meet and discuss important issues face to face, find out about recent World Curling Federation (WCF) activities and meet in Zonal Commissions to discuss regional matters. At the WCF Annual General Assembly a new Board was elected while a number of key changes to the sport were approved. Several curling events have also taken place since then, including the European Mixed, European C-Division, World Wheelchair Curling Qualification event, Pacific-Asia and Le Gru- Special points of yère European Curling Championships. interest: Several hosts for forthcoming events have also been announced while the WCF’s Competi- tions and Development team have been busy in locations around the world. Forthcoming event I hope you enjoy reading this latest newsletter and remember, you can read more about each hosts announced ( p3) story by clicking on the headline. Curler wins ‘Athletes in Excellence’ award(p4) New WCF Board Curling sculpture re- A new Board structure is zone for a three year term. Elected to the four other vealed (p4) now in effect comprised of Hugh Millikin (AUS), was Board Member positions Camps & Courses (p6) eight Board Members. elected Vice-President, by were Albert ‘Andy’ Anderson acclamation, for the Pacific- (USA) (four year term); Hew Olympic Celebration I, Kate Caithness (SCO), was Asia zone for a two year term Chalmers (SCO) (three year Tour update (p7) elected as President, by accla- mation, for a four year term. and Bent Ramsfjell (NOR), term); Laura Lochanski Media News (p8) was elected Vice-President, (CAN) (two year term) Graham Prouse (CAN), was President’s Roundup by acclamation, for the Euro- and Toyo Ogawa (JPN) (one elected Vice-President, by (p11) pean zone for one year. year term ). acclamation, for the Americas Page 2 NEWS December 2014 Newsletter World Curling Congress 2014 & Annual General Assembly In addition to a new Board of Directors being elected, several into effect at a later date. To find out when, visit: other key changes were approved at the Annual General As- http://wcf.co/1Gqkczo sembly in Reno, USA. Some proposals put forward by the Competitions and Rules These include the introduction of Thinking Time instead of Commission and the Athlete Commission did not receive the Running Time; replacing the European Mixed Curling Champi- required two third majority of votes so the Commissions plan onship with a World Mixed Curling Championship; to have to revisit those proposals to see if they should be presented only one round of tie-breaks at WCF events; replacement of again at the 2015 World Curling Congress. the current zonal junior qualification system with a World Other proposals we will be looking to develop ahead of next group system - the World Junior-B Curling Championships; year’s Congress are the replacement of current U21 age group adjustment to the rule for the Last Stone Draw (LSD) and with U18 and U23 age groups as well as the issue of light Draw Shot Challenge (DSC) to incorporate two individual colours for team uniforms. LSDs per game; introduction of a new system for measuring The fourth annual World Curling Congress will take place at the LSD (to be tested 2014/15 season); prevent the use of the Crowne Plaza, Belgrade, Serbia, from 2-5 September 2015. electronic devices on the field of play and the The 2015 WCF Annual General Assembly will be held on 5 approval of the WCF Wheelchair Classification Rules. September. Some of the changes are already in use, while others will come The World Curling Congress 2014 Photo: Don Chang Pacific-Asia Curling Championships 2014 EVENTS Congratulations to China men and women who both won gold Japan won bronze. Japan have already qualified as host of the at the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships 2014 in Karuizawa, World Women’s Curling Championship 2015 with China the Japan. other qualifier from this event. Congratulations must also go to the other medal winners, Japan I was not able to attend this year, but Vice-President Hugh Milli- men who took silver and qualified along with China for the Ford kin told me that both the organisation and the world class facili- World Men’s Curling Championship 2015. Korea men won ty in Karuizawa made for an excellent competition. bronze. In the women’s event, Korea, who only lost one game Our thanks go to the local organising committee and the Japan in the event, albeit the gold medal game, took silver, while Curling Association for delivering such a terrific event. China men and women, Pacific-Asia Curling Champions 2014 Photos: WCF/Richard Gray December 2014 Newsletter EVENTS Page 3 Le Gruyère European Curling Championships 2014 The 2014 edition of the Le Gruyère Eu- and Monthey (where the B-Division was ropean Curling Championships was held held), with the coordination of the local in Champéry, Switzerland. organising committee, delivered yet an- Following on from an excellent Pacific- other top quality event. Witnessing pro- Asia Curling Championships, the Euro- ceedings were nearly 6,500 spectators pean’s did not let us down in terms of who came along throughout the week. performance and competition. The event broke new ground being tele- vised in Canada and the USA for the first Congratulations to all of the medal win- time. ners. In the men’s - Sweden (gold); Nor- way (silver) and Switzerland (bronze). I would like to thank Le Gruyère for their longstanding sponsorship of this event A special tribute must also be paid to and all of the local partners for their sup- Binia Feltscher and her team from Swit- port. zerland who won the European title in the same calendar year as they won the During this event the final European Curl- World Women’s Championship. ing Federation meeting was held at which the ECF was formally dissolved. All Euro- Russia picked up silver while Scotland pean MAs now plan to meet as part of won bronze. The people of Champéry the WCF’s European Zonal Commission. Sweden men and Switzerland women, European Curling Champions 2014 Photo: WCF/Richard Gray Other events The European Mixed Curling Championship 2014 kicked off the season in Taarnby, Denmark in September. Congratulations to winners Sweden and the other medal winners, Norway (silver ) and Switzerland (bronze). This was the last ever European Mixed Curling Championship as from next season it will become the World Mixed Curling Championship. The European Curling Championships C-Division was held in Zoetermeer, Nether- lands in October. Netherland and Slovakia women and Belgium and Israel men qualified from this event for the Le Gruyère European Curling Championships B-Division. In November, Lillehammer in Norway played host to the World Wheelchair Curling Norway qualified for the WWhCC 2015 along with Qualification event. Here, hosts Norway and Germany qualified for the World Wheelchair Germany Photo: WCF Curling Championship 2015 after finishing in the top two positions. Event announcements Over the past few months, several locations and the World Men’s Curling Championship have been announced for upcoming WCF 2020 (Glasgow). curling events. The city of Esbjerg in Denmark was award- During Congress, MAs were told that ed both the European Curling Championships the World Mixed Doubles Curling Champi- 2015 (20-28 November) and the World onship and the World Senior Curling Cham- Women’s Curling Championship 2019. pionships 2015 will be held in Sochi, Russia Elsewhere, the Ford World Women’s Curling between 18-25 April 2015. Championship 2016 is returning to Swift In December we signed a multi-host deal with Current, Canada (19-27 March 2016 ). Scotland which will see them hold the Euro- Lohja, Finland meanwhile will host both the pean Curling Championships 2016 World Wheelchair Curling Qualification (Braehead), World Junior Curling Champi- event 2015 (7-12 November) and the World onships 2018 (Aberdeen), World Wheel- Junior-B Curling Championships 2016 (3-9 Scottish skips (from L-R) Eve Muirhead, Aileen chair Curling Championship 2019 (Stirling) Neilson and David Murdoch at the Scottish January). announcement Photo: WCF/Richard Gray Page 4 OTHER NEWS December 2014 Newsletter Curling sculpture We were delighted to be the first Olympic Winter sport to have a sculpture placed in the Olympic Park at the Olympic Muse- um in Lausanne, Switzerland in September. I had the pleasure of unveiling the sculpture by Swiss artist and sculptor Bjoern Zryd, entitled ‘Curling Pure Emotion’, together with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. The sculpture re-enforces the link between curling, the Olympic movement and the City of Lausanne. It has been placed in a prime position in the Olympic Museum grounds for all to see. (Left): Unveiling the curling sculpture with IOC President Thomas Bach. (Right): The sculpture. Photos: Curling Club Lausanne Olympique Robert Susanj wins Athletes in Excellence Award We were delighted to hear that Slovenia’s Robert As well as competing as an athlete, Robert also organ- Susanj won a Foundation for Global Sports ises a number of charity events to help both curling Development ‘Athletes in Excellence’ award which and other causes. recognises exceptional athletes who uphold the values Earlier this year, Robert was one of the instrumental of good sportsmanship and fair play both on and off figures behind support sent from Jesenice Curling Club the field.