Mixed Doubles Camp Stepping Stones Success

September 2016

INSIDE THIS ISSUE WELCOME

 Events Welcome to the new 2016- 2017 curling season.  Development It has been a productive  Your News summer as we have sought to resolve the challenges  More News related to sweeping and brushes being used in elite competition. CONNECT WITH WCF Following the Sweeping Summit, we held in Canada in May and the acceptance of @worldcurling the rules proposed to you, our Member Associations at our Annual General Assembly in Stockholm, Sweden I believe we now have lasting solutions. My grateful thanks goes to everyone involved who has worked tirelessly over this /WorldCurlingFederation period and during the Summit.

/WorldCurlingTV Colin [Grahamslaw] and I attended the IOC Session in Rio prior to the start of the Olympic Summer Games and we also attended receptions hosted by the /world-curling-federation various sports and upcoming host cities, including PyeongChang and Beijing. I stayed for the first week of the Games, which were quite exceptional and it was during that time that I attended my first board meeting of the newly formed

SportAccord Council.

My next trip was a short visit to Vancouver to attend the board meeting of the International World Master Games, which took place during the Americas Masters Games. Curling was one of the sports featured and I was delighted to go to one of the sessions in the first-class eight sheet legacy curling venue from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and Paralympics.

In June, together with our Development Officer Richard Harding, I travelled to Italy to induct our dear friend Franco Zumofen into the Hall of Fame. Very sadly he passed away one week later. And, only this week Colin and I attended the funeral of another curling friend, Gerrit-Jan Scholten from the Netherlands. Gerrit was a long standing member of the WCF and a member of our finance commission.

Looking ahead, this is the season before the next Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, where the last qualification opportunities for those Games will take place. From the first stone thrown at the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships in

November to the last stone of the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships next April our athletes will be firmly focussed on the coveted places – eight mixed doubles, ten women’s, ten men’s and 12 wheelchair teams – available for PyeongChang 2018.

But, before that, our season kicks-off with the World Mixed Curling Championship 2016 in Kazan, Russia (14-22 October). I am delighted to see a record 37 teams competing for the first gold medals of the season. Throughout this newsletter you will find more information on the activity of the World Curling Federation and you, our Member Associations. I hope, you enjoy reading this edition, and remember you can read more about each story by clicking on the images.

www.worldcurling.org Photos: © WCF / Chris Hamilton

EVENTS

5th World Curling Congress a success in Stockholm

The Swedish Curling Association did a wonderful job of hosting the 2016 World Curling Congress and Annual General Assembly, in Stockholm, Sweden, earlier this month (6-10 September).

It was a very busy week and we achieved a great deal.

The main topic of discussion was around brushes and sweeping and I was pleased that you, our Members approved the changes proposed. Five new or adapted sweeping and equipment rules were accepted and it champion Cathrine Lindahl was voted onto the board (pictured below) and was also announced that brushes will Hugh Millikin was retained as Vice President for the Pacifc-Asia Zone. now be made from a single fabric, which Thank you to the record 150 attendees for their contributions to all the is from a single source – these will have discussions. one standard composition, weave, coating and colour and the approved During the week our hosts also provided some great social events. I brushes must be made widely available thoroughly enjoyed the evening hosted by the Swedish National Olympic for purchase. Committee and I was delighted that my good friend Gunilla Lindberg (pictured above, middle left), Secretary General, for the Swedish NOC and It was not only the brushes that were Chair of the IOC Coordination Commission for the PyeongChang discussed. We held interactive sessions Olympic Winter Games was able to join us. One of the other highlights with the attendees looking at was having dinner out on the boat as we sailed around Stockholm on the competition formats and qualification final night – a great memory! processes and discussed development programmes – sharing ideas and best The sixth Annual World Curling Congress will take place in Bled, Slovenia practice. We heard about the plans for from 14-17 September 2017, with the 2017 Annual General Assembly to the Olympic Winter Games in 2018 and be held on Saturday 17 September. 2022 and our hosts presented their plans to bid for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

We presented our ideas for a new World Series of Curling aimed to satisfy the demand, made by the members and athletes at last year’s Congress in Belgrade, for more high level competitions and broadcasting coverage. Also, two-time Olympic www.worldcurling.org Photos: © WCF / Chris Hamilton

EVENTS

Event bidding

The WCF would like to encourage Member Associations to submit bids for future championships and would advise that all interest is submitted as soon as possible to the Director of Competitions and Development, Keith Wendorf: [email protected]

The WCF is currently seeking bids for:

 Olympic Qualification Event 2017

 Submissions from Member Associations must be received by Tuesday 15 November

Please be reminded of the deadlines for the following events:

 WWhBCC 2016: paperwork for teams to be submitted by Monday 3 October  PACC 2016: paperwork for teams to be submitted by Friday 7 October  WMDCC 2017: entries to be submitted by Tuesday 15 November  WSCC 2017: entries to be submitted by Tuesday 15 November

www.worldcurling.org EVENTS

Action packed season set for 2016-2017

This coming season will see eight women’s teams will qualify for Winter Paralympic Games will be championships held in seven the 2017 World Curling finalised. different countries. Championships. Following our two test events in After the World Mixed Curling The new year begins with the World Korea its on to Beijing, China for Championship 2016 (trophy pictured Junior-B Curling Championships the World Women’s Curling above) in Kazan, November brings 2017 in Östersund, Sweden (3-9 Championship 2017 (18-26 March), us three championships. We begin January), where the top three junior where vital qualification points for with the World Wheelchair-B men’s and junior women’s teams will the 2018 Olympic Winters Games Curling Championship 2016 (4-11 qualify for the World Junior Curling will be available. The Ford World November) in Lohja, Finland where Championships 2017. January draws Men’s Curling Championship 2017 16 teams will be competing for the to a close with the 28th Winter follows at the beginning of (1-9) final two spots in the World Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan April, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Wheelchair Curling Championship. (29 January-8 February). Later in April, the World Senior While this championship is February begins in Erzurum, Turkey Curling Championships 2017 and underway, Korea will be hosting the with the European Youth Olympic the World Mixed Doubles Curling Pacific-Asia Curling Championships Winter Festival (11-18 February) Championship 2017 in Lethbridge, 2016 in Uiseong (5-12 November). and ends with the World Junior Canada (both 22-29 April) will take This event will see a record 17 Curling Championships 2017 in place. The World Mixed Doubles will teams competing for places in the PyeongChang, Korea (16-26 be the last chance for teams to earn World Curling Championships later February) and the Asian Winter qualification points for the 2018 in the season. Games in Sapporo (19-26 February). Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, Korea. The season The final event of 2016 will be in We return to PyeongChang, Korea finishes with the European C- Scotland, with the Le Gruyère at the beginning of March for the Division in Andorra (6-13 May). European Curling Championships World Wheelchair Curling 2016 A and B Divisions (19-26 Championship 2017 (4-11 March) To everyone involved good luck and November), where eight men’s and where the line-up for the 2018 good curling! www.worldcurling.org Photos: © WCF / Céline Stucki EVENTS

Throughout the year at our events we have a team of photographers working hard to capture the very best curling photos. These images are available to you, to help promote the sport in your country. You can sign-up for this resource at photos.worldcurling.org. Here we’ve picked out some of the best photos from the past season!

Clockwise from top left: © WCF / Richard Gray, Céline Stucki, Hamish Irvine and Alina Pavlyuchik

Clockwise from top left: © WCF / Alina Androsova, Juha Päjäärvi, Laura Godenzi and Janne Ojanperä

www.worldcurling.org DEVELOPMENT

Our Competitions and Development Officers (CDO) are responsible for growing and developing curling around the world. Here are some highlights from the past few months, plus opportunities for you, our Member Associations, to get involved with.

Portable facility breaking ground Junior Recruitment Programme

We are pleased to report that work has begun on The sport of curling has seen a high-rate of growth in erecting our first Portable Curling Facility (PCF) in recent years, with each Olympic cycle attracting new Turku, Finland. countries to the sport.

The PCF initiative was announced at our Congress in September 2014 and after a popular tender process Creating and running a Junior Recruitment the Copper Hill Curling Club in Turku was awarded Programme for your curling club or National the funding and expertise to build a two sheet Association allows you to take advantage of that Portable Curling Facility, created within an insulated interest and build sustainable growth, attracting new tent. curlers to your club and ensuring you have curlers for The Finnish Curling Association are working hard the future. towards opening the facility in January 2017.

You can see here the first pictures from the work This is the foundation upon which elite athletes are being undertaken. developed and medals are won. The average age of curlers has dropped and the athletic performance of those curlers has improved significantly. Most of today’s top level athletes begin curling when they are young, frequently before they are ten-years-old.

To download the Junior Recruitment Programme resource visit, www.worldcurling.org/junior- recruitment

www.worldcurling.org Photos: © WCF DEVELOPMENT

BOOK: Mixed Doubles camp Stepping Stones success

This December the we are running our annual Mixed The first annual Stepping Stones Programme was held Doubles Curling Camp in Budapest, Hungary. in Tallinn, Estonia from 19-21 August, 2016. Seven Member Associations expressed interest in the In 18 months’ time, the abbreviated version of the programme and four applications were submitted. game – that is played with just one male and one female athlete, as opposed to traditional curling played with teams of four – will make its debut at the 2018 In the end, 19 athletes from across five disciplines Olympic Winter Games, in PyeongChang, Korea (9-25 from the Estonian Curling Association participated February 2018). along with two team coaches.

The inclusion of Mixed Doubles in the Olympic programme will see curling played everyday of the 17- Over and above the world-class technical instruction day showcase, with three sets of medals on offer – on-ice, the Estonians were introduced to tools for Mixed Doubles, Men’s teams and Women’s teams. This performance and mental analysis. Each team worked will give the sport unprecedented television coverage with a periodisation specialist developing their yearly across the globe. plan to help guide them through the season, so they can peak at the right times. The Mixed Doubles Curling Camp is being run to help develop international teams in this new discipline, by addressing different aspects of the game, such as The teams were left with specific tasks and asked to sweeping, release, communication, team dynamics and report back to the instructors during the season so strategy. their progress can be monitored and feedback given.

The camp runs from 1-4 December 2016 and applications are being taken NOW until Friday 4 Overall, the first programme was a huge success and November. For more information on the camp and will continue for the 2016-2017 season. Applications to sign-up visit, www.wcf-camps-courses.com/ have been sent out this month and are due in by Tuesday 15 November 2016

UPCOMING: Coach Mentor Programme

You have been sent information for our next Coach Mentor Programme, which will take place at the Le Gruyère European Curling Championships 2016. Spaces are available on a first-come-first-served basis. Please contact [email protected] by Tuesday 1 November if you are interested. www.worldcurling.org Photos:  WCF / Richard Gray and WCF YOUR NEWS

Sport England grant for ECA Talmyr Cup attracts new curlers

From Anna Fowler, English Curling Association From Olga Jarkova, Russian Curling Federation

New and existing junior curlers in the south-east of The Russian Curling Federation held its most northerly England are benefitting from the Sport England Small curling tournament, the Taimyr Curling Cup, between 27 Grant awarded to the Kent & Sussex Junior Curling and 29 May 2016, in Dudinka, in the Krasnoyarsk region. Club (KSJCC). The £9,430 award is being used to fund a junior participation pathway aimed at increasing club The event, which had participants from the five membership in grassroots curling. Taster sessions are strongest Russian men’s teams, was held to promote the taking place at local schools, using New Age Kurling kits, Olympic sport of curling in the region, as well as to to spark interest in the sport before offering on-ice establish a curling school in the new multifunctional ice sessions at the local curling rink. Free funspiels are also arena. being run for members. The tournament was a great success – with music, live Curling shoes and brooms have been purchased and a commentary and special activities for spectators, new ‘Quick Fit’ equipment loan scheme has been including the ‘kiss’ and ‘dance’ cams and outdoor introduced. This enables a single fitting for shoes which activities in between the draws – and attracted more members will then borrow for the season, saving time than 3000 people during the three days of competition. and stress at the beginning of curling sessions. The teams visited schools in Dudinka to explain how to This funding is essential to the development of curling in play curling. A promotional ice sheet was also organised England. at the competition venue for all spectators to come and try curling.

The Curling School was officially opened in Dudinka on 4 May 2016. More than 80 people signed up for the curling classes for the next season during the event. The plan for the upcoming season is to organise the first international curling event, in Dudinka, with participation from the best women’s teams from the parallel north countries – Russia, Canada, USA, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark – in May 2017.

MORE NEWS

EDOX reveal special edition curling watch, on sale now!

I am delighted to introduce the new EDOX curling branded watch. EDOX, the famous Swiss watch makers are sponsors of the WCF, supporting our European and World Championships.

This is the first watch made specifically for the sport and includes the WCF logo on the face of the watch. It is a symbol of the precision and attention to detail required both in curling and watch making.

I am happy to tell you that a portion of the price of the EDOX Curling Watch will go to helping young people attend our annual WCF / DCV Hummelt Junior Curling Camp in Füssen, Germany. So, not only will you be gaining a beautiful accessory you will be supporting the next generation of curlers.

For more information and to buy this special timepiece visit, www.worldcurling.org/edox-curling-watch

Annual Review 2015-2016 out NOW!

Our Annual Review 2015-2016 has been published and hard copies have been distributed to you. To download a copy to distribute or print please visit, www.worldcurling.org/review-2015-2016

Sport Media Trainee Programme 2016-2017 CONNECT WITH WCF We are pleased to be offering the @worldcurling Sports Media Trainee Programme for aspiring sports journalists and photographers once again. /WorldCurlingFederation Full time students, from around /WorldCurlingTV the world, are invited to submit entries for the development /world-curling-federation programme. The programme offers invaluable experiences in journalism and photography at some of the WCF’s highest profile events. Perhaps, there is someone you know in your clubs or part of your Associations who would be interested in this. MEDIA ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME (MAP) In season 2016-2017, successful applicants will be immersed in the media operations of one of the fastest growing Olympic and Paralympic winter Application forms for MAP have sports and will be given direction by our media team. been sent out to you for the coming season. MAP is for Running since 2012, the programme has seen many of its graduates go on to Member Associations who want work in sports media both with the WCF and other international sports organisations. to increase their news and media output at WCF events. For more Students can apply for the Sport Media Trainee Programme at

information please contact www.worldcurling.org/smtp-2016-2017 [email protected]

NEXT EDITION

Thank you for taking the time to read the newsletter for September 2016. Our next edition will be in January, following our qualification events and before our World Curling Championships begin.

To everyone involved in WCF events, national and recreational competitions, good luck and good curling!

will update you with everything that has been happening in the next World Curling Federation 3 Atholl Crescent newsletter. If you wish to share news in the next edition, please contact Perth PH1 5NG [email protected] by Monday 16 January 2017. Scotland, UK +44 1738 451 630 [email protected] www.worldcurling.org