PRESIDENT’S NEWSLETTER
May 2013
Inside this issue: Welcome Following the conclusion of the 2012/13 creased interest in our sport that these World Curling Federation Championship events will bring, so keep up the good work! WCF News 1 season, I would like to take a moment to Remember, you can read more about each story reflect on what has been one of the most 2 by clicking on the headline. exciting and dynamic seasons for our sport 3 to date. Since February’s newsletter, several new 4 World Champions have been crowned and we have seen some top class curling action at Development 5 our events.
Media & MA News 6 Congratulations to all of this season’s medal winners and to the teams who have qualified Deadlines 7 their nations directly for next year’s Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. With the Olympic and Paralympic season ahead of us, there is no time to sit back. Exciting times are ahead as the WCF holds its inaugural Olympic Qualifying Event in De- cember in Füssen, Germany, where the final
teams for Sochi will be decided. FWMCC 2013 Chief Umpire, Rae Kells, presents Swedish Skip, Niklas Edin, with the Collie Campbell Memorial We must all be ready to deal with the in- Special points of Sportsmanship Award Photo: WCF/CCA/Michael Burns interest:
World Championships Round-up (p1-3) Ford World Men’s Curling Championship 2013
Event announcements Congratulations to Sweden who qualify their NOCs directly for (p3) were crowned 2013 World the Olympic Winter Games, Men’s Curling Champions in along with host Russia. Hall of Fame (p3) Victoria, Canada in April. Victoria proved once more to New Commissions (p4) Congratulations to Canada be an excellent venue for a Camps & Courses (p5) (silver); Scotland (bronze and World Championship event and
CEP & DAP update (p5) whose Olympic qualification our thanks go to everyone in- points are allocated to Great volved in making it such a suc- Job Opportunities (p6) B r i t a i n ) ; N o r w a y ; cess, especially the local organis- Event hosts sought (p7) Denmark; China and Switzerland ers and hundreds of volunteers. Sweden, 2013 World Men’s Champions who all earned enough points to Photo: WCF/CCA/Michael Burns
Remember, click on the headers or bold words to take you through to more information/full story Page 2 May 2013 Newsletter
Titlis Glacier Mountain World Women’s Curling Championship 2013 Scotland were crowned ifying directly for the 2014 World Women’s Curling Olympic Winter Games. Champions 2013 in Riga, They are joined by host Latvia in March in a fantastic Russia and two qualifiers show of curling action. from December’s Olympic Sweden picked up silver and Qualification Event which Canada won the bronze takes place in Füssen, Ger- medals. many. These three teams (Scotland This was Latvia’s first World earning Olympic qualifica- Curling Championship and I
tion points for Great Brit- would like to thank every- Scotland, World Women’s Curling Champions
ain) join Switzerland; USA; one involved in organising a Photo: WCF/Richard Gray
Denmark and Korea in qual- first class event.
World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2013 Hungary made curling histo- Sweden picked up the silver This event was run along- ry in Fredericton, New medals and the Czech Re- side the World Senior Curl- Brunswick, winning their public won bronze. ing Championships and was first ever World Curling With 27 teams competing in a great opportunity for ath- Championship title. this event, it proves just letes, spectators and every- Hungary’s Zsolt Kiss and how popular the discipline one involved in the event to Dorottya Palancsa defeated continues to be with our see first hand the level of Sweden 8-7 in the final to Member Associations. skill required to play Mixed Hungary, World Mixed Doubles Curl- Doubles curling. ing Champions 2013 win the gold medals.
Photos: WCF/Richard Gray
World Junior Curling Championships 2013
Well done to all of the medal winners at the World Junior Curling Championships which was held as a test event in the Olympic venue, the Ice Cube Curling Center, in Sochi, Russia in March. Russia’s women delighted local spectators as they won the gold medal, beating Scot- land who picked up silver while Japan won the bronze medals. In the men’s champi- onship, Scotland won gold, Russia silver and Canada won bronze. This was the second of two test events held in the Olympic venue ahead of next year’s Olympic Winter Games and I would like to thank everyone involved in making it such a great event. The standard of play was exceptional and I’m confident the future of our sport is in good hands. The Ice Cube Curling Center proved to be an excellent venue and I’m sure every- one heading to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi next year will Russia women and Scotland men, World Junior Curling Champions 2013 have a great experience. Photo: WCF/Richard Gray May 2013 Newsletter Page 3
World Senior Curling Championships 2013
There was some fantastic curling on display at this year’s World Senior Curling Cham- pionships. Congratulations to the Canadian men and women who both won gold. I would like to thank the local organising committee, sponsors and the 375 volunteers for making both Championships held in Fredericton such a success. On a sad note, at the start of the Championships, New Zealand’s Carolyn Cooney be- came seriously ill at the venue. A medical team was on hand and Carolyn was rushed to the local hospital. I have been in constant contact with her husband Pat, a member of the New Zealand Men’s team, who remains in Fredericton with Carolyn. She is still in Canada’s Senior men and women’s teams both won hospital but is making progress and they are hoping that soon she will be considered ‘fit the gold medals at the WSCC 2013 Photo: WCF/Richard Gray to fly’ home. Pat and Carolyn are grateful to the local community, hospital and curlers for all their help and support and I know that the curling family send their thoughts and prayers to both of them.
Hall of Fame Entrants
Two of Canada’s most accom- I was honoured to be able to plished curlers were inducted present both Ron and Don with into the World Curling Hall of their individual Freytag Awards Fame in April. to mark their induction. Three-time world champion Ron Nominations for the World Northcott and two-time world Curling Hall of Fame 2014 induc- champion Don Duguid were tees open in November 2013. officially inducted on April 7 More information about this and during the closing banquet of the other WCF awards can be found
Ford World Men’s Curling here: www.worldcurling.org/ Canada’s Don Duguid (left) and Ron Northcott (right), 2013 induc- Championship 2013 in Victoria. world-curling-hall-of-fame tees to the World Curling Hall of Fame Photo: WCF/CCA/Michael Burns
Event Announcements Over the last three months we have announced a number of hosts for 2013/14 season events. The first announcement confirmed that Füssen in Germany will host the World Curling Federation’s first Olympic Qualification Event between 11-15 December 2013. Shortly after that we announced that the Scottish capital city, Edinburgh, will host the Eu- ropean Mixed Curling Championships between 14-21 September 2013. Scotland will also host two World Championships next season in the form of the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship and the World Senior Curling Championships which will take place side by side between 23-29 April 2014 in Dumfries. We were also pleased to confirm that Tärnby, Denmark will be hosting the European Curling Championship C-Group between 7-13 October 2013 and Lohja in Finland will be The BLZ Arena in Füssen, Germany, will host hosting the European Junior Curling Challenge between 3-8 January 2014. the Olympic Qualification Event in December Photo: WCF Page 4 May 2013 Newsletter Athlete Commission and Competition & Rules Commission
We were delighted to have Olympic gold medallist and Wang from China; 2007 mission by reading the full received such a high calibre WCF Vice-President, Bent World Champion Kelly Scott story by clicking on the of nominations from around Ramsfjell, from Norway. from Canada; 2003 World headline above. the world for our first ever Champion Ann Swisshelm Six athletes were selected by Over the coming weeks and Athlete Commission and from the USA; two-time the WCF Executive Board months we look forward to Competition and Rules World Wheelchair Curling from a pool nominated working with the Athletes Commission. Champion and Paralympic by our Member Associa- Commission and Competi- silver medallist Michael Following a lengthy selection tions to form the inaugural tions and Rules Commission McCreadie from Scotland process, the Executive Board WCF Athlete Commission. to help shape and develop and 2006 European Champi- decided on the individuals They include: two-time the future of our great sport. that we believe will be best on Andreas Schwaller from Olympic gold medallist and The two Commissions will placed to serve both Com- Switzerland. two-time World Women’s meet for the first time at the missions. You can find out which indi- Curling Champion Cathrine WCF Annual Congress being viduals were selected for the The WCF Athlete Commis- Lindahl from Sweden; 2009 held in Copenhagen, Den- Competition & Rules Com- sion will be chaired by 2002 World Champion Bingyu mark in September.
WCF / CCA extend partnership agreement We were happy to an- Championship events in Media, also agreed to nounce the extension of 2015-2018 to be deter- partnership terms with our partnership with the mined by the CCA, in the CCA relating to Canadian Curling Associ- consultation with the sponsorship and market- ation (CCA) which will WCF. ing rights at World see Canada host the Canada is already sched- events held in Canada World Men’s Curling throughout the duration uled to host the 2014 Championship in 2015 Ford World Women’s of the agreement. and 2017 and the World Championship from We are looking forward Women’s Curling Cham- March 15 to 23, at Har- to building upon a strong pionship in 2016 and bour Station in Saint relationship that we have 2018. John, New Brunswick. forged with the CCA and The partnership allows helping them deliver first L-R: Andreas Biffiger (Infront Sports & Media), Kate The WCF’s marketing for the sites of the Cana- class World Champion- Caithness (WCF President), Greg Stremlaw (CCA Chief agent, Infront Sports and Executive) Photo: WCF/CCA/Michael Burns dian World Curling ship events in Canada. Anette Norberg retires
It was with great regret that I learnt the news that Sweden’s Anette Norberg, 46, has decided to retire from elite curling, but would like to thank her for all that she has done for our sport during her incredibly successful career. Two time Olympic gold medallist, Anette, won three World Championship titles and seven European Championship titles during her playing career. She is one of Sweden’s most successful Olympic athletes but also one of the most successful curling players in the world. She was and remains a role model in our sport and I’m sure will continue to be an inspiration to athletes across the world for many years to come.
Anette Norberg, Sweden
Photo: WCF/Michael Burns Page 5 May 2013 Newsletter
World Curling Federation Camps and Courses Development
WCF/NCB Sweetlake Jun- and for those who may ior Team Camp: There are have missed out on our still places available at the Füssen summer camp. WCF/NCB Sweetlake Jun- For more information about ior Team Curling Camp these and other camps and taking place in Zoetermeer, courses coming up over the Netherlands, from 4 - 9 next few months, please August 2013. visit our website at: This is a great opportunity w w w . w c f - c a m p s - for young teams to develop courses.com Spaces are still available at this camp in the Netherlands
Development Assistance Programme (DAP)
The 2012/13 programme is jects include: camps organ- ments for the 2013/14 pro- now closed for applications. ised for individual Member gramme will be sent to Member Associations; support for an We provided funding to Associations before the end of support projects worth a instructors course; hiring of May so that you have all the total of $370,000 US dollars an external coach for a na- relevant information ahead of from 36 of our 50 Member tional clinic; promotional the new programme starting on Associations. equipment; curling open 1 June 2013. For more infor- days and the purchase of mation on DAP, please email: Since our last newsletter, eeva.roethlisberger@world some of the supported pro- new Equipment. The docu- curling.org
WCF Curling Equipment Programme (CEP) The second year of the CEP was launched on 1 May 2013 and we are now taking applications for support from all Member Associations. The Curling Equipment Programme (CEP) is designed to assist you, our Member Associations, by providing you with a specified amount of curling equipment for distribution at one of your organised camps or clinics. Applications are approved on a ‘first come - first served’ basis so we encourage you to apply as soon as you have your camp or clinic information finalised. Information regarding this programme and all of our other programmes is available on the WCF website: www.worldcurling.org/curling-equipment-programme-cep or by emailing [email protected]
WCF announces ‘Green’ facilities initiative We were pleased to announce the in- the costs involved in the project, to energy usage and prevent energy loss, which troduction of a new energy efficiency Member Associations who are looking will not only help the environment but also initiative which is designed to encour- to improve energy efficiency and the improve facilities’ operating costs. age Member Associations to cut their environmental merits of an existing For more information about this initiative, carbon footprint. curling facility. please visit: www.worldcurling.org/world We are offering interest free loans of It is hoped that this new initiative will -curling-federation-announces-new- up to $100,000 US dollars or 50% of encourage Member Associations to cut green-facilities-initiative May 2013 Newsletter Page 6
Media Update Since our last newsletter we have launched two new curlingevents.com websites which provide a useful resource of information for forthcoming events. European Mixed Curling Championship 2013 can be view here: www.emcc2013.curlingevents.com Le Gruyère European Curling Championships 2013 can be viewed here: www.ecc2013.curlingevents.com Our Media Assistance Programme (MAP) has now ended for the season. The EMCC and ECC 2013 websites are now live Member Associations in Australia, Latvia, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and
USA took advantage of the programme to send a media & communications repre- sentative to work at WCF events. We hope that more of you will take up this excellent opportunity when the programme is renewed again in September.
Job Opportunities
The Latvian Curling Asso- cruit a new Coach, primarily ciation is looking for a new to help the Italian women’s National Coach. team prepare for the Olympic Qualification Event. They will This is a permanent position also be expected to help with and successful candidates will develop a programme for other teams and develop- ment, including the youth both the men’s and women’s national teams as well as the programme at the club. overall development of the To find out more about both sport of curling throughout of these positions, other job Latvia. vacancies and volunteer op- portunities, please visit the The deadline for this job is 31 jobs page on the WCF web- May 2013. site: The Latvian Curling Association is looking for a new National Italy’s Sporting Club Pi- Coach for their men’s and women’s teams nerolo is also looking to re- www.worldcurling.org/jobs Photo: WCF/Richard Gray
MA Activity The Canadian Curling Association have confirmed the line-ups for their National Olympic Qualification event—The Roar of the Rings. Find out which teams will be compet- ing here: www.curling.ca/2013roaroftherings-en Following the US Curling Association’s World Winter University Games 2013 Trials, their men’s and women’s teams have been confirmed for the Winter Universiade which is taking place in Trentino, Italy from 11-21 December. Find out which teams will be repre- senting the USA here: www.curlingrocks.net/news/christensen-plys-rinks-win- wwug-trials-blaine-mn The British Olympic Association (BOA) announced that Team GB will be led by Olym- pic gold winning head coach and former international curler from Scotland, Mike Hay, who has been appointed Chef de Mission at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi 2014.
A new curling facility was opened in Karuizawa in Japan. The Karuizawa Ice Park hosted Karuizawa Ice Park the Karuizawa International Curling Championship in April. To find out more about this Photo: Scott Becker state-of-the-art curling facility, visit: www.karuizawaclub.ne.jp/icurling/en/ World Curling Deadlines Federation Member Associations are reminded of the following Team paperwork deadlines: 74 Tay Street Olympic Qualification Event (Füssen, Germany) Perth PH2 8NP 31 May 2013 United Kingdom European Curling Championships 2013 A & B Groups (Stavanger, Norway) Phone: (44) 1738 451 630 31 May 2013 Fax: (44) 1738 451 641 Email: [email protected] European Curling Championships C-Group 2013 (Tärnby, Denmark) 31 May 2013 Facebook: www.facebook.com/ WorldCurlingFederation Americas Challenge 2013 (Venue TBC) Google+: www.gplus.to/ 31 July 2013 worldcurlingfederation You Tube: www.youtube.com/user/ Event hosts WorldCurlingTV Twitter Media Feed: @WCFmedia The WCF would like to encourage Member Associations to submit bids for the following Twitter Fan Feed @worldcurling championships and would advise that all interest is submitted as soon as possible to the Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/ Director of Competitions and Development, Keith Wendorf: company/world-curling-federation [email protected] Follow us The WCF is currently seeking bids for: World Wheelchair Curling Qualification Event 2014 European Mixed Curling Championship 2014 European Curling Championship C Division 2014 European Junior Curling Challenge 2015 World Junior Curling Championships 2015 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2015 World Senior Curling Championships 2015
Next Edition With our next newsletter due in those involved in the Winter August, we’re looking forward to Games New Zealand in August. updating you with all of our activity If you wish to share any suggestions, from the next three months, includ- news or information about activity ing our meetings at Sport Accord in that your Association has been un- St Petersburg, Russia in June. dertaking in our next newsletter, Visit our website: While many of us in the Northern please contact the WCF Media and www.worldcurling.org hemisphere will use the next few Communications Team via months to plan for what will be a [email protected] no busy period for our sport, we wish later than 30 July 2013. all our colleagues in the Southern Yours in curling, hemisphere good curling as their season gets underway, especially to