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Winnipeg Free Press
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
In the Rings: Highlights and lowlights from a curling season to remember
Curling made some strides over the 2024-25 campaign yet also remained behind the times in other areas, leaving the Roaring Game in a peculiar spot entering the all-important Olympic season. Equipment issues have been a concern in recent months and the sport's archaic rule structure and lack of video review have sparked controversy. The new-look Grand Slam of Curling series had some hits and misses under new ownership. Here's a look at some highlights and lowlights from the previous season with a look ahead at what's to come. BURNING ISSUE The handling of a situation involving an apparent burned rock in a China-Norway playoff game at the world men's championship sparked heated online comments from many top players. It also showed just how far behind curling is compared to other sports. Video footage appeared to show the Chinese sweeper hit the rock with his broom just before it entered the house. Put in a tough position as the non-offending team, Norway's Magnus Ramsfjell felt the stone was burned but agreed to let it remain rather than have it removed. Umpire involvement was minimal since the players decided to play on. 'If we're not going to have umpires or officials there that are actually going to officiate and umpire the game, they shouldn't be there in my opinion,' veteran skip Brad Gushue said in a recent interview. 'And if that's the case and we have cameras, we have streaming services on just about every game now played at the top level, why not utilize that?' A World Curling spokesman noted Norway didn't make a complaint after continuing play. Chinese coach Weidong Tan, who served as interpreter for skip Xiaoming Xu, said the team didn't feel the broom made contact with the rock. World Curling director Jill Officer was made available for an interview at the event but a communications staffer shut down questions on the subject. HOMAN DOMINANT Rachel Homan's Ottawa-based team became the first Canadian women's rink to repeat as world champions since Sandra Schmirler's side did it in 1994. The top-ranked Homan finished with a remarkable 75-9 record over a season that included a fifth career Scotties Tournament of Hearts title along with Grand Slam crowns at the Kioti National and Co-op Canadian Open. Top-ranked Bruce Mouat of Scotland won the men's world title. Italy's Amos Mosaner and Stefania Constantini took the world mixed doubles crown. HITS AND MISSES The Curling Group tried some new things over its five-event calendar after purchasing the Grand Slam of Curling series last spring. Some things worked and others didn't. More changes — including a new pro league — are on the way next season. A big hit was the decision to provide live streaming of all games at Slam competitions. Curler walkouts — or slideouts in some cases — also proved popular. Misses included the dizziness-inducing 'hat-cam' live camera and a GSOC playoff draft where skips selected pool opponents. The draft's start was delayed, players didn't have their own microphones and graphics weren't used. CLEAN SWEEP Call it what you will — Foamgate or Broomgate 2.0 — but broomhead foam density was a hot topic among athletes in recent months. Many teams believe firmer foam products allow sweepers to have too much control on the ice. World Curling and Goldline Curling mutually agreed to suspend the approval of Goldline's Pursuer foam from competitive play last February. Curlers, manufacturers, federations, the athlete commission and officials have had discussions about equipment in recent months but it's unclear when there might be clarity on the subject. 'The athletes need to know by the beginning of August what sort of broom they're going to have (in) their hand for next (season),' Officer said. 'And I plan (to) keep trying to push that timeline.' HOG-LINE VIOLATIONS In the wake of repeated electronic sensor issues with curling stones, the honour system has been in place for hog-line violations over the last few seasons. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The setup has generally worked although many curlers do not release the rocks in time. Opponent apathy may be to blame. 'There's a line there that has to be abided by and it has to be enforced,' said World Curling Hall of Famer Warren Hansen. 'And to ignore it, to me, is just ridiculous.' A first-hand look from ice level at the recent world men's championship revealed several uncalled violations. A player can still request an umpire to watch the line if desired. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2025.
The Courier
10-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
'Legendary' World Curling pioneer Roy Sinclair from Glencarse, who met Vladimir Putin, dies aged 96
Tribute has been paid to 'legendary' Perthshire-raised former World Curling president Roy Sinclair who has died aged 96. Roy, who grew up in Glencarse, served as the president of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club (now Scottish Curling) from 1989 to 1990. He went on to hold the office of the president of the European Curling Federation before becoming Perth-based World Curling Federation president from 2000 – 2006. World Curling president, Beau Welling said: 'Roy was an important pillar of the development of our sport. 'His love for curling was infectious and his desire to see it continue to grow and succeed was always present. 'Even after his time as president came to an end, Roy was a frequent visitor to the head office and a regular attendee at any gatherings we had in Perth. He will be deeply missed by everyone in the curling community'. Roy's life journey began on June 14 1928 in Glencarse, Perthshire, where he was raised by his grandparents alongside a brother William and a sister Mary. A real country lad, he lived under the quiet influence of his grandfather, whom he always referred to as 'Old Man Sinclair', who was the head gardener at Glencarse House. It was here that Roy's deep-rooted love of nature and gardening began to grow. Roy attended school in Glencarse and Errol. As a young boy, he was never far from a football pitch. When it came to leaving school, Roy began an engineering apprenticeship in 1940 with LMS Railway and worked in the locomotive department in Perth. Every day Roy cycled the five miles to work and then back again every day. His apprenticeship took him to St Rollox in Springburn Glasgow, which was the largest and longest operational locomotive manufacture and repair works in Scotland. Roy found a second home in Glasgow. These two years were a fabulous time for him. Dancing at The Lacarno Ballroom and The Plaza were a staple. He thrived amid Glasgow's social life. Jimmy Stephens from Glencarse, taught him to play the button accordion and read music. He would go on to play with the legendary Angus Fitchet who always called Roy, 'Ronnie'. Years later Roy likened this to 'Trigger' on Only Fools and Horses, who always called Rodney, 'Dave'. Roy went on to form his own band, often entertaining crowds at the Lesser City Hall in Perth on a Saturday night. During this time Roy met and married Margaret from Aberdeen and they had two children Billy and Jackie. But Roy and Margaret were to later go their separate ways with Margaret returning to Aberdeen with the children. In the world of sport, Roy's impact was nothing short of legendary. He was a scratch golfer and twice Perth and Kinross County Golf Union Play Champion in 1962 and 1964. He was a dedicated member and proud former captain of Rosemount Golf Club in Blairgowrie. But it was in the sport of curling where Roy truly left his indelible mark. He began his celebrated curling career in 1972 with Perth's St Martins Club. Just a few years later, in 1976, he played with Bill Muirhead's rink, representing Scotland at the Men's World Championship in Duluth, Minnesota, returning home with silver medals. At home Roy also won five Scottish seniors titles. From player to pioneer, Roy transitioned into officialdom and administration with great distinction. Roy contributed to the international development advancement of the winter sport. He was a key figure in curling's return to the Olympic Winter Games in Nagano in 1998, serving as technical delegate. Four years later the Scottish lady's rink famously went on to win Olympic gold – an anniversary celebrated by The Courier in 2022. His influence extended to the Paralympics, playing a central role in the development and inclusion of wheelchair curling, which made its debut in Torino in 2006. Roy travelled the world, advising nations on building championship-standard rinks and standardising curling stones. In 2007, he received the prestigious Elmer Freytag Award and was inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame. Roy was also the only non-Canadian member of the Canadian Governor General's Curling Club. He served on several International Olympic Committee commissions and was an active member of the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations. He was one of only two honorary members of the World Curling Federation, alongside, none other than Prince Philip. Despite all the acclaim, Roy remained grounded. Before retiring at age 64, he worked as an engineering manager for the Ministry of Defence at Almondbank. During those years, he had the opportunity to see Pavarotti live at Torino, met Vladamir Putin in Russia where he watched the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow in the company of Putin whilst serving on the International Olympic Committee. Roy's love for the sport, and his determination to see it flourish, never wavered. He played many sports and enjoyed watching them on the TV. He was an avid Manchester United supporter. He also enjoyed reading the Courier on a regular basis. When it came to music Roy had an eclectic taste and listened to Pavarotti, Andrea Rui, Scottish Dance Bands, Angus Fitchet from Dundee and any kind of accordion or fiddle music. Having separated from Margaret he went on to marry Kathleen before once again separating. He went on to marry Bea who died some years ago.
ABC News
04-05-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Australia wins historic World Curling bronze medal, but do not have an Olympic spot for Milano-Cortina yet
Australia's mixed curling pairing of Tahli Gill and Dean Hewitt have won a historic bronze medal at the World Curling Championships in Fredericton, Canada. However, they still have work to do in order to make a second consecutive Olympic Games appearance. In Canada, the Aussies beat Estonia 9-2 in the third-place play-off, having narrowly lost to Scotland 9-6 in the semi-finals. It is Australia's first curling medal at a World Championships. "It's been a fantastic feeling coming through and building throughout the entire year this year … that's close to 11 podiums for the entire year," Hewitt told World Curling. "We're proud of what we've done. "Coming up a little bit short for the Olympic qualification directly is bittersweet, "But getting the bronze? We can't be too disappointed with that." Loading Instagram content Gill and Hewitt's previous best performance was at the 2019 World Championships when they finished fourth, just a year after combining as a pair for the first time. They also finished in 10th spot at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing — an extraordinary achievement as the first Australian curlers to make an Olympics, but one that was tempered by Gill repeatedly testing positive for COVID-19 in the latter stages of the competition. Having lost four of their first five match-ups by a single point in the Beijing Ice Cube, the pair concluded their tournament by To make that Games, the Aussies had to go through the Olympic Qualification Event in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, where they won a spectacular seven matches out of seven To reach the Milano-Cortina Games in 2026, they will likely have to do the same. Despite their World Championships bronze and having won the third-most points of any team across 2025, a relatively poor 2024 season meant the Aussies fell just a single point short of the top eight teams through the qualification period. Teams earned points through their finishing positions at tournaments throughout 2024 and 2025. Only the top eight teams after the 2024/25 qualification period are guaranteed a spot at the Games. The qualified teams are Italy, Estonia, Sweden, Great Britain (competing as Scotland in World Curling events), Norway, Canada, Switzerland and the United States of America. ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that's making headlines. Victory over Scotland in the semifinal would have been enough for the Aussies to pip US pairing Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin to that sought-after top-eight spot. The final two places will be decided at the Olympic Qualification Event, set to be held in Kelowna, Canada, from December 6-19,2025. "It's huge for us," Gill said of winning bronze. "We've worked really hard for this moment. "It's a bittersweet feeling, but it definitely gives us a lot of confidence moving forward. "The momentum isn't going to stop and we're going to keep pushing." The ABC of SPORT Sports content to make you think... or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday. Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Just a dream': Volunteers enjoying chance to watch world-class curlers in Fredericton
Organizers are revelling in the opportunity to watch world-class curlers sweep the ice at Willie O'Ree Place as a pair of world championships unfold this week in Fredericton. A total of 67 teams representing 35 countries are competing in the world mixed doubles curling championship and the world senior curling championship until May 3. "To see these players live in person is just a dream," said Lorna Campbell, one of 190 volunteers working behind the scenes to stage the event. While she helps out with statistics and timing, Campbell is watching as the competitors in the mixed doubles championship also try to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. "I think as an athlete, I don't know that there's a bigger dream than that. So it's really fun to come and watch these curlers with so much on the line and see, hopefully, they'll make their dreams come true and get to the Olympics," she said. Volunteer Lorna Campbell is taking in the event as a volunteer and a fan. She watches curling on TV and is glad to have the opportunity to see the competition in person. (Ben Ford/CBC) Campbell's daughter Jenna, a young curler who hopes herself to compete for a spot in the Olympics Games some day, is also volunteering and has enjoyed seeing top curling talent up close. She said watching the competitors practise their routines will help improve her own game. "Getting to see them work so hard to achieve their dreams is really inspiring for me as a younger curler. So, I could definitely be in this position one day," she said. Event chairman Wayne Tallon has been part of the planning process since the World Curling governing body chose Fredericton to act as host of the championships more than a year ago. "Today the proof is in the pudding, everybody's very happy on the way things have gone," Tallon said Saturday. Stephen Muzzerall echoed those sentiments. The president of the Capital Winter Club, a curling rink on the south side of Fredericton, said this week's championships have put Fredericton "on the map" for hosting international events. Stephen Muzzerall, the president of the Capital Winter Club, is a volunteer for this week's curling championships. He says the event is putting Fredericton 'on the map.' (Ben Ford/CBC) Muzzerall, who said he first stepped on a sheet of curling ice when he was three years old, has enjoyed seeing senior competitors such as Scotland's Tom Brewster and Germany's Andy Kapp who he grew up watching. But he said it's also special to be able to watch the "next generation" of top-level curlers like the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman in the mixed doubles championship. Gallant and Peterman have started the tournament with three consecutive victories, downing Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
CBC
27-04-2025
- Sport
- CBC
'Just a dream': Volunteers enjoying chance to watch world-class curlers in Fredericton
Teams from 35 countries are competing in 2 championships until May 3 Organizers are revelling in the opportunity to watch world-class curlers sweep the ice at Willie O'Ree Place as a pair of world championships unfold this week in Fredericton. A total of 67 teams representing 35 countries are competing in the world mixed doubles curling championship and the world senior curling championship until May 3. "To see these players live in person is just a dream," said Lorna Campbell, one of 190 volunteers working behind the scenes to stage the event. While she helps out with statistics and timing, Campbell is watching as the competitors in the mixed doubles championship also try to qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. "I think as an athlete, I don't know that there's a bigger dream than that. So it's really fun to come and watch these curlers with so much on the line and see, hopefully, they'll make their dreams come true and get to the Olympics," she said. Campbell's daughter Jenna, a young curler who hopes herself to compete for a spot in the Olympics Games some day, is also volunteering and has enjoyed seeing top curling talent up close. She said watching the competitors practise their routines will help improve her own game. "Getting to see them work so hard to achieve their dreams is really inspiring for me as a younger curler. So, I could definitely be in this position one day," she said. Event chairman Wayne Tallon has been part of the planning process since the World Curling governing body chose Fredericton to act as host of the championships more than a year ago. "Today the proof is in the pudding, everybody's very happy on the way things have gone," Tallon said Saturday. Stephen Muzzerall echoed those sentiments. The president of the Capital Winter Club, a curling rink on the south side of Fredericton, said this week's championships have put Fredericton "on the map" for hosting international events. Muzzerall, who said he first stepped on a sheet of curling ice when he was three years old, has enjoyed seeing senior competitors such as Scotland's Tom Brewster and Germany's Andy Kapp who he grew up watching. But he said it's also special to be able to watch the "next generation" of top-level curlers like the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman in the mixed doubles championship. Gallant and Peterman have started the tournament with three consecutive victories, downing Germany, Denmark and Sweden.
