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SPORTSSaturday 20 January 2018
Curling will be working overtime at Pyeongchang Olympics
JIMMY GOLEN Mixed doubles will make its he’s going to come into the that will represent Canada en’s team has ever done
AP Sports Writer Olympic debut , followed men’s team and not miss a in Pyeongchang — and all that,” Courtney said. “We
The bobsledders may push on the ice at the Gang- beat.” four women — are Olympic love the pressure, we love
harder. The speedskaters neung curling center by Jenny Perret, who will com- rookies. having expectations. I think
may go faster. The ski jump- the more familiar, single- pete in mixed doubles and “No matter who goes from that’s a great thing.”
ers certainly will soar higher. gender discipline. The Unit- also is an alternate on the Canada in any year, no HOME ICE
Yet no one will work longer How big is the home-ice
hours at the Pyeongchang In this March 23, 2017, file photo, United States’ Becca Hamilton releases the stone during a match advantage in curling?
Olympics than American against Switzerland in the Women’s World Curling Championship in Beijing. Shuster remembers going
curlers Matt and Becca to his first Olympics in Italy,
Hamilton. Associated Press a country that like South
By qualifying for both the Korea has very little curling
new mixed doubles dis- ed States was one of the Swiss women’s team, is the matter if it’s the worlds or tradition.
cipline and the tradition- few countries that allowed only other curler working the Olympics, you always After receiving a berth as
al, single-gender curling athletes who qualified in double duty. have a target on our back,” the host nation, rather than
event, the siblings from Mc- traditional curling to also try O, CANADA said lead Ben Hebert, who the qualification process,
Farland, Wisconsin, could out in mixed. Canada has been curling’s with vice-skip Marc Kenne- skip Joel Retornaz led Italy
be on the ice for as many That gives the Hamiltons an most dominant country, dy won gold in Vancouver. to a 4-2 record in afternoon
as 50 hours — by far the lon- unprecedented chance to and they’re among the “The first time, we did what and evening matches
gest anyone will be in live claim two curling medals favorites in all three events we were supposed to do,” “when they packed the
competition at the Winter at the same Winter Games. again. he said. “Eight years, it’s place full of screaming Ital-
Games. Or, if they falter in the The country is the three- been a long time and a ians “ and 0-3 when they
No one is saying that’s mixed doubles, get a sec- time defending Olympic long journey. You never played in the less-lively 9
harder than, say, the 50-ki- ond chance to claim only men’s champion, winning know if you’re going to get a.m. session.
lometer cross-country race. the second Olympic curling silver in the two other Win- back.” “The Koreans are certainly
But even the skiers will be medal in U.S. history. (The ter Games since curling The Canadian women’s going to have that advan-
back in the lodge sipping Americans claimed bronze was returned to the pro- team is the defending tage,” said Hebert, who
cocoa after a couple of in Turin in 2006 with a four- gram in 1998. The Canadi- world champion, going un- rode the crowd enthusiasm
hours. some that includes current an women have two golds, defeated at the worlds. to the top of the podium in
Depending on tiebreakers skip John Shuster.) a silver and two bronzes at “That’s the first time a wom- 2010. “To have the crowd
and whether they can get “It’s a great chance to the Olympics. behind your back — it was
a bye in the semifinals, the throw rocks we’re going Canada is also the defend- amazing to have hundreds
Hamiltons could be com- to be playing,” Shuster ing men’s and women’s of people you know there,
peting for 18 straight days. said. “I’m sure it’s going to world champion, while plus all the Canadian fans
“No curler’s ever done be mentally daunting for finishing second in mixed cheering for you.
that,” Becca Hamilton said. them. But if he gets it roll- doubles. “It’s no different than hav-
“Not many curlers are go- ing through mixed doubles, But two of the four men ing the home-field advan-
ing to be able to get the tage in football or hockey.
opportunity.” You feed off of it.”
A 600-year-old niche sport While the South Korean
that catches the world’s teams would have been
attention every four years included as the host na-
— the sweeping, the shout- tion anyway, the women
ing, the pants! — curling earned their spot by finish-
will be ever-present in Py- ing eighth in the qualifica-
eongchang. Athletes will tion standings.
be throwing stones from (The men were 15th for
the day before the torch is the 10-team field, and the
lit until just hours before the mixed team was 10th in
closing ceremony. an eight-team field.)”That
“The Olympics have done should be pretty cool for
awesome things for curl- the home country,” Shuster
ing,” Canadian second said.q
Joanne Courtney said.
“And it’s just great to be a
part of it.”
Here are some things to
look for in the 2018 Olympic
curling tournaments:
DOUBLE TIME
