OLYMPICS: Curling-Mixed doubles competition gets Milano Cortina Games rolling

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – The mixed doubles curling competition took center stage on Wednesday, two days before the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. Fans braved the snow in Cortina d’Ampezzo to watch the first stones thrown at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, cheering enthusiastically despite the light snowfall that kept the venue from reaching full capacity.

The opening end was briefly interrupted by technical issues when the lights went out and the scoreboards went blank, drawing a second round of cheers when power was restored. Wednesday’s four games marked the start of nearly three weeks of curling at a venue rich in Winter Games history.

The stadium previously played a key role during the 1956 Winter Olympics, hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, figure skating, and ice hockey events.

“We’re excited to be kicking things off. As an athlete, you’re waiting for things to get going,” said Canada’s Brett Gallant after a Wednesday morning training session. “Honestly, I’m just glad the wait is over and we get to hit the ice and do what we do best. It’s super exciting.”

While Wednesday featured only one session of games, spectators can look forward to a full day of curling action on Thursday, with defending champions and home favorites Italy among the teams in action. Women’s ice hockey preliminaries also begin in Milan on Thursday.

The Opening Ceremony is set for Friday, with Milan’s San Siro Stadium co-hosting alongside venues in Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo, marking the first “widespread ceremony” in Olympic history.

-Reporting by Aadi Nair; Editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters