Cortina Prepares for Wheelchair Curling, Paralympic Closing Ceremony

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, ITALY – The Curling News is still in Cortina, and we have an exclusive update on the subtle changes being completed at the Olympic – now Paralympic – curling stadium.

It’s mostly about the look, but there are some critical behind-the-scenes changes underway.

All branding, including in-ice logos, have changed. All Olympic rings are gone and replaced with Paralympic logos.

Changes have also been made to external signage.

More critical for the athletes, hand rails have been added to the field-of-play access ramp.

There’s also the required equipment changes and modifications in the Athlete Warm Up area, plus changes to furniture and fittings in the changing rooms.

Finally, here’s something quite exciting.

The Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (which should really be known as the Cortina Curling Paralympic Stadium next week) was, of course, illuminated with a stunning array of television lighting in the run-up to the Olympic Winter Games curling competition.

We were first to show you this, weeks before the first stones were thrown.

Believe it or not, even more rigging and lighting has been added to the venue for the Winter Paralympic closing ceremony.

That’s right… the beloved 1956 Olympic stadium will close the entire Paralympic Games and host the final ceremony on Mar. 15.

Wheelchair curling action starts Mar. 4, a full two days before the opening ceremony in Verona.