New Italy Skips to European Curling Championships

Faced with a current leadership vacuum, Italy’s ice sport federation ran a challenge series – the first-ever such arrangement – to declare the women’s and men’s fours teams for the upcoming European Championships.

The Euro shootout is scheduled for Oct. 27 to Nov. 1 in Ostrava, Czechia.

On the men’s side, Team Spiller went 2-0 against teams Retornaz and Zisa (4-0 total), while Retornaz went 2-2 and Zisa 0-4. Zisa was eliminated, leaving Spiller and Retornaz to advance.

In the best of five final series, the veteran Retornaz won the first two games by 6-2 and 6-5 counts. However, Team Spiller – with two former Retornaz men in tow, Amos Mosaner and Sebastiano Arman – mounted a big comeback, winning three straight sudden-death games 7-3, 5-3, and 6-4 – to take bragging rights and the blue jerseys to the Czech Republic.

The squad includes the Spiller brothers, Stefano and Cesare.

The women’s side was a bit less dramatic. 

Team Constantini advanced to the final pairing undefeated and Team Zardini Lacedelli took the second spot, eliminating Team Mariani.

In the best of five playoff, however, it was a clean sweep for Zardini Lacedelli – who previously had Stefania Constantini as skip – as the new foursome scored three straight wins, 8-7, 5-4 and 9-5.

Giulia Zardini Lacedelli skips the squad, with Elena Antonia Mathis, Marta Lo Deserto and Rachele Scalesse on board. They are coached by Denmark’s Ulrik Schmidt.

“We fought hard to the very end, with heart and tenacity,” Constantini posted on her socials. “The result wasn’t what we had hoped for this time, but the value of this journey goes far beyond a single match.

“We are a group of girls who started building something together just two months ago; if these are our first steps, I can’t wait to see how far we can go.”

This marks the first time in years that two new Italian skips will debut at the Europeans.

The Championships at Ostrava will take place just 10 to 15 kilometres south of Poland.