{"time":1780406986926,"blocks":[{"id":"OXEaXUWrOK","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"What’s the latest goings-on in the curling world, you might ask?"}},{"id":"ZvcoiqUm_y","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Let’s start in Italy."}},{"id":"HHKAF7rEyc","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"• After a few weeks of anticipation, Stefania Constantini announced her new team. "}},{"id":"vhxblWh6oO","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Angela Romei – as expected – is on board, and the new faces are young sisters, Allegra and Lucrezia Grande."}},{"id":"XqEFRpidmW","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Grandes are part of a new wave of youthful Italian sibling competitors making the jump to high-profile competition next season – much like the Spiller brothers and the Gilli brothers in men’s play."}},{"id":"q9XNMl2JsT","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The Constantini’ confirmation follows news that her former outfit is sticking together with a new recruit."}},{"id":"XlTXRRZds_","type":"image","data":{"caption":"Alina Paetz • World Curling ","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/f55c237a-5636-44b2-aeaf-26ce09bec72d.jpeg","width":2166,"height":1424}}},{"id":"oRnU1tkcnx","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"• To no one’s surprise, Swiss women’s ace Alina Paetz will return to the tee after the retirement of Silvana Tirinzoni."}},{"id":"VNuWrzagy-","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Two-year teammate Selina Witschonke is in tow, along with front-enders Stefanie Berset and Renée Frigo."}},{"id":"ixlFnW1W70","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Before forming a super-squad with Tirinzoni, Paetz skipped her own team – the former Mirjam Ott squad – to the 2015 world women’s championship title."}},{"id":"6mlIbPwPxD","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Meanwhile, a couple of retirements have taken place in Scotland."}},{"id":"UCFl2fj8I6","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"• Rebecca Morrison has ended her women’s career after a sixth-place appearance at the Milano-Cortina Olympics. She competed in four world championships and her signature podium finish was a silver at the most recent European Championships."}},{"id":"9fEnUgMIti","type":"image","data":{"caption":"Morrison (right) with Jenn Dodds • Anil Mungal-The Curling News","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/f3e60e4f-e7e9-4946-a286-255295ba5f8e.jpeg","width":2288,"height":1526}}},{"id":"ySoBC9j-E5","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"• Hailey Duff also bade farewell. She won Olympic gold in 2022 at lead stone with Eve Muirhead; the last remaining member of that team who is still competing is Jennifer Dodds."}},{"id":"mDKlhAGFgz","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Morrison and Duff are both 29, continuing a disturbing trend of young female athletes departing from the sport."}},{"id":"GetoeP0pbj","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"• In Canada, the new Team Tardi – Mike McEwen’s former outfit with the young BC/Alberta player at the tee – has unveiled a new logo, and it’s kind of cool."}},{"id":"TIMMchXfCy","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"It’s got Marvel Cinematic Universe vibes, actually. With an expected Sasky element."}},{"id":"W8b5HUTfK6","type":"embed","data":{"service":"twitter","source":"https://x.com/team_tardi/status/2057884393344020890","embed":"https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?id=2057884393344020890","width":600,"height":300,"caption":"","meta":{"title":"Team Tardi (@team_tardi) on X","site_name":"X (formerly Twitter)","description":"Not Team Tardi.\n\nBigger than one name.\n\nGreen Machines.","image":{"url":"https://jf.x.com/images/media-preview/2057884393344020890"}}}},{"id":"eo-jQn1EyC","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"• World Curling ran pre-qualifying tournaments for the men’s and women’s 2027 world championships last month, and the European theatre event was held in Slovenia."}},{"id":"qS0wttoCHh","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"At Ljubljana, hosts Slovenia and Latvia grabbed the men’s berths, with Finland finishing third and England fourth. "}},{"id":"N9LB_r39K3","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"On the women’s side, France – hosts to the next Olympic Winter Games in 2030 – surprised many by going 6-1 to claim the first qualifying berth, while Poland upended Slovakia to grab the second spot."}},{"id":"Y9QVikUomM","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Earlier, the Pan-Continental region held its men’s pre-world qualifying championship at Dumfries, Scotland. "}},{"id":"1z9oq6i7y4","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Mexico and India grabbed the berths, while Jamaica made a strong run to finish third, their first men’s podium finish at this level of competition."}},{"id":"IeiD_o1YSp","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"• Finally, Thomas Ulsrud – who was posthumously inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame in 2024 – was honoured with the formal presentation of that award on the occasion of the second memorial tournament held in his name. "}},{"id":"F1aT7qJDAL","type":"image","data":{"caption":"Norges Curlingforbund","withBorder":false,"withBackground":false,"size":"full","alignment":"center","linkUrl":"","file":{"url":"https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ea9ec841-16e4-4feb-8a7c-b2fda78d47db.jpeg","width":1286,"height":1600}}},{"id":"nBGbV95m0i","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"World Curling vice president Morten Søgård was on hand for the official induction at Snarøya Curlinghall, which also hosted the 20-team tournament. Ulsrud’s family received the award."}},{"id":"7u1TYSpPKz","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The popular Norwegian men’s team skip passed away four years ago after a battle with cancer."}},{"id":"ba5HeY1tt0","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The tournament raised some 120,000 in Norwegian kroner to be split amongst three charities: the Norwegian Cancer Society, the Thomas Ulsrud Memorial Fund and Right To Play."}}],"version":"2.31.5"}

U.S. Curling Fans Take “Kicks to the Gut”

ESPN writer on curling tour