Curling

Curling was thought to have been invented in medieval Scotland in the 16th century. It was a demonstration sport at the 1932, 1988, and 1992 Olympic Winter Games. In 1924, it also appeared on the Olympic Program, and recent evidence has found that curling was a full medal sport that year, while previously it had been considered a demonstration sport. In addition, in 1936 and 1964, German curling (Eisstockschießen) was contested as a demonstration sport.

Curling returned to the Olympic Winter Program as a full medal sport at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, in Nagano, and has been held at all Winter Olympics since. The sport is governed by the World Curling Federation (WCF), which was founded in 1966, and has 67 member federations as of 2022. At the Olympics, curling is dominated by Canada, with 12 medals and six golds, followed by Sweden, with 11 medals and four golds.

Sweden’s Niklas Edin and Oskar Eriksson are the male Olympian curlers with more medals, each with a full set, and Canadian John Morris is the only one with two gold medals. On the other hand, five women curlers have won two gold medals: four representing Sweden – Anette Norberg, Eva Lund, Cathrine Norberg-Lindahl, and Anna Svärd-Le Moine – and Canada’s Kaitlyn Lawes.

Presidents of the World Curling Federation:

• Allan Cameron (GBR, 1966-1969)

• Colin A. Campbell (CAN, 1969-1979)

• Sven A. Eklund (SWE, 1979-1982)

• Clifton Thompson (CAN, 1982-1985)

• Philip Dawson (GBR, 1985-1988)

• Donald F. Barcome (USA, 1988-1990)

• Günther Hummelt (AUT, 1990-2000)

• Roy Sinclair (GBR, 2000-2006)

• Les Harrison (CAN, 2006-2010)

• Kate Caithness (GBR, 2010-2022)

• Beau Welling (USA, 2022-date)