WORLD MIXED DOUBLES CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP 2010 – FROM THE PLAYERS:

Thursday 22 April

Bridget Becker, Team New Zealand (playing with Sean Becker)
After winning their last round robin game against the Czech Republic 8-7.
“I believe that we’re second now in our pool. It’s such a shame with all the teams that didn’t make it. It would have been fantastic if they were all here. But the competition has been great so far.”

“I love it. It’s just different. You get to yell at one person as they are trying to sweep as hard as they possibly can. It’s just got a different concept. There’s not a lot of hitting, so it means that there’s a lots of rocks in play. It makes it exciting for everybody watching as well as playing. Your draw weight has to be perfect. It’s different to the fours [team curling].

“What I like about playing with family is that you can get a little bit growly and we forgive each other pretty well. So I’m happy with that. We don’t have too many cross words, we do the odd time but it goes in one ear and out the other. You can do that with family and you don’t take as much to heart because you’ve put up with it all your life! So an hour and half isn’t too bad!!”

WORLD CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010 – FROM THE CHIEF ICE MAKER:

Thursday 22 April

Hans Wutrich – Chief Ice Maker
Hans is Canadian, but he was born in Switzerland. He is one of the top curling ice makers in the world and did the ice for the curling competition at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
He speaks about his experience of making curling ice in Russia for the first time and the challenge of making 14 sheets in the same building:

“When I walked into the building on the very first day, I thought ‘oh my – this is going to be a challenge!’ but in fact it was not bad. The floor was level and we were able to make it work really well.”

“Everyone is really impressed about how good the ice has been and how consistent it is. The machinery here is really good because it’s keeping the ice temperature consistent all day.”

“I have had some really good Russian guys to help me. They are very interested in the game of curling. A lot of them are curlers and you can see them playing on the extra three sheets of ice that they made. They are very proud that we actually let them make those three sheets of ice by themselves. It’s a great learning process for them.”

“I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to make 14 sheets of championship curling ice in the same space again – but I would sure love to. It’s an amazing sight!”

“Give Russia another four or five years and they will be right there with curling. Look at China and the Chinese girls and how good they became in just three or four years. If they get the right coach, they will do well.”

WORLD SENIOR CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2010 – FROM THE PLAYERS:

Thursday 22 April

Lauri Perkio, Team Finland (Men) – Skip
Speaking after their game against Italy which they won 7-6 after an extra end. This is the fourth World Senior Championship Lauri has played at:
“We were throwing very well, better than before. We had a little problem with the curl. We had five or six stones which ‘picked’. It never happened before, so why here I don’t know. But generally the stones were curling a lot. The Italians had problems with this but maybe we had better knowledge of the ice. In the beginning the Italians made many mistakes, but by the end they were really playing well.”

Carlo Carrera, Team Italy (Men) – Skip
Speaking after the game against Finland. This is the second senior championships for the Italian team. They played last year in New Zealand:
“It was a good game. It was a bit difficult in the first end [Finland took 3] but then we had two steals in a row in the third and fourth ends and we were beginning to think that the game could be won easily. But the Finns took two in the fifth end and stole one in the sixth. So it was very tight and we went to an extra end. The house was open for the Finns last stone. But I’m still proud of my team.”

About the championships in Chelyabinsk:
“We have been welcomed here so well. The Seniors Championship is very special. You are sharing the experience with people who have played the game, in many cases, for many years. It’s so nice. Even with the problems caused by the volcano, the organising committee has been amazing. It has all been organised so well. If we didn’t have an interpreter we would never have been able to order anything to eat!!”

On their final game against Canada later today:
“Well, we were planning to set the record straight by winning this morning [against Finland], but that didn’t happen! So instead we’ll do that later on! We can only dream!”

Tatyana Zaytseva, Team Russia (Women) – Skip
Speaking after winning their first game of the championship. 8-7 against Italy:
“We showed everything we can do in this game. This is how we should play. We’ve prepared a lot for this championship. Many people told us we made no mistakes, but we know that we made some. At moments it was a bit daunting. But we managed. It’s our first victory in this championships. And I dedicate it to the Russian people, because we want them to come and watch curling. They will loce curling and understand that it doesn’t matter how old you are, you can be 40 or 14 but you can curl.”