02/04/26 12:46:00
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02/04 12:45 CST Winter Olympics kicked off in Cortina with curling, but took a
brief pause due to a power outage
Winter Olympics kicked off in Cortina with curling, but took a brief pause due
to a power outage
By JENNIFER McDERMOTT
Associated Press
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) --- The Winter Olympics got underway Wednesday
with the first curling matches in Cortina, but came to a halt only moments
later because of a power outage.
Officials briefly paused the matches at the historic curling stadium when the
lights dimmed and flickered. Curlers kept sliding on the ice to stay ready.
Fans cheered when the bright lights came back shortly after and competition
resumed.
Curling in Cortina --- eight teams in mixed doubles --- began two full days
before the opening ceremony for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. American curler
Korey Dropkin said he has been waiting a long time for this moment.
"Being amongst the best, it's a very cool atmosphere to be part of," said
Dropkin, a first-time Olympian who will begin competition Thursday. "We're
looking forward to being ready to compete and pour our hearts out on the ice."
Opening night in this mountain resort was just the first of the round robin
matches in mixed doubles curling, where teams with one woman and one man face
off against one another.
Fans have arrived in Cortina, and they are excited for the first matches. Some
in the crowd held the flag for the Czech Republic, whose team was competing
against Canada.
Bernard Benoit traveled from Ontario, Canada, to root for his home team before
going on to meet his daughter in Milan. While he's a longtime curling fan, it's
his first time at the Olympics. He said he came a long way to see the best in
the world because he loves how curling is a "mix of athleticism and intellect"
and a strategy game.
Benoit is cheering for Canadian couple Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant, who
are competing in mixed doubles. Three of the teams are married couples and one
is a sibling team. Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill are the first ever to compete
for Estonia in curling.
Italian duo Stefania Constantini, who is from Cortina, and Amos Mosaner are the
defending world and Olympic champions in mixed doubles.
Stephanie Kahn is a volunteer at the curling center, who is eager to learn what
curling is all about and how hard it is. Kahn is from the United States and
moved to Spain when she retired. She aspired to compete in swimming in the
Olympics when she was younger.
"That, for me, is what makes it so special. Being an athlete and knowing that
to be at the top, top of your sport, regardless of what that sport is, it's
just such a commitment," she said. "So I'm just excited to be in the presence
of these athletes."
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AP Writer Julia Frankel in Jerusalem contributed to this report.
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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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