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The highly anticipated Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics ran into an unexpected speed hurdle as competition opened on Wednesday.
A brief power outage interrupted the opening curling competitions after the lights flickered inside the historic stadium. Several curlers remained free by continuing to slide on the ice during the delay.
The return of the lights sparked cheers from the crowd. Authorities said they were investigating the cause, but no details were immediately available.
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South Korea’s Yeongseok Jeong sweeps a stone during the mixed doubles round robin phase of the curling competition against Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, February 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Chbaïr)
Curling in Cortina – eight teams in mixed doubles – began two full days before the opening ceremony of this year’s Winter Games.
American curler Korey Dropkin said he had been looking forward to this moment for a long time.
“Being among the best, it’s a very cool atmosphere,” said Dropkin, an Olympian who will begin competing Thursday. “We can’t wait to be ready to compete and get out there on the ice.”
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Opening night at this mountain resort was just the first of games in the mixed doubles curling round robin, where teams of one woman and one man compete.
Rasmus of Sweden and Isabella Wranaa compete in a mixed doubles curling session against South Korea at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, February 4, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The supporters arrived in Cortina in anticipation of the first matches. They cheered, rang bells and sang for their country and their favorite curlers when their team scored or there was a break in the action.
Some in the crowd waved large flags for the Czech Republic, whose team was playing Canada. Canadian fans carrying red flags in their hands.
Preparations for the first curling competition take place at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, February 4, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Italian duo Stefania Constantini, from Cortina, and Amos Mosaner are the reigning world and Olympic champions in mixed doubles.
