Competition and Community at the Curling Semi-Finals

On the ice at the Curling Semi-Finals, the intensity was electric. The athletes’ quiet focus was interrupted only by bursts of high energy sweeping and urgent calls to teammates. The fans added enthusiasm with their cheers, cowbells, and flags. 

The energy had been building for some time. 45 minutes before the afternoon games started, the venue was already filling up. Spectators claimed seats in the lounge overlooking the rink. The bravest fans came prepared with blankets and found spots on the bleachers right down on the ice with the very best views. Meanwhile at the ice entrance, the teams were buzzing with excitement. Athletes stretched, snacked, and chatted with teammates and competitors alike.

The athletes all agreed that there’s something special about curling. “It’s a lot more unique, with a smaller community. You know everybody,” says Charlie Clark from Fairbanks, playing on Team Alaska Female U18. 

Atticus Willkomm from Inuvik, playing for Team NWT Male U18, says he likes how precise curling is. He says they’re always thinking about “hitting the line perfectly, and the right weight and the right sweeping and the right accuracy. There’s a lot that goes into each shot.”

Athletes from Team NWT Female U18 talked about how important communication and teamwork is for curling. Reese Wainman of Inuvik said that unlike other sports, “We try out as a team, because communication is so important.” 

Nick Saturnino, coach for Team NWT Female U18, remarked on the high level of competition. Lee Malanchuk, coach for Team Yukon Male U18 agreed, saying, “Every centimetre counts.” The coaches praised the organization of the games and the sportsmanship they’ve been seeing.

The semi-finals games were hard fought by all teams, with Team NWT triumphing in the Female U18 game with a final score of 8-5 against Team Alaska. In the Male U18 game, Team Yukon won the coveted gold medal spot with a score of 5-2 against Team NWT.

Carter Hinds from Whitehorse, playing for Team Yukon Male U18, said he’s loving the competition, how close the games are, and the excitement of the fans. And he had some words of advice for future athletes - “Just go out and have fun.”

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Photo credit: Josh Schroeder / Arctic Winter Games