Information

WCF Olympic Celebration Tour

The World Curling Federation (WCF) Olympic Celebration Tour - Road to the Olympics, is a series of instructional tours with curling Olympians intended to attract interest and promote curling within WCF Member Associations.

The first year of the Tour will begin in September 2013 and will continue to be conducted throughout next season (2013/14) until the end of April in 2014.

The second year of the tour will then run until April 2015.

As part of the Tour, one Olympic athlete and at least one qualified WCF Instructor will visit a Member Association to give curlers the opportunity to develop their skills whilst also get up close and personal with some of the top athletes in the sport.

The WCF's goal is to see over 100 curlers, new and experienced, attend each Tour stop (see Tour Locations for more info).

The Olympic Celebration Tour is part of the World Curling Federation's ongoing Development Programme designed to capitalise on the increased interest in the sport of curling both prior to, during and after the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Tour Locations

WCF staff have identified a number of locations (MAs) to host a Tour stop in the first year of the programme.

2013/14 Season - Tour stops

USA, 2013
October: San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club with 2010 Olympic silver medallist Carolyn McRorie from Canada.

November: Detroit Curling Club with 2006 Olympic gold medallist Jamie Korab, also from Canada.

Slovenia, 2013
December: Ljubjana with 1998 Olympic Winter Games silver medallist Mike Harris.

New Zealand, 2014
March: Auckland, Dunedin and Naseby, all with 2010 Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Bernard.

Japan, 2014
April: Hiroshima and Aomori with 2006 Olympic bronze medallist Shannon Kleibrink from Canada.

Denmark, 2014
April: Esberg with 2010 Olympic gold medallist, Marc Kennedy, from Canada.

Hungary 2014
April: Budapest with 2002 Olympic gold medallist, Rhona Howie, from Great Britain.

If you interested in hosting a Tour stop in the second year of the programme please contact the WCF to note your interest via the details provided below.

Tour Programme and Timetable

One Olympic athlete and at least one qualified WCF Instructor (recommended by the WCF Competitions & Development Staff) will visit the Member Association on a weekend to conduct a series of three introductory clinics.

These clinics, along with a 'Meet & Greet' and closing Funspiel, will allow new and experienced curlers the chance to meet our curling celebrities and be introduced to the game of curling.

Suggested Timetable:
Friday pm: Clinic #1 - Adults
Saturday am: Clinic #2 - Junior Curlers
Saturday pm: Clinic #3 - All curlers
Saturday pm: Meet the Olympian - Social Evening
Sunday am: Curling refresher for all, Hot Shots Competition and closing Funspiel

The clinics will be set up to allow all levels and ages of curlers to participate, with special emphasis on Saturday morning for junior curlers.

During the clinics and more so during the 'Meet and Greet', the Olympian will have a chance to speak with the participants about how sport has changed his or her life and how being an Olympian is voluntary - you have to make the choices, you have to have the discipline, you have to make the right decisions.

Photos
Courtesy of Foundation for Global Sports Development: www.globalsportsdevelopment.org and several other contributors.

Contact

If you have any questions about the Olympic Celebration Tour, please contact Darrell Ell, WCF Competitions and Development Officer via darrell.ell@worldcurling.org

More information

For detailed information about the WCF’s Olympic Celebration Tour, visit: http://www.worldcurling.org/sochi-development-plans

With 2010 Olympic Silver Medallist Carolyn McRorie at the San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club, USA

With 2010 Olympic Silver Medallist Carolyn McRorie at the San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club, USA photo: Global Sports Development

With 2010 Olympic Silver Medallist Carolyn McRorie at the San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club, USA photo: San Francisco Bay Curling Club

With 2010 Olympic Silver Medallist Carolyn McRorie at the San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club, USA photo: Global Sports Development

2010 Olympic Silver Medallist Carolyn McRorie with pupils from Oakland Tech High School. photo: San Francisco Bay Curling Club

With 2010 Olympic Silver Medallist Carolyn McRorie at the San Francisco Bay Area Curling Club, USA photo: Global Sports Development

photo: Global Sports Development

With 2006 Olympic Gold Medallist Jamie Korab at Detroit Curling Club, USA Photo: WCF

A lucky participant gets to try on Canadian 2006 Olympian Shannon Kleibrink's bronze medal.

Canada's Shannon Kleibrink shares her 2006 Olympic bronze medal with a Japanese OCT participant.

Canada's 2006 Olympic bronze medallist, Shannon Kleibrink, taking a coaching session in Japan.

Japanese OCT participants watching and learning from 2006 Olympic bronze medallist Shannon Kleibrink from Canada.

Shannon Kleibrink, an 2006 Olympic bronze medallist from Canada, poses with two OCT participants in Japan

2006 Olympic bronze medallist, Canada's Shannon Kleibrink, in a classroom education session in Japan.

Spot her if you can. Canada's 2006 Olympic bronze medallist Shannon Kleibrink with OCT participants from the Japanese Curling Association's curling school.

Shannon Kleibrink, 2006 Olympic bronze medallist from Canada, in a question and answer session in Japan

2006 Olympic bronze medallist, Shannon Kleibrink from Canada, shows Japan how it's done.

Canadian 2006 Olympic bronze medallist Shannon Kleibrink with OCT participants in Japan.

Canadian 2010 Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Bernard assisted with all levels of ability in New Zealand

2010 Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Bernard, from Canada, with some young New Zealand hopefuls.

Olympic silver medallist, Cheryl Bernard, from Canada, showing how its done in New Zealand

High fiving an Olympic silver medallist, Cheryl Bernard, from Canada.

Olympic silver medallist, Cherly Bernard, from Canada, with a group of youngsters in New Zealand

Olympic silver medallist, Cherly Bernard, from Canada, with a youngster in New Zealand

Olympic silver medallist, Cheryl Bernard, from Canada, with youngsters in New Zealand

Shannon Kleibrink, an 2006 Olympic bronze medallist from Canada, poses with two OCT participants in Japan.