Host nation, high hopes: Italy’s journey to staging Olympic Winter Games

While all other teams and Member Associations taking part in the Le Gruyère AOP European Championships 2024 have an eye on world qualification – which could result in 2026 Olympic Winter Games qualification – the Italians do not carry that burden.

As Olympic Winter Games hosts, Italy have automatic qualification, allowing them to concentrate on their performances and overall improvement. With both their men’s and women’s teams featuring near the top of the rankings, it is evident that they are developing well on the road to Cortina.

Distinguished curling coach Soeren Gran, originally from Sweden, has joined the Italian programme as head coach for the women’s and mixed doubles teams. He, as well as Canadian Ryan Fry, who is an Olympic champion himself and coach of the men’s team, and Marco Mariani, has responsibility for helping the host nation organise an Olympic Winter Games to remember.

Soeren Gran at the La Gruyère AOP European Curling Championships 2018 © World Curling / Stephen Fisher

Soeren believes the whole Italian squad welcome the role they will play in growing Italian curling, both at home during the Games and internationally too.

He said, “I think they have a feeling of wanting to grow curling in the world and in Italy. They are aware it’s a big opportunity. They actually think even more about Italian curling than just about themselves.”

While it would be a surprise to see Italian curling not represented at Cortina in 2026 by the teams that are playing at the current European event, Soeren confirms that formal selection for the Games has not yet taken place. He explains, “In our process, it is selection of individuals – each player on the women’s team has to be selected by me and Marco [Head of Programme]. That allows us to find the best combination.”

And talking about the current women’s team in particular, he added, “These girls have been together for a long time, but I think it’s still up to them to show that they want to be there. I think that, like all other sports, you have to show dedication.”

Addressing the issue that automatic qualification might make his teams complacent, he added, “They have to be committed. They have to show that they want to be there and if they’re not, they also know that we can make tough decisions.”

While the eventual men’s and women’s team selections may be something of a formality, Gran is a bit more modest about who will get the nod to represent Italy in mixed doubles. Given that, in the shape of Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, the Italian squad boasts the current mixed doubles Olympic champions, he simply says, “I think everyone knows who is the best couple for Italy, and who are the Olympic champions from last time.”

Soeren Gran coaches Italy women at the Le Gruyère AOP Curling Championships 2024 © World Curling / James Roberts

It is clear that the Italian curling programme has benefitted from increased funding in the build-up to the Games – they’ve been able to travel the world seeking out top level competition experience in a way that they couldn’t before, and, incidentally, doing well in the process.

Asked if this level of support will continue, Soeren says, “It’s impossible for me to say, but I’ve been involved in a couple of Olympic campaigns before and it’s normal for support to go up high in the last two years before an Olympics. There’s a lot of support, then it gets to be more focussed on summer Olympic issues, so we have to do what we can, when we can.”

Meanwhile, men’s skip Joel Retornaz looks likely to be playing in his fourth Olympic Games and about that, he says, “I don’t think about it too much, but the more I think about this being my fourth Olympics, the more I realise I’m getting old. And while I know I’m getting old, I also know I’ve been on a high level for many years. It will be my fourth Olympics, but I missed two, so twenty years.”

Joel can remember the fuss that was made about him and his team the last time the Olympic Winter Games were staged in Italy – Turin in 2006, when curling became a quirky hit with the Italian public and he personally became something of a local hero.

Joel Retornaz at the Le Gruyère AOP European Curling Championships 2024 © World Curling / Ladjánszki Máté

This time round, he says, “I hope we will have attention in Italy this time. We’re hosting the Olympic Games again and we’ve had good results in the last few years. Our men’s team is doing well, our women’s team is doing well, and we’re defending champions in mixed doubles, so it’s the best moment for Italian curling right now.”

He continued, “I hope there will be a lot of attention but also people will expect a lot of us and I hope we get good results. The attention will bring pressure too, but I’m not scared about pressure.”

And reflecting on his own team, who have been near the top of the rankings and started to make a habit of reaching championship play-offs, he says, “It’s a real medal chance for us this time. In previous Games when people ask you what is your goal, you always say ‘I want to medal’, but deep inside you know you might not have the tools to medal. But this time I think we are a team that can win a medal at the Olympics, so it’s a different feeling than past events.”