Dilsat Yildiz paves the way for curling success in Türkiye

“Curling doesn’t count as weird — not in Türkiye anyway.”

That’s the judgement of Dilsat Yildiz, skip of the Türkiye women’s team — who has just finished competing at the Le Gruyère AOP European Curling Championships 2025 — when she is asked about what people know about curling in her country.

“Curling is still a new sport in Türkiye, so most people don’t know about it,” Yildiz admits.

She also adds that awareness is perhaps highest around her hometown of Erzurum, where most curling is played in Türkiye. Part of this awareness is also thanks to the large social media following Dilsat has herself.

Dilsat Yildiz © World Curling / Alessio Bergadano

The Olympic dream

So, what would change things?

“If we made it to the Olympics, it would be a big deal. Türkiye has never had anyone at the Winter Olympics in a team sport. Curling would be the first,” she said.

“If we would ever be at Olympic level, it would be very important and curling would become bigger.”

Currently, it’s in Dilsat’s hands whether that might change. She and her team will travel from Lohja, Finland, directly to Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada to compete in the Olympic Qualification Event. If they secure one of the two available Olympic slots, they will make another little piece of history.

Team Yildiz © World Curling / Stephen Fisher

A historic milestone

Speaking of history, at the Le Gruyère AOP European Curling Championships 2025, Dilsat made her 400th appearance at a World Curling event — 200 of them being wins.

She said, “It’s a very proud moment. My first game was in Scotland, and we ended with a win. Now, I’ve been curling for 14 years.”

Dilsat Yildiz after her 400th appearance at a World Curling event © World Curling / Stephen Fisher

Türkiye’s curling journey

The Turkish Curling Federation became a World Curling member in 2009 and has competed in every European Championships since 2010, with Dilsat playing and/or skipping in all of them except the very first in 2010.

This has been possible because the Turkish curling programme is supported by the Turkish National Olympic Committee. Dilsat is a physical education teacher by profession and the support her team receives means she can be a full-time curler and still draw a salary.

“I practise six days a week and, in the future, this team will continue to play and take part in competitions,” she explained.

Dilsat Yildiz © World Curling / Stephen Fisher

Developing the next generation

Meanwhile, the Turkish Curling Federation is making moves to develop the next generation of curlers.

“Right now, we are active in floor curling” Yildiz explained.

“We have competitions organised by the Federation, for youngsters and students.”

There are currently about 450 curlers in Türkiye and, in the Erzurum GSIM Ice Arena, they have a venue that is good enough to have hosted several events, including the 2012 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship.

The Turkish Curling Federation has also been active in coach development. Erzurum was the base when over 40 coaches were brought together under the banner of the Olympic Solidarity Technical Coach course in 2024.

Erzurum Yakutiye Curling Hall, location of Olympic Solidarity Technical Coach course in 2024

With Dilsat’s team knocking on the door of Olympic participation; the Türkiye men’s team qualifying for the European B- Division semi-finals; an expanding floor curling programme; and other development activities underway, perhaps the last word to use in describing all this sporting activity in Türkiye is “weird”.