(ATR) The president of the World Curling Federation tells Around the Rings her sport has a bright future in Asia.
Kate Caithness says she is "really happy" with the way Koreans have embraced curling and is now keen to capitalize on the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics.
"It’s not a huge sport but it is certainly growing. Curling is on the world stage the fastest growing winter sport," Caithness told ATR. "For me the biggest challenge now is to have a legacy from these Games… to make sure that the legacy from the Olympics carries on for the future."
Caithness hopes Korean sports authorities will build a dedicated curling facility post-Games "which would encourage more and more people to take part in our sport.
"I would like one in PyeongChang. For me that would be a huge plus. I am working so hard to make this happen," she said.
Asked about expanding the sport’s reach into North Korea, she suggested it was not an immediate priority: "I’m not aware of any North Korean curlers at this time. But politics is not part of our sport. We are very happy to go and try to promote our sport anywhere in the world."
Beijing 2022 Ambitions
It’s the bounce effect between the PyeongChang Games and the Beijing 2022 Olympics that most interests Caithness – how to tap into the Chinese market and beyond.
"The market in this part of the world is huge," said Caithness, who sits on the IOC coordination commission for Beijing 2022.
She noted that China is bidding to bring 300 million people into winter sports, part of its Olympic bid proposal, which includes building 500 ice rinks for hockey, skating and "hopefully curling".
"They are very far ahead of the game. We are working very closely with Beijing. It will be a huge market for us," Caithness said.
Beijing 2022 organizers are making the most of their experience on the IOC observer program at the PyeongChang Games to help in their preparations. Caithness said they would benefit from "getting the feel of the winter sports".
"China is not a winter sports country. Getting the feel for our sports that are so different from summer sports – seven federations and many disciplines," she said when asked how Beijing Games officials should apply what they have learnt from the Korean host.
"I am sure they will embrace winter sports."
Platform for Growth
World Curling’s leader is more than satisfied with the reception for curling at the PyeongChang Games. Mixed doubles – new to the Games – opened the program for the PyeongChang Olympics a day before the opening ceremony.
Caithness is "very happy", both with the host arena - and to see it packed out for the competition. "Korea… you wonder how it is going to embrace our sport, but so far, so good. Very enthusiastic fans," she said.
Commenting on the mixed doubles curling, which features one man and one woman in each team, she said it had enhanced the Winter Olympics program. "It’s a totally different discipline [from regular curling]… different rules and everybody has fallen in love with it," she said.
"It’s fast and furious. It’s appealing to the younger generation and also for smaller countries it’s much easier to find one man and one woman to make up a team than to find five men and five women and to have the compatibility within the team."
Caithness, who sits on the IOC’s program commission, is a firm advocate of the IOC’s push to introduce more mixed gender events into the winter and summer Olympics. She highlighted the importance of "innovative" new events such as 3x3 basketball and BMX freestyle. "I think you have to look to the young and to the future. This particular discipline [mixed curling] is really appealing to the young."
She has high expectationsfor the Winter Paralympics in March, remarking on the huge popularity of wheelchair curling in Korea. Around 20 teams were involved in the qualification process for the PyeongChang Games.
Running for the Presidency?
Asked about the direction of World Curling, with this year's congress set to include a presidential election, Caithness said the federation was increasing staff globally in the 60 countries which are members. "I am extremely happy with our sport. We have never been in a better place," she added.
By way of example, she cited a $13.4m sponsorship deal in China for the next four years for the Curling World Cup: "We are now attracting many more sponsors."
While the Asia market remains the biggest area of potential for the sport’s growth, Caithness claimed the U.S. is "our sleeping giant". "All of a sudden because of media, because of broadcast they have woken up and our sport has gone crazy in America. I am really happy to hear this.
"It’s not just Asia that is a big market, our sport is going global," she said, adding that the African continent remained uncharted territory but a possible target for development work in the near future.
Asked whether she will stand again for the World Curling presidency, Caithness remained tight-lipped but hinted she will seek re-election at the Budapest congress. "My focus as this moment in time has been totally on the Olympics and Paralympics. As soon as this is over I will take stock but I have such a passion for the sport," she said.
"I’m still not going to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to standing again for president but I am certainly thinking long and hard about it. And I have huge support from my family to do it, to keep going."
Written by Mark Bissonwith reporting by Ed Hula
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