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18/02/2010

The fashion profile at the Olympics is growing. So much so, that all sports are making an impact on how they look – including the curling.

The Norwegian men have stamped out their authority on the visibility quota as the best/worst dressed in their LoudMouth pants. http://loudmouthgolf.com/

The Swedish team was suitably confused. "We saw four clowns coming up and down the ice," Niklas Edin told reporters. The US team was obviously distracted; they lost to the Norwegians 5-6.

Check out a summary of the fashion of both the Figure Skating and Curling by Mick Molloy in this video: http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1013972

Cheers
<Ian Palangio>

Posted at 11:27 AM by Ian Palangio | Category: Olympics | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

Curling on Today Show

Yesterday the Today Show on Channel 9 had a feature on curling. Karl Stefanovic joined up with National Team member Steve Hewitt to get a sense of the sport and test out the new Docklands Ice House facility in Melbourne!

Nice works guys. Eye of the Tiger!

Watch the video from NineMSN here: http://video.ninemsn.com.au/Video.aspx?vid=8760ee26-2da2-4cfe-8d71-9cb85d15f51b#::8760ee26-2da2-4cfe-8d71-9cb85d15f51b

Cheers
<Ian Palangio>

Posted at 7:25 AM by Ian Palangio | Category: Curling General | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

16/02/2010

Melbourne Has New Rocks – thanks to ING!

I received the following email from Steve Hewitt at the Victorian Curling Association. This is related to the rocks that were stolen last year from the Docklands in Melbourne.

In short –> GOOD ON YA ING!

With the opening of the new Icehouse at Docklands in Melbourne very close I am pleased to announce that ING Real Estate have purchased 96 reconditioned curling rocks from Canadian Stone Company. These rocks will have “blue hone” inserts.
Together with brooms from “8 ender”, grippers from “Balance Plus” and delivery balancing crutches from “Stabilizer Canada” we are being well and truly supported through the Victorian Government, ING and the Icehouse.

We are developing a fantastic relationship with the Icehouse team and I look forward to showing you around the facility and getting you curling on a regular basis.
On the topic of introducing, the government will open the venue on Friday 12^thFebruary. The Icehouse would like to have 8 curlers, two teams, deliver some rocks as part of a ceremony to show the sports that will participate at the Icehouse. I need you to let me know by Wednesday that you would be available from 9-00am* for a rehearsal and the real thing at 11-00am*. Morning Tea will be supplied by the Icehouse Team. *times to be confirmed.

For those who want to be in the crowd be at the Icehouse at 11-30am and you can Skate after the Premier does his opening. The Icehouse skating will be at no cost.
It is fantastic news for curling. We will be Curling on Monday nights and also looking to host our usual weekend bonspiels.
So what Curling needs now, are people to help run its activities here in Melbourne. I would love to hear from you about volunteering your time to the sport of Curling.
Olympic Curling will be played on Fox Sports or via the internet on TSN Canada, via Video on demand and hopefully our own Channel 9. Curling is being highlighted on Fox so if you have it watch it and email them and tell them how good it is.
The team to watch out for on the Men’s side is of course Team Canada – Kevin Martin, and on the Women’s draw Team China – Wang. ( She does yell rather loud so have the remote next to you as you will need to reduce the volume!! They are a great curling team and are wonderful people.)
Team Canada has John Morris, check him out. He is arguably the best curler in the world. He throws 3^rd rocks.
Well that’s all from the Victorian Curling Association. Get involved and help make this sport grow.

Please email either the Victorian Curling Assocaition, or myself directly at nsw@curling.org.au or ipalangio@hotmail.com if you are interested in...

· Demonstrating curling this Friday 12^th February at the Icehouse at Docklands and/or

· Volunteering your time to help run curling activities.

Cheers
<Ian Palangio>

Posted at 8:23 AM by Ian Palangio | Category: VIC Curling Association | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

10/02/2010

Where Can I Try Curling in Sydney or NSW?

With the Vancouver Olympics only a few days away curling is enjoying some heightened media and spectator interest. By far the most common question I’m getting in person or via email is the following:

I’m really interested in curling. Is there anywhere in Sydney I can have a go to give it a try? I’d like to try it with friends/colleagues/family/my Scottish friend.

So here is my generic answer to cover the basics.

The short answer is that there isn't any curling in Sydney yet. We can get ice time at one of the local rinks (such as Macquarie Ice Rink) for about $200 an hour, we have insurance, we can get hacks made, and I have access to a lot of brooms.

BUT… what we are missing is the rocks, and somebody to organise all of this. I've been playing on the Australian National Team for the past 9 years - and that is a massive time/cost commitment for me outside of work and family. We are still looking for somebody to really take control and "own" or project manage the logistics/admin of getting the rocks and organising some structured leagues/games/have a go sessions etc.

Interested in volunteering and helping to get it going? If so, please let me know at ipalangio@hotmail.com

Otherwise, please let me know if I can I keep your name in our "Interested curlers" database? I can then let you know when we are getting close to having some curling happening.

And, if you are looking for Curling Coverage on TV for the Olympics – Foxtel has curling scheduled for a lot of coverage including the medal games.

The second most common question I get is:

Why isn’t Australia curling in the Olympics

I have covered this question in the past, so will repeat the content from that blog post http://www.curling.org.au/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=93 here:

Australian Men Miss Olympics by 0.5 Points

After 3 years of playing and competing internationally with the single goal of Olympic qualification for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver …we missed by ½ a point. See the chart below of the standings at the conclusion of this year’s World Championships. The top 10 countries are heading to Vancouver, and we are in 11th.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling_at_the_2010_Winter_Olympics

While we are disappointed, we are very proud of our International achievements over the past few years including:

2 Pacific Championships Gold Medals
4 straight World Championship appearances
6th Place in the World Championships last year
Medals in the past 2 Karuizawa Winter Festival tournaments

We are now looking forward to this years National Championships to be held in New Zealand, and hopefully qualifying us for representation at the New Zealand Winter Games and the Pacific Championships.

Thank you to everybody who encouraged and supported us over the past few years in a variety of ways, most importantly to our wives and families who had to sacrifice the most while we trained and competed overseas.

Cheers
<Ian Palangio>

Posted at 9:55 PM by Ian Palangio | Category: Curling General | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

18/01/2010

PJCC Comes to a Close

Hi again from Japan and the Australian Junior Men. The last few days of the comp were somewhat up and down for the team with the first of our local derbies with the Kiwi’s going their way with a score of 11-2. The same score line followed the next morning in our game against china. Our next two games on the second day were disappointing losing to Japan 12-3 and then to Korea 14-1 after such a close game on day 1. Our second last day of the tourney started better with a tough tussle with New Zealand in the second of our trans-Tasman games. We stole 1 shot on the first end before giving up a 3 on the second. We then took another 1 with the hammer and were able to steal 1 on the fourth with a well buried stone on the button. We stole another after the halftime break before New Zealand struck back with 1 on the sixth. With the hammer on 7 we were able to make 5 consecutive hits and eventually blank the end to maintain hammer for the last. The last end was played well by both teams with New Zealand taking full advantage of the free guard zone. Our team made a number of peels before the Kiwi Skip, Kris Miller, executed two consecutive short guards, making our last shot a tough back house weight tap up. Unfortunately we were unable to convert giving the Kiwi’s a steal of 1 and the game. In our evening game against china we found our self 8-1 down after 4 and finished with a final score of 11-4. Our last game of the tourney was against the local team (and eventual silver medalists) from Japan. This was our closest game of the tournament taking Japan to an extra end with a final score of 7-6 in Japan’s favour. Eventually the tournament went the way of China in both the men’s and women’s sections. Our friends from across the ditch left with a bronze medal for the second year running in the men’s division. Despite not winning a game in the Championships the team was pleased with what we were able to achieve, pushing some of the best teams to their last stone. Given more practice over the next year we are looking forward to a strong showing in next year’s Pacific Juniors to be held in New Zealand. Until next time,

Cheers,

Angus

Posted at 9:19 PM by Angus Young | Category: National Teams | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

12/01/2010

PJCC Training Day and 1st Game

G'day from the Australian Junior Men's Team.

The First Day of the PJCC has started today after a day of training yesterday and the Opening Ceremony last night at the Grand Hotel Fujika, our host for the championships. Doug Wright has primed the ice for the competition and it was fast and swingy during training. The Opening Ceremony was great event with an array of Japanese Food as well as a performance by a local traditional drumming troop.

Our First game for the competition was against Korea. We started strongly taking one shot with the hammer on 1 then stealing a shot on the 2^nd. Korea fought back strongly however to be up 3-2 at the break after a steal of two on the 4^th. Korea took the first two ends after the break to be up 5-2 after six before we got a shot back on the seventh. The last end was played well by both teams with Korea needing to make a number of peels and their final shot to hold us to one shot on the last end and win the game 5-4. Our next game is against the old foe, New Zealand, later tonight.

Scores from the competition can be seen at: http://results.worldcurling.org/default.aspx

Top Right: (L-R) Mitchell Frew, Daniel Ross, Dave Thomas (coach), Max Thomas and Angus Young.

Posted at 3:40 PM by Angus Young | Category: National Teams | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

7/01/2010

Stephen Colbert tries out for the US Olympic Curling Team

A couple of days ago ABC2 presented the Colbert Report where Stephen puts his rocks on the ice and competes for a place on the U.S. curling team.

Video of the segment is included here for your viewing pleasure!

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/258311/january-04-2010/skate-expectations---curling-team-tryouts---colbert-vs—shuster

…love the quote: “Passing a stone never felt so good”

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Skate Expectations - Curling Team Tryouts - Colbert vs. Shuster

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Economy

Cheers
<Ian Palangio>

Posted at 12:15 PM by Ian Palangio | Category: Curling General | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

6/01/2010

Training in New Zealand

Hi again from the Australian Junior Men's Team. Over the last 3 days we have been in Naseby, training around 3 hours each day as well as playing 3 games against the New Zealand Junior Women's Team. Our first day was very scratchy having not played in 2 months however we have now really started to get into the curl of it. On Tuesday we also managed to find the Kiwi's answer to the pub with no beer; the pub with no food. Luckily Wendy and Peter Becker's café was stocked up and ready for our teams onslaught! We will be training in Naseby until Thursday before flying to Japan for the beginning of the Pacific's starting on the 11^th of January.

Posted at 12:31 PM by Angus Young | Category: National Teams | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)

4/01/2010

Australian Junior Men's Curling Team

This blog entry is written by guest writer Angus Young, a member of the Australian Junior Men’s Curling Team.

The Australian Junior Men’s Curling Team will be in Naseby, New Zealand over the next week for some valuable ice time ahead of the upcoming Pacific Junior Curling Championships in Nayoro, Japan. The team is: Angus Young (myself), Daniel Ross, Mitchell Frew and Max Thomas (skip). Our team hails from the sunny state of Queensland and recently finished runners-up in Queensland Curling's league competition. Over the course of the next couple of weeks I will update this blog and keep you posted on the progress of our country’s future curlers. We would like to thank our families as well as our coach, Dave Thomas, manager, Dianne Ross and all others who have had any part in the team. A special thank you also is extended to Carpentaria Explorations for the sponsorship of our team's kit bags.

Posted at 1:39 PM by Angus Young | Category: National Teams | Permalink | Email this Post | Comments (0)