Kelowna

As curling teams get ready to throw their first rocks for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Kelowna will have a formative impact on a number of them.

The Kelowna Curling Club will play host to the Swedish men’s and women’s curling teams while Germany will send its men’s rink to Kelowna from February 6 - 11, 2010.

“We are proud to have such strong Olympic contenders training on Kelowna ice,” says Nancy Cameron, CEO of Tourism Kelowna, whose staff joined forces with organizations such as the Kelowna Curling Club in showing these countries Kelowna’s potential as an Olympic training site.

“With exposure through the Olympics and expansion at Kelowna International Airport we look forward to many more European visitors in years to come.”

Jock Tyre, General Manager of the Kelowna Curling Club agrees: “Germany and Sweden are two very strong curling nations and Kelowna has an opportunity to watch true medal contenders. Our membership at the Curling Club is truly excited to be hosting them.”

The German men’s team, coached by Oliver Axnick and skipped by Andreas “Andy” Kapp, are staying at the Manteo Resort.

Axnick was impressed with Kelowna’s accommodations and many activities following a familiarization tour with Tourism Kelowna’s Chad Douglas in March.

“We will need to have some fun in order to maintain our perspective on the events ahead and to get over the jet lag. All this of course next to the perfect curling facilities of the Kelowna Curling Club [where] we will have good ice conditions to practice on and get loose for the competition," says Axnick.

The Swedish women, coached by Stefan Lund and skipped by Anette Norberg, are reigning Olympic champions following their gold-medal performance at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Relative newcomers to international curling, the Swedish men are coached by Soren Gran and skipped by Niklas Edin. The Swedish curlers arrive as the Swedish women’s hockey team finishes a second pre-Olympic training camp in Kelowna from January 22 to February 4, 2010.

All Swedish Olympic teams are staying downtown at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort and Conference Centre.