2017 Winter Games NZ

Harri Lill and Marie Turmann with the Winter Games NZ trophy. Photo © WGNZ / Peter Meecham

30 Aug 2017 – Estonia are the 2017 Audi quattro Winter Games NZ Mixed Doubles curling gold medallists after a 7-6 win in this afternoon’s final against defending champions Canada.

The Estonians started strongly to hold a 5-1 lead at the halfway point, only to see their advantage evaporate after the seventh end.

Mixed Doubles has a mantra that ‘no lead is safe’, and Canada made a valiant attempt to defend their 2015 title. They scored in the next three ends go ahead 6-5 as the final end started.

The Canadian pair attempted to take out all of the Estonian stones with their final shots to prevent them scoring two, but there was still a single rock remaining as Marie Turmann lined up the last stone for Estonia.

Harri Lill and Marie Turmann. Photo © NZ Curling / Rob Potter

30 Aug 2017 – Estonia and defending champions Canada will play for the gold medal at the Audi quattro Winter Games NZ Mixed Doubles curling tournament this afternoon.

They earned their places with hard-fought wins in this morning’s semifinals, both decided on the last stone at Naseby’s Maniototo Curling International rink.

The unbeaten Team Canada lined up against the strong Norway side of Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten, who have five consecutive top-ten World Championship results to their name. But once Kalynn Park picked out an opponent’s stone to score 4 in the second end, the Canadians were never behind in the match.

Photo / Video © Newshub

30 Aug 2017 – The small Central Otago settlement of Naseby has been abuzz this week with the Winter Games curling competition in town. Some of the world's best are using our backyard to hone their skills ahead of next year's Olympics in South Korea.

David Di Somma / Newshub

Click to watch the video for the full Newshub story.

Lee and Judith McCleary. Photo © NZ Curling / Rob Potter

29 Aug 2017 – Scotland made an emphatic statement when they scored a maximum six point end early in their last pool game at the Audi quattro Winter Games NZ Mixed Doubles curling tournament in Naseby this morning.

The stakes were high, with the third and last playoff spot from Pool A up for grabs. Korea and Norway had already assured themselves of places in the knockout rounds.

The early boost for the Scots proved invaluable as their Spanish opponents drew level after six of the eight ends. But the Scots scored in both remaining ends to get through.

Hyeji Jang, Korea. Photo © NZ Curling / Rob Potter

28 Aug 2017 – A big five point end early in their game against Spain propelled Korea to their fifth straight win on the third day of the Audi quattro Winter Games Mixed Doubles curling tournament in Naseby today.

Korea’s Kijeong Lee was looking ahead. “Our first goal here was to reach the playoffs,” he said after their game. “Now we would like to qualify top, to go direct [to semifinals]."

"We are getting more used to the ice conditions, our hits and runbacks are working well, and now we want to work more on our draw shots.”

In the same pool, wins to Norway and Scotland put them at the head of the chasing pack for a top-three place that would get them into the playoff matches.

Jenny Perret, Switzerland. Photo © WGNZ / Peter Meecham

27 Aug 2017 – World champions and Olympic contenders Switzerland had a slow start, with two losses on the opening day of the Audi quattro Winter Games Mixed Doubles curling tournament.

But they blew off the cobwebs to record their first win in the third round of pool play in Naseby this morning.

“We knew it might not be that easy with two tough games to start off,” said Switzerland’s Martin Rios. “It’s a while before the Olympics and while you want to win every game, we’re not stressed yet. We want to perform better than we did, improve step by step, and just need to be patient.”

Canada's Charley Thomas. Photo © WGNZ / Peter Meecham

26 Aug 2017 – Defending champions Canada and 2011 winners Hungary both made successful returns to Naseby when they won their games in the opening round of the Audi quattro Winter Games NZ Mixed Doubles curling tournament today.

“We’re pretty happy with that,” said Charley Thomas after Canada’s first-up win over China. “It’s about figuring out the ice for the first couple of games, so we’re pleased with where we ended up. I think the ice is even better than for [yesterday’s] practice, so it should be a good competition.”

Hungary’s György Nagy was equally pleased. “We play Finland quite often back home,” he said. “They have qualified for the Olympics which we haven’t, so this was a good start for us.”

World champions Martin Rios and Jenny Perret, Switzerland. Photo © WCF / Richard Gray

18 Aug 2017 – The current World Champions, a smattering of other top-10 sides and two previous Winter Games gold medallists should ensure some thrilling curling at this month’s Audi quattro Winter Games NZ Mixed Doubles tournament.

“This is the best field ever to take to the ice outside a World Championship”, said Sam Inder, Winter Games Curling Manager.

“With the Winter Olympics just around the corner, six of the eight nations in the Mixed Doubles at PyeongChang are sending teams to the Winter Games.”

“The current World Champions from Switzerland, Martin Rios and Jenny Perret, have to be among the favourites,” he continued, “as do the Norwegian team who have had five top 10 finishes in the last five years."