Jenny Jones’s bronze medal in women’s snowboard skiing sparked excitement in England for games in Sochi. Jones’ success was Britain’s first snow medal.
Curling continues to be an important component of Britain’s medal hopes. Both men’s and women’s teams are heavyweight candidates for a spot on the podium. They invested £ 14 million, more than twice as much as they spent preparing for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
The official goal is three to seven medals. But curling represents more than Britain’s medal hopes. It has an important function in society – something to remember in the politics surrounding games.
All major sporting events deliver the same political message they have from Vancouver to Sochi. South Africa to Brazil where the FIFA World Cup will take place this summer.
On Friday, David Cameron and Alex Salmond debated the politics of London 2012 and the upcoming 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Speaking from Olympic Park, Cameron made Team GB’s plea to keep the red, white and blue colors together.
The Scottish Curler has played a pivotal role in Team GB over the years which makes the sport unique. The importance of the past and the present to Scotland should not be underestimated.
In an era when the legacies associated with major sporting events were often questioned. Curling’s legacy is a hub of activity for the northern and southern communities, both male and female.
Curling’s pedigree in Scotland precedes the date of the first Winter Olympic Games. Known as Ro Roarin’s Game for the sound of stones making on ice. The origin of the curvature is debated but it is one of at least four sports that Scotland has the cultural right to fight.
At one time, hairdressing was the most popular sport in Scotland – more popular than soccer. The Caledonia Royal Curling Club, granted royal charter in 1843, has grown from 28 affiliated clubs and 893 members by 1838.