The Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina faced a power outage just 10 minutes after commencing, causing a temporary halt to the events. The curling competition was the first to kick off, but competitors had to pause due to the unexpected loss of power.
Although the official Opening Ceremony at the San Siro stadium was scheduled for Friday, some events had already started. The initial mixed doubles round robin matches in curling were underway when the power failure occurred at the Olympic Ice Stadium.
Officials interrupted play during the first end of the match between Britain’s Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds against Norway. Despite the delay, Dodds maintained a positive attitude, even sharing a laugh as officials worked to resolve the issue.
BBC commentator Steve Cram found humor in the situation, commenting on the power cut at the stadium. However, the crowd lightened up as the lights flickered back on after a brief five-minute delay, allowing the competition to resume.
Dodds and Maout managed to secure an 8-6 victory, starting the round robin phase impressively despite the disruption. Maout downplayed the incident, describing it as a fun and lively atmosphere, likening it to a dance club experience.
The UK aims to surpass its previous Winter Games medal count of five, with UK Sport predicting a potential of up to eight medals following increased investment. Through funding from the National Lottery and government, UK Sport has allocated over £32.5m for the current Winter Olympics and Paralympics cycle, aiming to strengthen the UK’s presence in winter sports.
Eve Muirhead OBE, a gold medalist from the Beijing 2022 Games, has transitioned into a leadership role within Team GB for Milan-Cortina 2026. She expressed confidence in the team’s potential, highlighting the opportunity to challenge the norm despite facing challenges in access to snow and ice compared to rivals.