The Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina experienced a power outage just 10 minutes after kickoff, causing a temporary halt to the proceedings. The curling events had commenced with the first mixed doubles round robin matches when the lights unexpectedly went out, leading to a brief interruption in play.
Despite the official Opening Ceremony scheduled for Friday at the San Siro, some competitions had already started. Among them, Britain’s Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds were in the midst of their match against Norway when the power failure occurred. Dodds maintained a lighthearted attitude, even laughing at the situation while officials worked to resolve the issue.
BBC commentator Steve Cram, finding humor in the disruption, reported on the power cut at the stadium, causing a pause in the games due to the scoring screens going offline. However, after a short delay of approximately five minutes, the lights flickered back on, much to the amusement of the spectators, allowing the competition to resume.
Dodds and Mouat went on to secure an 8-6 victory, kicking off the round robin phase positively despite the unexpected break. Mouat downplayed the incident, describing it as a fun and energetic moment, praising the venue and ice quality.
Looking ahead, UK Sport aims for a potential medal haul of up to eight at the Winter Olympics, supported by significant funding from the National Lottery and the government. With investments exceeding £32.5m over the current four-year cycle, UK Sport envisions a stronger presence for the UK in winter sports.
Eve Muirhead OBE, a gold medalist from the previous Beijing 2022 Games, has transitioned into a leadership role within Team GB for Milan-Cortina 2026. Expressing confidence in the team’s capabilities, Muirhead highlighted the opportunity to challenge the current standards despite potential challenges in accessing snow and ice facilities compared to other competitors.