The Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina experienced a power outage just 10 minutes after kicking off, causing a temporary halt in the proceedings. The Games commenced with curling matches, but participants had to pause due to the sudden loss of lights.
Even though the official Opening Ceremony at the San Siro was scheduled for Friday, some events had already started. The curling competitions began with the initial mixed doubles round robin matches but had to be temporarily stopped due to a power failure at the Olympic Ice Stadium.
During a match between Britain’s Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds against Norway, play was interrupted in the first end by the officials. Despite the delay, the British curlers remained in good spirits, with Dodds even seen laughing during the disruption while an official was communicating with the venue staff.
BBC commentator Steve Cram found humor in the situation, mentioning the power cut at the stadium and the pause in play due to the scoring screens going off. The crowd reacted positively as the lights flickered back on after about five minutes, allowing the competition to resume.
Dodds and Mouat eventually secured an 8-6 victory to kick off the round robin phase impressively, with Mouat joking about the unexpected interruption. The British Winter Games’ best medal haul stands at five, achieved in Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018, but UK Sport anticipates up to eight medals this time due to continued investment.
Supported by funding from the National Lottery and the government, UK Sport has invested over £32.5m in the current four-year cycle for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, aiming for the UK to excel further in winter sports.
Eve Muirhead OBE, a gold medalist from the previous Games in Beijing 2022, has transitioned into a senior leadership role within Team GB, leading as Chef de Mission for Milan-Cortina 2026. She expressed confidence in the team’s potential to challenge the status quo despite facing challenges in accessing snow and ice compared to other countries.
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