CHAMPÈRY, Switzerland – The World Curling Federation (WCF) announced today that the city of Esbjerg in Denmark has been awarded both the European Curling Championships 2015 and the World Women’s Curling Championship 2019.
The European Curling Championships A Division and the World Women’s Curling Championship 2019 will take place in the Granly Hockey Arena, which was host to the Capital One World Women’s Curling Championship 2011.
The European Curling Championships B Division will take place in the Esbjerg Curling Club. Both the A and B Division will take place between 20 and 28 November 2015.
The World Women’s Curling Championship 2019 will take place in March of that year.
The Granly Hockey Arena, which hosted the 2011 World Championship, has a capacity of around 4,000 spectators and is home to the local elite ice hockey club Esbjerg Energy.
In addition to the Capital One World Women’s Curling Championship 2011, Copenhagen hosted the European Curling Championships in 1980, 1986 and 1996.
After making this announcement, WCF President Kate Caithness said: “We are delighted to make this double award to the city of Esbjerg who put on a first class event back in 2011 when it hosted the Capital One World Women’s Curling Championship.”
She continued: “Following the 2011 World Championship, we are pleased to continue the legacy of that event as we work with the local organising committee and partners to ensure that both the European Championships and World Championship are a great success. We’re looking forward to returning to Esbjerg and invite curling fans from around the world to join us there.”
Lars Lundov, the CEO of Sport Event Denmark is looking forward to hosting the event in Denmark. He said: “Back in 2011 we showed that Denmark was able to host great curling events when we hosted the Capital One World Women’s Curling Championship. Now Denmark will take this vision one step further. We are ready to use all the good experience from 2011 and are looking forward to hosting the European Curling Championships 2015 and the World Women’s Curling Championship 2019. We will develop the setup for curling events for the benefit of the sport.”
Johnny Søtrup, Mayor of Esbjerg, is also excited to welcome both events to his city. He said: “We are very pleased that, once again, the city of Esbjerg will host such important curling events, including the European Curling Championships 2015 and the World Women’s Curling Championship 2019. Esbjerg is a city with proud traditions within ice sports and we are looking forward to welcoming both participants and spectators to Esbjerg for these curling championships in 2015 and 2019.”
Reflecting on the double host award, Susanne Slotsager, President of the Danish Curling Association, said: “I´m very proud that the Danish Curling Association is able to host two top international curling events. However, we can´t do that without the good relationship and cooperation of our partners – Sport Event Denmark and Esbjerg Kommune.”
She added: “The two Championships fit well into the Danish Curling Association’s new strategy and vision – to continuously develop the sport of curling in Denmark and to strive towards becoming among the greatest curling nations in the world.”
Significant interest was generated by the Capital One World Women’s Curling Championship 2011, with approximately 10,000 spectators coming along to cheer on their teams throughout the week.
Around 109 hours of curling coverage was produced during the Championship which was viewed by a global, cumulative, TV audience of over 55 million people in the countries where TV audience was measured – Europe, Canada, USA, Brazil and China.
In addition to that, over 130 media representatives attended the event, producing news coverage that was published around the world.
The announcement was made during the Le Gruyere European Curling Championships 2014 which are currently taking place in the Palladium de Champéry in Champéry, Switzerland. You can keep up to date with everything that’s going on at that event by visiting: http://ecc2014.curlingevents.com
The results of this year’s Le Gruyère European Curling Championships will determine who will play in what Division at next year’s event, with further qualification as part of the European Curling Championships C Division taking place in Champery, Switzerland between 12-17 October.
The World Women’s Curling Championship in 2015 will be hosted in Sapporo, Japan between 14-22 March. You can follow all the action from this event here: http://wwcc2015.curlingevents.com
Further details about all other WCF events can be found here: www.worldcurling.org
Notes to Editors
About the World Curling Federation www.worldcurling.org
The World Curling Federation (WCF) is the international sport federation governing the Olympic winter sport of curling and the Paralympic winter sport of wheelchair curling. The WCF is one of seven International Sports Federations currently part of the Winter Olympic programme. It represents 54 Member Associations and is generally acknowledged to direct one of the fastest-growing international winter sports.
Curling in Denmark (Dansk Curling Forbund)
The Danish Curling Association (www.curling.dk) was founded in 1971 and joined the World Curling Federation in the same year.
Since the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, when Denmark’s Helena Blach Lavrsen took silver, interest in curling has grown extensively.
There are over 1,000 curlers in Denmark who play in one of 10 curling clubs or four ice rinks (Esbjerg, hvidovre, Gentofte and Tårnby). Curling is also played on hockey rinks throughout the country.
Denmark is currently ranked seventh in the WCF world men’s rankings and sixth in the women’s rankings http://www.worldcurling.org/rankings-men-and-women
The European Curling Championships 2015 and World Women’s Curling Championship 2019 will be staged in the City of Esbjerg hosted by the Danish Curling Association, The City of Esbjerg and Sport Event Denmark for the World Curling Federation.
For further information please contact:
Danny Parker
Media Relations Officer – World Curling Federation
media@worldcurling.org