Scotland’s Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds delivered a commanding performance in mixed doubles curling, securing Team GB’s opening victory at the Winter Olympics. The pair defeated Norway 8-6 in their first round-robin match despite facing unexpected obstacles, including a temporary power outage that briefly plunged parts of the venue into darkness.
Competing at the distinctive Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium—a partially wooden structure originally built in 1956—the British duo appeared composed throughout. They recovered from losing the opening end to dominate much of the contest, claiming three points in the second end and maintaining their advantage for the remainder of the match.
The match unfolded in an atmospheric setting where pounding music and disco lighting created an unusual ambiance. After heavy snowfall in the Dolomites turned to sleet, a crowd of thousands settled into the 3,500-capacity arena. A technical malfunction temporarily cast spectators into darkness during the early stages, but play resumed without significant disruption once power was restored.
Norway’s Magnus Nedregotten and Kristin Skaslien initially controlled the contest, though the match gradually became more competitive. Mouat and Dodds established a 4-3 halftime lead, then extended their advantage to three points by the sixth end through precise execution. Norway employed their powerplay option to narrow the gap, but GB responded decisively in the final end to secure the 8-6 victory.
This opening win proved particularly significant given that Mouat and Dodds are medal favorites in this event. The pair had previously reached the 2022 Olympic semi-final against these same Norwegian opponents, though they had surrendered a lead to lose that match. Thursday’s schedule brings matches against Estonia and the Czech Republic for the British team.
