Key Highlights
- GB men’s curlers lose to Italy after shocking first end in Cortina.
- GB women falter again in their opening two matches at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
- Italy adds GB to list of scalps, including previous defeat of Swedish rink.
The shock has rippled through Team GB’s men’s curling team as they faced a hostile home crowd in Cortina. After an unbeaten start that had them leading the round-robin table, their first defeat came at the hands of Italy, who stole four points in the first end—a move that left the British team chasing the game from the outset.
GB’s Men: A Horrendous Start
Team GB’s men started with a bang—or rather, a clunk. The Italians’ aggressive play during the first end set the tone for what would become a thrilling and tense match. Lead Hammy McMillan described their opening play as “a horrendous first end,” but praised his team’s resilience in fighting back.
“We had to dig deep and we played nine really good ends and controlled it from there, but we just couldn’t do enough to get the win,” McMillan told BBC Sport. Despite playing strong throughout the match, GB’s world-ranked quartet could not overcome Italy’s early lead, losing 9-7 in a nail-biting final end.
GB Women: A Frustrating Second Half
The women’s team faced similar challenges, starting well but faltering as the game progressed. Their first match against China ended with mistakes costing them dearly, and they were unable to capitalize on their strong performance in the opening end of their second match against South Korea.
“It’s that pesky second half again,” said Sophie Jackson, skip for the GB women’s team. “We usually finish games well so it’s frustrating.” The British team allowed three points in the sixth end and another two in the seventh, leaving them trailing 9-3 with only a couple of ends to go.
Looking Ahead
The men will face the Czech Republic on Saturday, while the women have their first game against Canada. Both teams need to find ways to close out matches better if they are to capitalize on their early opportunities and progress in the tournament. As McMillan noted, “It’s pretty cool playing in front of such an amazing crowd, but we’ve got work to do.”
