Curling-Sleepless in Cortina: Norway's Nedregotten relieved after first win

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 6 - Norway's Magnus Nedregotten admitted he had been losing sleep over his team's disastrous start to the mixed doubles curling tournament at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, but finally got some relief after they picked up their first win on Friday.

Nedregotten and his wife Kristin Skaslien entered the competition as medal favourites after winning bronze at the Pyeongchang Winter Games in 2018 and following that up with a silver medal in Beijing four years later.

However, they lost their first three games to medal rivals Britain, the United States and Canada, before finally clinching a 9-0 win over 2024 world champions Sweden.

Asked about the game, Nedregotten said: "I'm a little bit surprised, I have to say. We are playing two of the best players in the world and our energy today, we set the expectations to ourselves to raise it a little bit higher.

"We decided that 'energy' is the key word... I haven't enjoyed it (the Games). I think this was the first time of real enjoyment for me.

"I've been sleeping bad, and everything has been a little bit so-so. But this relief, it's hopefully the beginning of something good."

The Norwegian duo played with aggression in their win on Friday, stealing points in each of the first six ends before the Swedish duo of Isabella and Rasmus Wranaa conceded with two ends left.

"In the mixed doubles, you just have to stay offensive in your head and just play the game, really," Skaslien said.

"If you start to be defensive, then it's really dangerous, because just a small mistake, then it can easily turn around. Offence is the best defence."

Norway next face Estonia's Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill in Saturday's afternoon session, before taking on Italy's reigning champions Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner in a rematch of the 2022 Olympic final later in the day. REUTERS