Thanks to Eastern Switzerland: a precious metal in the Mixed Curling World Cup

Sliding with the Swiss cross on your back in the World Championships was a feeling that neither Chantal Schmid of St. Gallen nor Orsi Hegner of Oswell – until now, knew it. The World Mixed Curling Championships held in Aberdeen, Scotland, was the first international title fight for the two curling teams in eastern Switzerland. The first show was a success. On Sunday evening, Swiss mixed soccer players returned to Switzerland with the bronze award around their necks. In addition to the successful conclusion in the form of a medal, the World Mixed Championships also set up some exciting encounters for Hegner and Schmid.

The number of participating teams is 32, nearly three times the number of teams participating in the World Mixed Championship as in the annual World Elite Championship, and for the first time, a team from India participated in the WCF event. “Besides the ice, meeting so many different countries was a special event for me,” says 32-year-old Schmid. “Or the example of India: after their first victory, all the other teams applauded them. It was a symbol of the excellent atmosphere that pervaded the whole event.”

Impeccable group stage

The sporting performances of the Swiss national team were also impressive. 10 wins from 11 matches were on the scoresheets at the end – a feat that deserved to win a medal. The Swiss team mixed with Skip Hegner, Led Schmid, Zoggers Yves Hess and Simon Hoen finished the group stage undefeated and defeated final runners-up from Scotland, among others.

After another confident quarter-final performance against Japan, the dream of winning a previously appreciated medal is within reach. “If you travel to the World Cup as a Swiss team, you can always hope for a medal,” Hegner says. However, the team did not specifically seek a medal as a goal until after they had qualified for the finals.

90 years of experience and good team spirit

Swisscurling Association President Tom Seger felt the same way: “I followed the team’s development and was optimistic that the team would be rewarded with a medal.” However, not much is known about other teams in the non-Olympic disciplines in advance, so it is difficult to make an accurate assessment. “That is why the joy of the bronze award is also great on the part of the association,” Seeger says.

However, it’s even bigger in the team itself: “Incredibly proud” is Schmid of herself and her team and Hegner also talks about an “overwhelming feeling.” The fact that the dream of a bronze medal came true thanks to a 6:4 victory in the junior final against Sweden – just a few hours after the Swiss mixed team suffered their first defeat of the tournament in the semi-finals against world champions Canada. .

“With our extensive experience spanning over 90 years in curling and an exceptionally good team spirit, we were able to keep our composure despite a certain disappointment after defeat in the semi-finals and use the missing stones of our opponents in crucial situations,” Schmid summed up the match for the medal.

The first medal in the World Mixed Championships for Switzerland

The Swiss mixed team’s third place is the country’s first mixed world championship medal, and for the federation’s president, Seeger, it’s also a strong mark for the popular sport. Because both Schmid, who works as an attorney at the Federal Administrative Court, and the rest of the entire team have curling as an intense hobby along with their careers. “That’s why you don’t get a chance to win a medal very often, but you always dream about it,” says Hegner, who works as a group finance manager in eastern Switzerland. “All the better, it works now!”