Team GB Kicks Off Winter Olympics with Victory by Mouat and Dodds

In a thrilling opener for Team GB at the Winter Olympics, Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds triumphed over Norway in mixed doubles curling, despite facing a power outage and an initial setback.

The Scottish athletes, regarded as strong contenders for medals in this competition, appeared at ease in the unique Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, a structure dating back to the 1956 Games in Italy.

Even a temporary blackout during a rough first end failed to disrupt last year’s world silver medalists, who bounced back to score three points in the second end and maintained their lead throughout the match.

Ultimately, Mouat and Dodds secured an 8-6 victory, avenging their loss to the same Norwegian duo in last year’s semi-final, where they squandered a lead before succumbing to Sweden in the bronze-medal playoff.

This win positions them favorably as they prepare for upcoming matches against Estonia and the Czech Republic on Thursday, both of whom lost their initial contests.

The atmosphere in the high-end Italian resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo was electrifying, enhanced by pulsating music and disco lighting as the first events of this year’s Games commenced.

Heavy snowfall had transitioned to sleet by the time the four matches commenced, entertaining a lively audience in the 3,500-seat venue.

However, many fans experienced a brief moment of darkness that lasted four to five minutes, resolved only when someone added coins to the meter, restoring the scoring screens and allowing play to continue.

“I didn’t mind the lights going off,” Mouat remarked. “It was a bit of a boogie, a rave… it felt like a nightclub.”

As the action resumed, Norway’s married team of Magnus Nedregotten and Kristin Skaslien initially took charge, but the contest soon evolved into a tense battle of strategy.

Mouat and Dodds gained momentum in a spectacular second end, with the scoring finalized after some careful measurements, allowing them to lead 4-3 at halftime after narrowly winning a closely contested fourth end against the 2002 silver medalists.

The break seemed to momentarily stall their momentum, as Norway, who previously secured bronze in 2018, managed to equalize.

Nedregotten’s impeccable performance kept Norway competitive, although his partner Skaslien faced challenges that hinted at possible domestic tension.

Despite this, Team GB pulled ahead with three points in the sixth end, thanks to an impressive throw from Dodds, creating a three-point cushion with two ends remaining.

Although the Norwegians utilized their powerplay to narrow the gap to one point, Mouat and Dodds responded with a powerplay of their own in the final end to seal a decisive 8-6 win.

“We needed a bit of time to figure out that one end was curling differently than the other, but once we adjusted, we elevated our performance and took control from there,” Dodds stated. “It’s a solid confidence booster to kick off the week.”

The Winter Olympics will take place in Milan and Cortina from February 6 to February 22, 2026.