Estonian mixed doubles curling pair Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill secured their first victory at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, defeating Sweden 7-5. The win avenged a loss from two years earlier and came after two initial defeats. This result boosts their chances in the round-robin stage ahead of the medal rounds.
The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics curling competition began before the official opening ceremony on Friday, February 6. Estonia's Marie Kaldvee and Harri Lill entered the mixed doubles event with high hopes but faced early setbacks. In their opening match on Wednesday, they rallied against Switzerland's Briar Schwaller-Hürlimann and Yannick Schwaller but fell 9-7 in an extra end.
Thursday brought another challenge against Great Britain's Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat, representing Scotland. The British pair, who include Beijing 2022 medalists, took control after the first two ends, leading 2-0. Estonia responded in the third but could only score one point in the fourth after Kaldvee's shot fell short. Using their power play in the sixth end, Estonia narrowed the gap to 6-5, but Great Britain scored four in the seventh to win 10-5.
Facing Sweden later that day provided redemption. The Swedish siblings Isabella and Rasmus Wrana, 2024 world champions, had previously beaten the Estonians 8-4 in the world final. Estonia struck first with three points in the second end and stole one each in the fifth and sixth, building a 6-5 lead. Holding the last stone and power play in the eighth end, they added the decisive point for a 7-5 triumph.
The victory marks a turning point in the round-robin format, where all 10 teams play nine matches, with the top four advancing to medal games on Tuesday. Estonia next faces Italy on Friday, followed by encounters with Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, South Korea, and the United States. Mixed doubles emphasizes strategy, with teams throwing five stones per end over eight ends, using tactics like steals and power plays to outmaneuver opponents.
