The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics began competition with mixed doubles curling in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, only for a power outage to halt play shortly after the start. The brief disruption lasted about three to five minutes, dimming lights and stopping scoreboards across four matches. Play resumed amid cheers from fans, as teams including Canada and Sweden secured opening wins.
On February 4, 2026, two days before the official opening ceremony, the historic Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium hosted the first event of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics: the mixed doubles curling round robin. Built for the 1956 Games and recently upgraded with a roof, the venue saw steady snowfall throughout the day, accumulating over eight inches in some areas.
Just minutes into the session, an energy-related issue caused lights to flicker and dim, pausing all four matches. Scoreboards went dark, and time clocks stopped, but curlers stayed active by sliding on the ice to remain prepared. Canada's Brett Gallant joked with coaches, while Korea's Kim Seon-yeong and Sweden's Isabella Wranå playfully used their brooms as air guitars. Estonia's Harri Lill continued his throw despite the dimming, and Sweden's Rasmus Wranå paused mid-setup.
The outage lasted approximately three minutes, according to organizers, though some reports noted a total delay of over five minutes, including flickering. Power restored quickly, prompting sarcastic cheers from the crowd. Norway's Magnus Nedregotten gave a thumbs-up, Great Britain's Jennifer Dodds smiled, and Lill applauded as play resumed.
The matches proceeded with Canada defeating Czechia 10-5, Sweden beating Korea 10-3, Great Britain topping Norway 8-6, and Switzerland edging Estonia 9-7. The Czech team, the youngest in Olympic curling history at a combined age of 40, showed promise despite the loss. Defending Olympic champions Italy, featuring local curler Stefania Constantini and Amos Mosaner, along with U.S. first-time Olympian Korey Dropkin, debut on Thursday.
American curler Dropkin expressed excitement: “Being amongst the best, it’s a very cool atmosphere to be part of. We’re looking forward to being ready to compete and pour our hearts out on the ice.” Great Britain's Bruce Mouat added levity post-win: “I didn't really mind the lights going off, it was a bit of a dance and a boogie, a rave, nightclub you know.”
The incident also delayed the men's luge training session by 30 minutes at the nearby sliding center. Organizers are investigating the cause, amid prior concerns over venue preparations like the rushed Cortina Sliding Centre construction. Fans filled the arena, waving flags for nations like Canada and the Czech Republic, creating a vibrant atmosphere in the mountain resort 250 miles from Milan.
