Minnesota hosts world Deaf Curling Championships for 1st time in Blaine
Deaf Curling Championships headed to Minnesota
For the first time, Minnesota is hosting the World Deaf Curling Championships that feature 122 athletes and coaches from 11 countries.
BLAINE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Some special athletes are going for the gold close to home.
"Very excited to have it here"
What we know:
Mary Rose Weber has been curling for the last eight years, but for the second time, she is practicing her craft on the world stage.
"What an opportunity. It's a new experience for me. Meeting people from all different countries with different sign languages," Weber told FOX 9.
Home court advantage
The backstory:
Weber is representing the United States at the World Deaf Curling Championships at the Four Seasons Curling Club in Blaine.
This is the first time Minnesota has hosted the international competition.
More than 120 athletes and coaches from 11 countries like China, Poland and Ukraine will face off in three categories – men’s and women's teams, and mixed doubles – throughout the next couple of weeks.
"We're very excited to have it here in my hometown and see how beautiful Minnesota is," said Elizabeth Matthews, the organizer of the event
‘A lot of fun’
Local perspective:
For deaf curlers, the sport is the same as it is for their hearing counterparts, except instead of shouting, they use hand signals to communicate with the other members of their team.
The Minnesotans taking part are excited to compare notes with other curlers from around the world, about their experiences both on and off the ice.
"Every country has a different way of teaching curling and their strategies and skills. So it will be interesting to see how their skills and strategies match up with hours," said Andrew Palmberg.
Weber hopes to take home a gold medal in mixed doubles, while inspiring other members of the deaf community to give curling a try.
"My family is going to be able to come and watch in real life, not just on TV, so it's going to be so great," said Weber.
Dig deeper:
The World Deaf Curling Championships started on Monday and will continue through May 4. If you'd like more information about the events and times, click here.