In a remarkable turn of events, a record-breaking 13 candidates are competing for positions on the World Curling board of directors during this week’s annual congress in Montreal. The board meetings are set to commence on September 3, with the crucial elections scheduled to take place during the Annual General Assembly on September 8. The elections will determine two Vice-Presidents and two additional Board members, each position holding a four-year term.
Current Vice-Presidents Hugh Millikin from Australia and Graham Prouse from Canada, along with Director Toyo Ogawa from Japan, will be concluding their terms, paving the way for new leadership. Among the candidates are nine men and four women, with one of the female contenders being an Olympic champion. Notably, the diverse pool of candidates represents eleven different member nations.
Among the candidates is Nic Sulsky from Canada, who is not a curler but has gained significant support from top high-performance athletes. Sulsky is the co-founder of The Curling Group, which recently acquired the Grand Slam of Curling event series. His involvement in the sport through this new venture has sparked considerable interest.
Jeff Lutz, another prominent candidate, is generating buzz for two key reasons. First, he is associated with three different curling member associations and represents Israel, a team that recently won a silver medal at the European C Championships. Second, Lutz has expressed strong concerns about the state of curling, suggesting that the sport is facing significant challenges. “What are people saying?” Lutz questions. “They’re saying ‘our sport is great, vote for me.’ I’m saying, wait a second. That’s not good enough for where our sport needs to be today, and we cannot fail at Cortina 2026. We are already failing.”
Lutz has pointed out critical issues within the sport, including problems with facilities and rising operational costs. He highlights the disparity between the growing expenses and the relatively limited financial resources available for curling. Additionally, he criticizes the current state of World Curling’s finances and the difficulties in securing hosts for major championships.
With a professional background in public relations and communications, Lutz has observed that curling was gaining attention during the recent Olympic Games in Paris. However, he notes that World Curling was not adequately engaging with this increased visibility, leaving member associations and stakeholders in the dark. Lutz fears that without significant changes, there is a risk that top European teams might choose more lucrative alternatives, similar to the trend seen with LIV golf in the golfing world.
Drawing inspiration from innovative approaches in other sports, such as golf’s Creator Classic, Lutz advocates for a new strategy in curling. He suggests developing a network of influencers and commentators to enhance the sport’s visibility and appeal. “Curling doesn’t have any influencers,” he points out, emphasizing the need for a dedicated team to support athletes and media coverage. Without these improvements, Lutz believes the sport risks stagnation and decline.