Pittsburgh Curling Club wants to bring the sport to the world stage
McKEES ROCKS, Pa. (KDKA) -- If you're a curling fan, Sunday was a good chance to catch some.
It was the final day for the five-and-under world championships. This weekend's competition is a first.
Curling is a smaller Olympic sport with a lot of allure.
"I have found it really, really strategic in ways I didn't really expect," said Amy Falk of Sewickley.
Up-close opportunities around southwestern Pennsylvania are rare.
"This is our first time seeing curling in person," said Dorothy Falk a resident of Sewickley.
This weekend's sliding, sweeping, and scoring all started with an idea. The co-founders wanted a world championship with people of similar experience.
"There was no place for them to go beyond that, so U.S. nationals, and then they're done," said Steve Buffington, President of the Pittsburgh Curling Club.
"And we're like, 'How do we bring this to a global stage,'" said James-Grant Robinson, co-founder of the 5-U Curling World Championships.
They brought 16 teams from different countries to Pittsburgh. It isn't necessarily a curling hotbed.
"It's sometimes hard to get the word out that we exist and curling is available in Pittsburgh," said Buffington.
It was a big opportunity for the Pittsburgh Curling Club, whose president says the visiting players were impressed.
"They're really, really happy with the ice quality," said Buffington. "They're really happy to play here."
With every clank, the people running this weekend's tournament hope to grow this curling community.
"Definitely. It's something I want to try and see," said Amy Falk.
The people at Pittsburgh Curling Club expect interest to jump after next year's Winter Olympics.
The club does offer learn-to-curl classes. More information is available on its website.