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Curling drama has arrived at the Paralympics even before the first competition rock has been thrown.
Two curling stones have been stolen from the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
World Curling spokesperson Chris Hamilton confirmed in an email that two rocks, from the mixed doubles set used at the Olympics which are also being used for the wheelchair mixed doubles competition, were taken from the venue.
There are no other details at this point as to how two, 42-pound granite rocks were removed from the arena.
“The authorities are currently investigating the theft,” Hamilton said in an email.
The Paralympic mixed doubles teams were made aware of the situation at a team meeting yesterday in Cortina. The other four-person teams were sent information regarding the stolen stones today.
Wheelchair mixed doubles competition begins Wednesday evening in Cortina.
Hamilton says the spare stones from the mixed doubles set are now being used and have been brought to the same specifications as the rest of the set.
Like the Olympic curling tournament, the Paralympics have two sets of competition rocks. Both sets are owned by World Curling.
The mixed doubles stones had never been used in a competition before the Olympics. The four-person set had been used once prior to the Games, at the world junior curling championships in Cortina last April.
The wheelchair mixed doubles curling event begins Wednesday and concludes on Mar. 11. The four-person wheelchair curling event starts on Saturday.
The Paralympics opening ceremony is Friday, Mar. 6.
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