Macron is the new technical partner to World Curling

Macron is entering the world of curling at world level. The Italian brand has become the technical partner of World Curling, the international federation that governs the sport of curling and all its specialities worldwide. Macron will supply technical sportswear to match officials in all the events that World Curling organises and runs, including the matches scheduled for the next Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina in 2026.

Curling traces its origins far back in time and is believed to be one of the oldest team sports in the world. The “roaring game”, as curling is called due to the noise made by the granite stones as they slide over the ice, is depicted in works by a 16^th century Flemish artist, in which a game similar to modern curling is played on frozen ponds. The first written evidence of the game appears in a Latin document written in Scotland describing a match between a monk from Paisley abbey and a representative of the abbot. The first recognised curling clubs were also founded in Scotland, which many consider the home of the game. From the United Kingdom the sport was exported to other nations around the world, and in some of these the game is now more popular than it is in its country of origin.

World Curling was formed as a federation in 1965 and currently boasts 74 member countries. Among the first nations to join were, naturally, Scotland, then Sweden, Norway, France and Canada, while the latest national federations to become affiliated are that of the Principality of Monaco this year and those of Pakistan, the Philippines and Porto Rico in 2023. Curling has been an Olympic sport since the Nagano games in Japan in 1998, and has been included in the Paralympic Games since the Turin Olympics of 2006.

“We are pleased to announce this latest worldwide agreement with World Curling,” declared Gianluca Pavanello, CEO of Macron. “This partnership allows us to expand the number of federations that Macron supports and that confirm the quality and technical excellence of our sportswear and our ability to satisfy the needs of players at all levels and in all sporting disciplines. World Curling’s match officials will be receiving innovative and comfortable garments that combine high performance with refined, elegant design.”

James Beatt, World Curling Commercial Strategy Lead said, “We are thrilled to have Macron as our Official Technical Partner to provide the clothing for our personnel at international championships. As a winter sport, we are acutely aware of global warming and Macron’s approach to greater environmental sustainability through their various initiatives was a significant factor in this partnership. The partnership with Macron will allow us to directly reduce our carbon footprint, while using more sustainable material for our apparel. This reduction of waste will ensure a long life cycle of clothing throughout our organisation.”