News 2005

April 25, 2005:
Ice Cup: Northern 12 - the curling twenteenagers

The newest curling team in Akureyri and also the team including the youngest players is Norðan 12 (Northern 12) – which is a reference to Icelandic storm of strong northern wind. The team was formed just recently to play in Ice Cup but hopefully they will keep on curling next season. Team members are Anna Eyfjörð Eiríksdóttir, Gunnlaugur Búi Ólafsson, Jens Kristinn Gíslason og Sigurður Sæmundsson.

The skip, Jens Kristinn Gíslason, knows what has been going on in the Icelandic curling world since he is son of Akureyri Curling Club’s president, Gísli Kristinsson. Jens did actually curl a little once almost ten years ago when Akureyri Curling Club was just starting. Jens and Anna played in Reykjavik Open (which was held in Akureyri actually) earliar this month and their team, Saku and buddies, finished third. So in every spiel they have participated they have earned a medal! Gunnlaugur Búi had frequently been telling his friends he wanted to try this curling sport and now he has got his chance. Sigurður curled once before – it was sixteen years ago in a jamboree in Norway. His team started by sweeping the ice thoroughly before the game so they would not have to do it when the stone was running (didn’t realize the meaning of sweeping!). 

The skip Jens says when asked that their goal is of course to win Ice Cup – but in reserve their goal is to win a game. 

The curlers in team Norðan 12 are interconnected through being scouts (three boy scouts and one girl scout we guess). That’s where they all met and that’s where they have a big group of friends. Part of the group got the name Norðurbandalagið (Northern Coalition) when many of the friends grew up and moved to the city of fear (Reykjavik) or beyond. Jens says this developed into Norðan 12 with reference to the Icelandic northern storm.