Akureyri Curling Club

One of the foreign teams this year comes from the US. Those are four guys from Illinois and Wisconsin coming to Iceland to have fun on and off the ice, enjoy the country and the people. We asked them to tell us a little bit about themselves - and here are their brief bios - and just to make it clear, they all come to Iceland in full colour inspite of the black and white photos:

Mike Griem
Mike lives 35 miles north of Chicago in Lake Bluff, Illinois, USA. He is a member of Exmoor Curling Club. Mike has curled and volunteered for more than 25 years in club, regional, national and international events. He is a professional management consultant, including clients in China, Brazil, Jordan, and Japan. Mike loves new challenges, whether it is exploring Cuba, raising money for a senior center, or marketing curling. He is an avid golfer, traveler, card player, and lover of single malt whiskey.

Mike's team won the 2005 US Men's Club National Curling Championship. He also represented Illinois in the 2000 US Men's Nationals. Mike was a member of the 2001 Scotland Tour (between the USCA and the RCCC) and Courier for the 2007 Scots Tour to America.

Russ Armstrong
Russ lives 30 miles north of Chicago in Highwood, Illinois, USA. He is a member of Exmoor Curling Club. Russ has curled for more than 30 years, especially in top-level competitions. He is an entrepreneur. Russ loves making friends and having fun. He thinks Iceland will be wonderful.

Russ skipped the winning 2005 US Men's Club National Championship team. He was a member of the 1985 US National Championship team (finishing third in the Worlds). He also represented Illinois in the 1992 and 2002 US Men's Nationals, and in the 1989 and 2003 US Mixed Nationals.

Thom Knitter

Thom lives in Mequon, Wisconsin, about 15 miles north of Milwaukee. He is a member of the Milwaukee Curling Club. As a curler he has served in many positions at a local, state, regional, national and world level. He likes developing instructors, enhancing experienced curlers and coaching. Thom has been employed for over 31 years as a Vice President of The Mark Travel Corporation. Being a creative sort Thom makes curling stones, golfers and other things out of wine corks. He enjoys golf, gardening and cocktails. Thom was on the USA Scotland tour in 2001.

Cliff Andreoli
Cliff lives in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. He he has been a member of the Madison Curling Club for 35 years. He has supported his club by serving two terms as a Board member and as chairperson for many local and state events at the club through the years. He is an emeritus registrar from the Madison Technical College, an avid fisherman and wood worker, gardner, traveler and enjoys boating.

Cliff has played on seven senior teams that have won the Wisconsin State Senior Championship and has won the United States Senior Championship once. He was a member of the USA team that participated in the 2000 Senior World demonstration event inn Glasgow, Scotland. Cliff was on the USA Scotland Tour in 2001.