Robyn Munro and Orrin Carson from the United Kingdom made history on the evening of Tuesday, 14 January by defeating Germany’s Kim Sutorand and Klaudius Harsch 10-8 in the mixed doubles curling final of the Torino 2025 FISU World University Games, where the discipline was making its debut at the biennial multisports event.
A total of eight teams competed over four days in the inaugural tournament. Canada rounded out the podium with a 9-3 win over host Italy.
Munro and Carson displayed outstanding form in the gold medal match, scoring three points with hammer in the first end and adding a steal of one in the second. Although the Germans levelled the score with four points in the third, the British duo remained composed and all but put the game away in the sixth with a four-ender of their own, making the score 10-6.
Full circle moment
“We’re super excited. Obviously, we’ve worked so hard for this, and obviously we can’t wait to go out and celebrate,” shared the 19-year-old Orrin Carson, a sport coaching student at Dumfries and Galloway College (Scotland).
“It feels amazing. It was so special to have all our family and supporters here and hearing them cheer at the end makes it all worth it,” added Robyn Munro, who studies politics and international relations at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
The 21-year-old is also the granddaughter of ice rink owners in her home country of Scotland. “I got into it [curling] through my family. And my grandparents actually built an ice rink, and my granny was here to cheer me on. So that was just a full circle moment.”
Chemistry on the ice
Success in mixed doubles curling often hinges on strong communication and teamwork, which Munro and Carson attributed to their intensive preparation and natural compatibility.
“We’ve been training hard over the past few weeks, and it’s really paid off,” Carson explained. “We’re both easy going and never let setbacks bring us down, which helped us stay determined and focused.”
When asked to describe each other in three words, the duo fully displayed its chemistry. Carson humorously described Munro as “funny, hardworking and… stupid”, quickly adding with a smile, “Obviously, it’s a quote, stupid.”
Munro laughed and responded, “Confident, focused, and funny. Good vibes all around!”
Three words may not be enough to capture the qualities of this gold medal-winning duo, whose future seems limitless yet unpredictable. As they prepare to celebrate their FISU Games triumph with their families, their achievement is already inspiring a new generation of curlers all over the world.
The take place from 13-23 January. Watch all the competitions live on . Click on the link to find the full schedule.
Written by Boyi Yang, FISU Young Reporter, China
The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.
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