British Curling is delighted to announce its new partnership with FloorCurl which has become the official off-ice supplier to the Paralympic Programme. 
FloorCurl’s equipment was used for the first time at this year’s 34th Inter Spinal Unit Games hosted at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, which introduced over 70 participants from 11 spinal units from across the UK and further afield to experience the benefits of sport.
The annual event organised by Wheelpower, the national charity for wheelchair sport, provides participants with the opportunity to experience a variety of different sports in a welcoming and accessible environment and was a huge success.
British Curling’s Paralympic Pathway Manager Cheryl Lappin, who agreed the new deal with FloorCurl, believes there will be short and long-term benefits to acquiring the accessible curling equipment.
“We are really excited by the ongoing development of our new partnership with FloorCurl, which is already proving to be a real game changer in terms of enabling new individuals to experience the sport for the first time,” she said.
Having joined the organisation earlier this year, Lappin has already put in place ambitious strategic plans to attract more athletes onto the Paralympic programme, and following a number of Talent ID days hosted at the National Curling Academy already has Para curlers enjoying weekly sessions as part of the newly established Paralympic Performance Foundation Programme to see where their potential may take them, with the prospect of the Milan-Cortina Paralympic Winter Games in 2026 a huge incentive for some.
“Whilst it is great welcoming new participants to the sport, the FloorCurl ice-less equipment really is the perfect solution, and most importantly is accessible, meaning we can bring off-ice wheelchair curling opportunities to new areas and audiences across the UK where there might not be an ice facility nearby,” she said. 
“British Curling were consequently delighted to find a way to be involved in the Games and showcase this innovative equipment, which will play a pivotal role in our ongoing Paralympic Pathway plans and the participants gained a thrilling experience of curling in a games hall setting.
“Being part of the Spinal Games movement and the inspiration of the event itself is powerful and we were excited to enthuse current and discharged patients from Spinal Units across the UK to take part in Para Curling.
“We are eager to engage these individuals within our upcoming Paralympic Recruitment Campaign to on-ice Wheelchair TryCurling events in the coming months across the UK.”
FloorCurl is the official iceless curling supplier to the World Curling Federation and seven of its member associations. For further information please click here to visit their website.
Images: WheelPower - Wheelpower Inter Spinal Unit Games 2023 (Roger Bool)
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