Curling in Turkey
Curling is a minor sport in Turkey. It is governed by the Turkish Ice Skating Federation and has been a member of the World Curling Federation since 2009. The country has one dedicated curling venue, the Milli Piyango Curling Arena in Erzurum. Turkey is ranked 39th in the world in men's curling and 31st in women's.
As of November 2012, there are around 180 licensed curlers in the country, of which 120 are playing actively.[1]
Turkey has already hosted four international tournaments, the 2011 Winter Universiade, the 2012 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, the 2012 European Mixed Curling Championship and the European Curling Championships – Group C competitions.
Contents
Leagues
The Turkish Ice Skating Federation increased the number of curling leagues setting up the Second Curling League in the 2012-13 season. The First Curling League is played by 20 teams consisting of ten men's and ten women's teams in five groups each four teams. The competitions are held at the Milli Piyango Curling Arena in Erzurum, and will last until end of March 2013. The Second League teams to be promoted to the First League will be determined by play-offs at the end of the season.[1]
- Turkish Curling First League teams
Following teams compete in the First League's 2012-13 season[1]
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International competitions
The country competed in its first event at the 2010 European Mixed Curling Championship, where they placed 23rd of 24 teams. They won one game, against the Netherlands.
Turkey's first participation in juniors category was in the 2013 European Junior Curling Challenge in Prague, Czech Republic, a qualification tournament for the 2013 World Junior Curling Championships.
Turkish national wheelchair curling team, which consisted of curlers all from İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K., made its debut in November 2012 at the 2013 World Wheelchair Curling Championship – Qualification Event in Lohja, Finland.[2]
National teams
Men's
Men's national curling team of Turkey ranks 35th as of mid-year rankings for the 2012–13 curling season coming up to an increase of five positions from the last season.
Head coach: 
Olga Andrianova[3][4]
| Position | Name | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Skip | Muhammet Oǧuz Zengin | Atatürk University |
| Third | Alican Karataş | Atatürk University |
| Second | Kadir Çakır | Atatürk University |
| Lead | Muhammet Çağrı Bayraktar | Anadolu University |
| Alternate | Yusuf Ziya Bayraktutan | Atatürk University |
Junior men's
Turkish junior men's team debuted at the 2013 European Junior Curling Challenge, a qualification competition for the 2013 World Junior Curling Championships.
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Skip | Alican Karataş |
| Third | Nuh Nar |
| Second | Melik Şenol |
| Lead | Adem Özdemir |
| Alternate | Burak Korucu |
Coach: Celal Cüneyt İşgör
Women's
Turkey women's national curling team ranks 27th as of mid-year rankings for the 2012–13 curling season coming up to an increase of four positions from the last season.
Head coach: Olga Andrianova[3][4]
| Position | Name | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Skip | Öznur Polat | Atatürk University |
| Third | Elif Kızılkaya | Atatürk University |
| Second | Dilşat Yıldız | Atatürk University |
| Lead | Ayşe Gözütok | Atatürk University |
| Alternate | Şeyda Zengin | Atatürk University |
Junior women's
Turkish junior women's team debuted at the 2013 European Junior Curling Challenge, a qualification competition for the 2013 World Junior Curling Championships.
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Skip | Dilşat Yıldız |
| Third | Semiha Konuksever |
| Second | Burçak Şehitoğlu |
| Lead | Zeynep Özmen |
| Alternate | Burcu Korucu |
Coach: Celal Cüneyt İşgör
Wheelchair
| Position | Name | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Skip | Turhan Akalın | Istanbul B.B.S.K. |
| Third | Engin Kurt | Istanbul B.B.S.K. |
| Second | Savaş Şimşek | Istanbul B.B.S.K. |
| Lead | Birsen Sapmaz | Istanbul B.B.S.K. |
| Alternate | Berk Kamanlı | Istanbul B.B.S.K. |
Coach: Gökçe Ulugay
Achievements
Men's events
| Year | Skip | Rank | GP | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 2011 |
Oğuzhan Dikmen | 9th | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| Total | 1 / 2 | 9 | 1 | 8 | |
The team advanced to the Group B competitions of 2012 European Curling Championships held in Karlstad, Sweden. Turkey's Alican Karataş competed in the round robin tournament of the Red Group, at which eight teams took part. He skipped to rank six winning two games and losing five.
| Year | Skip | Rank | GP | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 2010 |
İlhan Osmanağaoğlu | Group C - 7th | 6 | 1 | 5 |
 2011 |
İlhan Osmanağaoğlu | Group C -  |
9 | 6 | 3 |
| 2012 |
Muhammet Oğuz Zengin | Group C -  |
8 | 7 | 1 |
 2012 |
Alican Karataş | Group B - 6th | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| Total | 4 / 39 | 30 | 16 | 14 | |
- International tournaments
Junior men's events
| Year | Skip | Rank | GP | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 2013 |
Alican Karataş | 4th | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| Total | 1 / 9 | 7 | 4 | 3 | |
Coach: Celal Cüneyt İşgör
Women's events
| Year | Skip | Rank | GP | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 |
Öznur Polat | 10th | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Total | 1 / 2 | 9 | 0 | 9 | |
The team advanced to the Group B competitions of 2012 European Curling Championships held in Karlstad. Elif Kızılkaya skipped to rank five in the round robin tournament, at which ten teams took part, with four wins against five losses, and missed so to advance to the page playoffs that were eligible for the four best teams.
| Year | Skip | Rank | GP | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 |
Canan Melis Akyıldız | Group C -  |
5 | 4 | 1 |
 2010 |
Aysun Ergin | Group B - 10th | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| 2011 |
Öznur Polat | Group C - 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 2012 |
Öznur Polat | Group C - |
7 | 6 | 1 |
| 2012 |
Elif Kızılkaya | Group B - 5th | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| Total | 5 / 40 | 35 | 18 | 17 | |
Junior women's events
| Year | Skip | Rank | GP | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 |
Dilşat Yıldız | 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Total | 1 / 9 | 5 | 3 | 2 | |
Mixed events
| Year | Lead / Second | Rank | GP | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 |
İlhan Osmanağaoğlu Elif Kızılkaya |
21st | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| Total | 1 / 5 | 8 | 2 | 6 | |
| Year | Skip | Rank | GP | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 |
İlhan Osmanağaoğlu | 23rd | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| 2011 |
Öznur Polat | 23rd | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 2012 |
Murat Sağır | 23rd | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| Total | 3 / 8 | 21 | 2 | 19 | |
Wheelchair
| Year | Skip | Rank | GP | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 2012 |
Turan Akalın | 10th | 10 | 1 | 9 |
| Total | 1 / 4 | 10 | 1 | 9 | |
References
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