Claudia Tenney: “Remember the Miracurl on Ice, the stunning victory earlier this year when Team USA defeated Sweden to win the first-ever…”

“Remember the Miracurl on Ice, the stunning victory earlier this year when Team USA defeated Sweden to win the first-ever gold medal for the U.S. Olympic curling team? It was a milestone for the support of curling around the Nation. I am a longtime fan of the sport of curling and a member of the team that won the 1975 Teenage Curling Championship held at the Utica Curling Club in Utica, New York. I rise today to recognize the Utica Curling Club, which recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. Established in 1868, the Utica Curling Club is one of the oldest rinks in the country. This ice sport was first played on open-air rinks on Ballou Creek near Rutger Street in Utica. In 1916, the indoor club was built on Francis Street in downtown Utica, where I was able to hold my title as the 1975 Teenage Curling Champion. Tragically, the club was destroyed by fire in 1995. In 1996, a brand- new facility was built on Clark Mills Road in nearby Whitesboro. Today, the club hosts novice and competitive curlers from across the country and the world. Members range from 7 years old to 90 years old. The official curling season runs from October through March. This past winter, the Utica Curling Club held the Olympic Open House, which it has held every year for 4 years, and doubled its attendance to watch the U.S. curling team bring home their very first Olympic Gold Medal.…”