Curling: Team sets sights on Olympic upset in Italy

Curling team members (from L) Sean Becker, Hans Frauenlob, Dan Mustapic, Lorne De Pape, Warren Dobson and coach Peter Becker show off their uniforms yesterday. Picture / Mark Mitchell

New Zealand's curling team may be making their Olympic debut, but they have the ability to shock some of the top teams at the Games, coach Peter Becker said yesterday.

"I think we have a great chance in the Olympics," Becker said at Parliament House when the team's uniform for the February Games in Turin, Italy, was unveiled.

"We are capable of upsetting a lot of teams," said Becker.

He said he hoped that some of the other nations would take New Zealand lightly "and we might have a chance to sneak up on them".

The curling team - skip Sean Becker of Oturehua in Central Otago, Auckland's Hans Frauenlob (third), Dunedin's Dan Mustapic (second), Lorne De Pape (lead) of Te Awamutu and Warren Dobson (fifth) of Naseby in Central Otago - qualified for the Olympics after finishing eighth at the world championships held in April on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Becker said New Zealand were among 10 teams who would play a round robin for the medals in Turin, including Canada, "perennially strong", reigning Olympic champions Norway, world champions Sweden, and Scotland.

New Zealand Olympic Council secretary-general Barry Maister said it had been hoped to name more members of the team for the Winter Olympics but that was not possible.

"We are hopeful that other athletes who are still attempting to qualify for the Games will achieve the standard before too long," Maister said.

"Athletes still have the possibility of qualifying up until late January and with the season in Europe just kicking into gear we believe the team will soon grow to include snowboarders and skiers at least."

- NZPA