Local curling club hopes Winter Olympics will inspire more people to join

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — There’s an unusual ice sport that skyrocketed in popularity after the last Winter Olympics.

James Brickey hopes the Roadrunner Curling Club could grow after people watch Team USA try to defend their gold medal in Beijing. He founded the club in 2017.

"Once I got the equipment, we had a decent turnout before the Olympics," Brickey said. "Never too many, maybe about six to ten."

However, that all changed after the 2018 Winter Games.

"Once the Olympics happened, especially the U.S., the men won the medal, you know, the gold. Now we have a lot more interest," he said.

Team USA won their first gold over 6,000 miles away and the impacts were felt at the Outpost Ice Arena in Albuquerque – around 300 people came out to learn about the sport.

For more information about the Roadrunner Curling Club, click here.