Norberg Rocks Out – Again

It's true. Tens of thousands of screaming rock fans, bright lights and a huge stage... and there are the Anette Norberg team members, onstage with Gates of Metal festival-closers Hammerfall, rocking out to the now-ubiquitous curling/metal anthem “Hearts on Fire”.

Some Swedish media reports mentioning the team's appearance – on backing vocals – are located here and here.

Another photo and the team's thoughts on their appearance are now posted on their Blog, which also details other appearances they've been doing; a recent foot injury to second Cathrine Lindahl; and also the low-key but important announcement that they do intend to defend their Olympic gold medal at Vancouver 2010.

Team Norberg's Blog has also shown an increase of English-language postings in recent months. Great move, ladies, as your international fan base – including metalheads – continues to grow.

Canuck curling fans can catch Team Norberg in action live in Chilliwack, BC (and/or on CBC-TV) at the Continental Cup of Curling in November. The event will mark the squad's only North American appearance this season.

Elsewhere:

• Aberdeen, Scotland has been awarded hosting rights for the 2009 European Championships, and here's the media reports from The Beeb and The Scotsman. It's a major coup for the Scots as the event will be the last major international tourney before the 2010 Olympic Winter Games... and it also provides an opportunity to improve upon their hosting of the controversial 2005 women's worlds.

Julia Bracewell, Chair of sportscotland said:

Curling is an important sport to Scotland and we are delighted that the 2009 European Curling Championships have been awarded to Aberdeen. sportscotland invested £800,000 of Lottery funding towards the development of the Curl Aberdeen facility, to support the development of the sport in the North East and it is great news that it is to stage this prestigious event, showcasing some of the world’s top curlers immediately prior to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Scotland last won the European title in 2003, when current world men's champ David Murdoch announced his arrival on the international scene by winning his first major title. Murdoch won bronze at last year's Euro titleshoot in Garmsich-Partenkirchen, Germany, which hosted 29 men's and 23 women's squads. The 2006 Europeans take place in December in Basel, Switzerland.

The last European Championship to be held in Scotland were at the Dewars Centre, Perth in 1992. Perth also welcomed them in 1988, whilst Aviemore hosted in 1978...

• Interesting that Manitoba's Jennifer Jones would be invited to golf in the Pro-Am of Canada's national women's (LPGA) golf championship. Yes, it's underway in London, home of the recent 2006 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, where Jones competed as Team Canada. But BC's Kelly Scott was the eventual champion, after all...

• Finally, here's a cute news feature on the only all-curling supply shop in British Columbia's Lower Mainland. Who cares if it's the middle of summer? As we've already pointed out, the sport is already underway in various pockets around the world...