Line Up

Niklas Edin

Born and raised in Sidensjö, a small village outside of Örnsköldsvik. Unlike most kids in the area, he picked up a broom and rock instead of a stick and puck, but still managed to make his way to the North American continent thanks to an icy sport like the Örnsköldsvik natives Peter Forsberg, Markus Näslund, the Sedins, Victor Hedman and a few more.

Niklas grew up on a dairy farm and truly knows what it’s like to work hard and earn your accomplishments. Helping his dad on early mornings and long days have helped him keep focus on long training sessions in both the gym and on the curling ice.

For the Love of Sport

Name a sport and it’s likely Niklas has tried it or even competed in it. In his younger years he often had two practices a day in different sports and it had his parents on their toes to keep up with his will to always stay active. Before he picked up curling at the age of fourteen, he mostly played football and tennis, and also competed in orienteering. Our guess is he made the right choice in going with curling at the end, being a world champion and all.

VHS

Do you want a tip on how to increase your chances of becoming a great athlete? Analyze those who are among the best in the sport you want to be good at. Despite starting with curling at the fairly late age of 14, Niklas managed to win the world juniors at 18 and compete for Sweden at the men’s worlds before going out of juniors. He says he got there by watching tonnes of VHS movies of the best players from Canada during his days in high school. He spent many hours analyzing tactics and playing styles, which he and his team then tried themselves during practise and games.

Oskar Eriksson

Oskar eriksson

Another one that’s been raised in a hockey crazy town. Having the home arena of Färjestad BK – arguably the most successful team in Swedish hockey during the modern era – just a few blocks away from his home in Karlstad, you’d think he’d be a big hockey fan. In fact, he started following the sport more intensely just when travelling to Canada for curling. He’s now a big Vegas Golden Knights fan and bought his first cap during the Continental Cup of Curling in January 2017 – several months before they even played their first game.

a familiar thing

Oskar did not have a childhood like Niklas. For Oskar, curling was the only sport where he competed and practised under organized conditions. He was brought into the sport early on as his two older brothers was curling at Karlstads Curlingklubb. He managed to win the Round Robin of ‘Elitserien’, the Swedish top tier, at the young age of 13, with a team involving his oldest brother, Anders. He later on played a few seasons with his other brother, Markus, and the duo combined with their team to get the silver medal at the World Championships in 2014.

The professor

Long days at the curling rink, watching his brothers play before he was allowed to, made Oskar start analyzing the game of curling at a very young age. He claims he was so analytically gifted at the age of 5 that he proved the old gentlemen at the curling club wrong most of the times when talking of the game’s strategy. It’s hard to believe, but there may be some truth to it as he has ever since been called ‘The Professor’ amongst the members of Karlstads Curlingklubb. Vice skipping for Niklas suits him well.

Spela video

Rasmus Wranå

The Wranå family – Sweden’s most prolific curling family as of late – has its home in Stockholm and has spent many hours together on the ice at Sundbybergs Curlingklubb. In the spring of 2017, the Wranås had the chance of becoming triple world champions – Rasmus’ dad, Mats, won world seniors and his sister, Isabella, won world juniors – but Rasmus came up short with Team Edin in the men’s final. For an entire year he was teased by his family for it, but he got revenge in 2018.

From juniors to world #1

When Rasmus got the call from Niklas if he’d like to join the team, he hadn’t reached a European tour playoffs yet and missed medalling at world level his last three junior years. With that in mind, little did he know he’d elevate Team Edin to new levels. He reached the semis in Baden at his first event with the new squad, won his first ever Canadian tour event the weekend after and kept it rolling by winning his first two Grand Slam events. The team finished the season as world #1.

Christoffer Sundgren

There’s one place in Sweden where everyone has to try curling. The sport is as big in the small village of Sveg as any other sport. Curling’s importance in the society is also showcased on the success of its players getting their education at Svegs Curlingklubb. Olympic medallists such as Anna Le Moine, Margaretha Sigfridsson and Maria Prytz all started their days of curling there. Christoffer is another one.

Christoffer’s grandfather was chairman at the curling club when they decided to have the older generation step down on ice time and let the kids play as well. Those mentioned above all have had a great curling careers, but the most talented team was skipped by Matilda Mattsson – a team all made up of Sveg natives and they came through the ranks thanks to more available ice time – and they won the world juniors in 2000. Sadly for the curling world, they quit the sport after juniors.

With its 3000 inhabitants, it can be argued that Sveg is the most prolific curling village based on per capita in the world.