Athletes compete during the third Ice Cube Curling Invitational at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing, March 9, 2023. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

The third Ice Cube Curling Invitational kicked off at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing on March 9. The sporting event will continue this weekend, March 16-17, rounding out four days of fierce competition.

Held at the Ice Sports Center of the National Aquatics Center, the event has played a significant role in boosting curling's popularity within China. This year's event has surpassed expectations in the number of teams wanting to compete, leading organizers to expand participation from 16 to 30 teams. This third invitational has also seen curlers from Hong Kong participate for the first time. In response to the overwhelming interest, the event's duration has been extended from two to four days, with the number of matches rising to 55. Originally the number of matches was 39.

During the competition, two teams with hearing impairment are set to compete against each other at the iconic venue used for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games' curling competitions.

To ensure that the sporting event goes smoothly, the organizers have formed a management team of over 60 professionals with nearly half having prior experience in managing curling competitions. With Olympic-standard curling rinks, competition protocols, match officiating standards and state-of-the-art live broadcast services, the Ice Cube Curling Invitationalpromises a pleasant competition experience for all participating athletes.