Fans at the Duluth Curling Club cheer for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Minnesotans Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin are the first Americans to medal in the event, and Thiesse is the first American woman to ever medal in Olympic curling.
DULUTH — It’s not every day that you get to watch your clubmate win an Olympic medal.
Hundreds gathered at the Duluth Curling Club on Tuesday, Feb. 10, to watch two of their own make history 4,500 miles away.
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
Fans at the Duluth Curling Club cheer for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Duluthians Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin won the mixed doubles silver medal in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
The sibling duo from Sweden — Isabella and Rasmus Wranå — were down one point, with one stone left to throw. They scored two points to win.
Thiesse and Dropkin are the first Americans to medal in the event, and Thiesse is the first American woman to ever medal in Olympic curling.
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
Fans at the Duluth Curling Club watch Cory Thiesse throw a stone during a watch party at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
She's from Duluth. Dropkin lives there now, but he’s from Massachusetts.
Local curling legend Doug Cameron has known Thiesse her whole life.
“When she was a kid, you could see she had the eye of the tiger. She was fearless. She wanted to throw the big rock," he said. "And she’s still that girl, and one of the nicest people on Earth.”
Lorie Shaull
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KAXE
Jameson Nickila, age 10, and his mom, Melainy Nickila, cheer for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during the final minutes of the match at a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 at the Duluth Curling Club in Duluth. At the Duluth Curling Club, Jameson takes curling lessons from Korey Dropkin.
Grand Rapids curler Aileen Geving is a member of the U.S. Women's Olympic Curling Team and a member of the Itasca Curling Association. Club President Kelly Erickson also stopped by.
Cameron remembers watching Dropkin play when he attended the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
"My thought was, 'He looks really good, but he's got some things to work on," Cameron said. "Well, nobody's worked harder at their game than Korey Dropkin."
He said Dropkin's one of the best sweepers there is.
"Korey Dropkin is a heck of a sweeper," said Mariah Vitiritto, a seven-year curling veteran and a Duluth Women’s Curling Organization board member. "He really puts a lot of pressure on the rock, and he can drag it a very long way, and it's very impressive.
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
Mariah Vitiritto and other fans watch nervously during the final minutes of the Olympic curling mixed doubles team gold medal match at a watch party at Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
"It's one of our favorite things to do when he's here, is just to watch how far he can drag a rock."
Thiesse, she said, is incredibly accurate and fun to watch.
Not everyone can be an Olympian. But unlike a lot of events, you can be a curler.
Vitiritto has played Thiesse and Dropkin on league nights. She said she actually beat Thiesse a few weeks ago.
"That's not a big deal, but league's totally different," she said. "But it's just fun to interact, and any of them will give up five, 10 minutes to explain something you need help with. ... They're just super duper helpful, and they're just so accessible for an elite athlete.
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
A young curler practices throwing a stone at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
There are curling clubs across Minnesota, including in Grand Rapids, Bemidji, Brainerd, Hibbing, Eveleth and Fosston. Most host "learn to curl" events.
Tony Lasky, who runs the pro shop at the Duluth Curling Club, said he wishes he’d started curling a lot earlier in life.
"At least try it. 'Cause it’s a lot of fun, and you meet great people," he said.
Lorie Shaull
/
KAXE
Tony Lasky, runs the pro shop at the Duluth Curling Club, displays a USA Curling Peterbilt truck replica signed by Korey Dropkin during a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
1 of 11 — 01 A fan at the Duluth Curling Club cheers for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party on Feb.jpg
A fan cheers for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
2 of 11 — 02 A fan cheers for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.jpg
A fan cheers for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
3 of 11 — 01 Fans at the Duluth Curling Club cheer for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party on Feb.jpg
Fans at the Duluth Curling Club cheer for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
4 of 11 — 01 Fans at the Duluth Curling Club watch Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin at a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.jpg
Fans watch Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin at a watch party at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
5 of 11 — Fans at the Duluth Curling Club watch Korey Dropkin throw a stone during a watch party at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.jpg
Fans watch Korey Dropkin throw a stone during a watch party at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
6 of 11 — Mariah Vitiritto wears a Korey Dropkin shirt during a watch party at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 at the Duluth Curling Club in Duluth.jpg
Mariah Vitiritto wears a Korey Dropkin shirt during a watch party at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026 at the Duluth Curling Club in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
7 of 11 — Kathy Olson watches nervously during the final minutes of the Olympic curling mixed doubles team gold medal match during a watch party on Feb.jpg
Kathy Olson watches nervously during the final minutes of the Olympic curling mixed doubles team gold medal match at a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
8 of 11 — A fan watches nervously during the final minutes of the Olympic curling mixed doubles team gold medal match during a watch party on Feb.jpg
A fan watches nervously during the final minutes of the Olympic curling mixed doubles team gold medal match during a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
9 of 11 — 04 Fans at the Duluth Curling Club watch Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.jpg
Fans watch Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin during a watch party on Feb. 10, 2026 at the Duluth Curling Club in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
10 of 11 — Inside the Duluth Curling Club during a watch party for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.jpg
Inside the Duluth Curling Club during a watch party for Olympic curling mixed doubles team, Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin on Feb. 10, 2026 in Duluth.
Lorie Shaull / KAXE
11 of 11 — A young curler practices sweeping at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026.jpg
A young curler practices sweeping at the Duluth Curling Club on Feb. 10, 2026.
Megan Buffington joined the KAXE newsroom in 2024 after graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Originally from Pequot Lakes, she is passionate about educating and empowering communities through local reporting.
Lorie Shaull has dedicated countless hours behind the scenes to bringing the stories of our news, KAXE Morning Show and music departments to life with her beautiful and compelling images.
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