World Curling has confirmed the addition of two new staff members: Octavia Traila as Competitions Officer and Ben Rowlings as Member Services Officer.
Traila, originally from Romania, studied marketing at university and has recently worked in project management for international market research projects. She has been connected to curling from a young age, representing Romania as a junior athlete and attending World Curling camps in Fuessen and Sweet Lake. Over the years, she has volunteered at several major curling events, including the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and the 2019 European Curling Championships C-Division. More recently, she has focused on umpiring, especially in wheelchair curling, serving as an official at the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games and preparing for Milano Cortina 2026.
“I am excited to be joining the Competitions team,” Traila said. “I’ve had opportunities to support events in the past, but now I’ll be able to contribute in a much deeper way. I look forward to returning to venues and giving my best in this position.”
World Curling’s Head of Competitions, Eeva Roethlisberger, praised the appointment, stating: “With Octavia’s experience in curling and her project management skills, she will be a great addition to our team.”
Rowlings, from England, brings experience in disability sport and university-level sports development, where he has worked to improve access and participation. A two-time Paralympian in athletics, he represented Paralympics GB at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, reaching finals in the 100m and 800m T34 events. He also holds the European record in the 1500m T34.
“I’m excited to join World Curling at such an important moment for the sport,” Rowlings said. “I look forward to working with our Member Associations to help grow curling’s reach and impact. Being part of a passionate community that’s driving the sport forward is inspiring, and I’m eager to contribute to shaping its future.”
World Curling’s Chief Operations Officer, Alan Chalmers, added: “We are delighted to welcome Ben to the team. His background in student sport will be especially valuable as we continue strengthening our ties with Member Associations.”
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