Sochi 2014: Ice Cube remembered by curlers for great ice and great crowds

The new Olympic champions and curlers from other countries shared their impressions of what helped them during the intense matches at the Ice Cube.

Canadian athlete Jennifer Jones praised the quality of ice after the first training session:

"The ice here is fantastic and the facilities are amazing. We couldn't have asked for anything better. We can't wait to play our first game and make the play-offs."

Her compatriot Ryan Fry said:

"The ice here is set up to be precise to where you throw a rock. It's set up in a way that you need to throw the rock very well."

Team GB skip David Murdoch, winner of the silver medal of the Olympic Games, shared his worries about his first experiences at the Olympic venue:

"You're always just a little bit nervous when you take to the ice. You never know what the ice is going to do to you. Today it was good to us."

Alexey Stukalsky of Russia welcomed the support from the crowd:

"It was our first time in front of a tribune like this. We've never had anyone cheering us at other international tournaments, not even at the world or European championships."

Chinese curler Wang Binyu backed up the Russian athlete’s words:

"It is so noisy, it's OK, that's what makes curling fun. You enjoy the cheerful noise."

The Ice Cube Curling Center is located in the Olympic Park and is the smallest sports venue in the Coastal Cluster. It is the world's only sports facility on a similar scale created specifically for curling. The building’s height is 19.3 meters and the capacity is 3,000 spectators.

Prior to the Games, the Ice Cube hosted the World Wheelchair Curling Championship in February 2013 and the Junior World Curling Championship in February and March 2013. After the Games the Ice Cube Curling Center will be used as a multipurpose sports and entertainment complex.