Lesson 4.1: Limited player base and infrastructure

Currently, Austria has only one curling hall, located in Kitzbühel. This is not centrally located, and the hall is difficult to reach for many, especially by public transport. This limits the potential pool of new athletes.

Lesson 4.2: Low visibility and awareness

Wheelchair curling is not widely known in Austria. Most people with special needs have never been exposed to it, and therefore do not consider it as a sporting option.

Lesson 4.3: Dependence on rehabilitation centers

There is already a connection between the Kitzbühel club and the rehabilitation center in Bad Häring, where patients sometimes try curling during their stay. The problem is that these patients usually return home to regions such as Lower Austria, where no curling facilities exist, making long-term participation nearly impossible.

Lesson 4.4: Lack of basic structures

Austria currently has no specific coaches or established athletes in wheelchair curling. Unlike Italy, we must build the sport entirely from the ground up, with no existing player base. Combined with the location challenges mentioned above, this makes development more difficult.