Joël Retornaz

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Joël Retornaz (born in Switzerland, September 30, 1983) is an Italian curling player, and he is as of 2006 the leader of the Italian male curling team.

Joel Retornaz gained sudden notoriety in Italy in occasion of the 2006 Winter Olympics. Despite the fact Italy has no curling tradition, and that the sport is practiced only by some hundred of amateurs, Retornaz led the semi-professional Italian team to a number of totally unexpected victories against strong national teams like that of Canada. This breakthrough inspired a sudden national curiosity for curling, a previously almost unknown sport for Italians.

In addition to curling, Retornaz breeds and races quarter horses.