According to his team's Facebook page, Thomas Ulsrud, a world champion and Olympic curler from Norway, died of cancer.
"Thomas has been fighting cancer since December 2020," according to the statement, "but it took a turn for the worse last week, and in the end he was gone very fast." Our crew is heartbroken about our loss. It was always a pleasure to be around Ulsrud, and we will greatly miss our skipper!"
Ulsrud, 50, was a well-known and successful player who competed in 12 world championships, 17 European championships, and three Olympic Games.
He reached the final of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, receiving a silver medal after losing to Kevin Martin of Canada. Torger Nergard, Christoffer Svae, and Havard Vad Petersson earned a name for themselves during the event by wearing Loudmouth Golf's bright, colorful pants.
The curlers' manner was commended by PGA Tour pro John Daly, who initially made the line famous. The Ulsrud team's calling card became the trousers, which it wore in a variety of patterns for the rest of its history — all loud and unforgettable.
Ulsrud led his team to the world championship victory in Beijing, China, in 2014, but lost in the final the following year. He holds the world championship record for most wins by a skip.
His death shook the curling community, with many praising Ulsrud as a superb curler and kind person.
"We lost a larger than life personality," Team Gushue tweeted. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Ulsrud family during this difficult time. Thomas, you will be missed."
"This one hits deep," tweeted Ben Hebert. "The best kind of person was Thomas Ulsrud. He will be missed by everyone. Sad day and gone way too soon."
"We are so incredibly saddened to hear of Thomas Ulsrud's passing," Curling Canada tweeted. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and teammates as we all mourn the loss of one of curling's greatest and most well-loved competitors."
Ulsrud is survived by his wife and a son.