Kate Caithness is hoping for the feel-good factor to continue at the World Curling Federation after her departure ©WCF

World Curling Federation (WCF) President Kate Caithness has called for her successor to keep the tight-knit atmosphere in curling continuing, with the Scottish administrator set to step down in September.

Caithness will complete her final term at the World Curling Congress in Lausanne, ending a 12-year tenure after staying in the position for as long as legally possible.

Speaking to insidethegames, the WCF President gave some advice for her replacement.

"I'd say ‘be yourself'," said Caithness to insidethegames.

"Say what you mean and mean what you say; and treat everyone the same in our sport. 

"Nobody is any better than each other - from the person that cleans the ice to the President. 

"I don't feel myself to be more important than anyone else in our sport. 

"It shouldn't be a 'them and us' it should be a family. 

"I can go anywhere in the world and go into an ice rink and feel welcome, not because I'm the President but because I'm a curler - I would like to see that continue."

Kate Caithness is one of only four female Olympic International Federation Presidents ©Getty Images
Kate Caithness is one of only four female Olympic International Federation Presidents ©Getty Images

She was elected in 2010, defeating incumbent Les Harrison of Canada, before being re-elected unopposed in 2012, 2014 and 2018.

When elected, she became the first female Winter Olympic International Federation President.

For most of her tenure, Caithness was one of two female Presidents of Olympic International Federations alongside World Triathlon boss Marisol Casado.

Since the start of 2021, the International Golf Federation has elected Annika Sörenstam, while Petra Sörling became the new President of the International Table Tennis Federation, taking the tally up to four female heads at the Olympic table.

She added that she was sad to be leaving her role, but felt confident in the position the WCF will be left in.

"It will be sad for me to pass over the baton, but I think {after} 12 years it will time to pass that baton onto somebody else," said Caithness.

"It won't be a happy passing.

"I'll feel quite confident of handing over the sport in a good place and financially sound."

During Caithness' reign, the mixed doubles discipline made it into the Winter Olympic Games, debuting at Pyeongchang 2018. 

She also oversaw wheelchair curling mixed doubles making the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics provisional programme.

Read the full interview in today's Big Read