Curling For Dummies Cheat Sheet - dummies Curling For Dummies Cheat Sheet Curling For Dummies Cheat Sheet Cheat Sheet By Bob Weeks Curling has a rich history with many traditions that continue to this day. Though the origins of curling are unclear, most people regard Scotland as curling’s birthplace. Today, curling is played around the world, largely thanks to its introduction into the Olympics in 1988. Because curling can seem complicated if you don’t know a lot about it, these articles help to explain the basics, from curling terminology and the roles of each position on a team, to how scoring and other elements of the game work, and why curling is such a great sport to play. Curling Match Terminology Curling, probably more than any other sport, has its own unique terminology (like hurry hard and burning a rock, among others). Here are the key curling words and phrases you need to know to blend in at your next bonspiel: Blank end: An end where no points are scored. Bonspiel: A tournament in which curlers compete. Burning a rock: A rules infraction that happens when a player touches a stone as it’s traveling down the sheet.

Button: The very center of the target rings or house. Cashspiel: A tournament in which curlers compete for money. Delivery: The action of throwing a stone to the other end of the playing surface. Eight-ender: A perfect end where every one of the team’s stones scores a point. End: The way a curling game is divided. An end is like an inning in a baseball game. A curling game has either eight or ten ends. Gripper: The sole of one of your curling shoes. It helps you keep your footing on the ice. See slider. Hammer: The last rock of the end. Hack: The foothold in the ice you use to push off from when you deliver the stone. House: Also known as the rings, this is the name of the giant bull’s eye at either end of the sheet of ice. It consists of a set of concentric circles, called the 12-foot, 8-foot, 4-foot, and the Button. Hurry hard: A directive given to sweepers by the skip or third, to begin sweeping.

Rink: A curling team; also the name of a curling facility Rock: Also known as a stone, the granite playing utensil that a curler delivers. Regular-sized rocks weigh approximately 44 pounds. Sheet: The frozen playing surface on which the game is played. Slider: The sole of one of your curling shoes. It helps you move or slide along the ice. Tee line: The line on the playing surface that runs through the middle of the house. Weight: The amount of force used to deliver a stone. The Members of a Curling Team In curling, the team you play on is called a rink. The rink is made up of four players: the lead, the second, the third (also called the vice, vice-skip, or mate), and the skip. Each player has specific duties: Lead: The lead throws the first two rocks of the end and then sweeps the next six. The lead must be very good at throwing guards and a strong sweeper. Second: The second throws the third and fourth stones of the end and should be strong at playing takeouts. The second sweeps the first two stones and then the final four of the end.

The second and the lead need to be in sync when sweeping together. Third: The third (or mate or vice), who throws the fifth and sixth rocks of the end, must be good at all shots, but especially draws. It is the third’s job to set up the shots that will be thrown by the skip, and to help the skip discuss the strategy of the final two stones of the end. The third also posts the score at the conclusion of the end. Skip: The skip is the captain of the team and decides the strategy. It’s the skip’s job to tell the other players where to throw their shots and when to sweep. The skip also delivers the last two shots of the end. The skip must be good at all types of shots. Curling Game Basics What is this game of rocks and brooms all about? Curling is a sport in which two teams of four players each slide 40-pound granite rocks (also called stones) down a sheet of ice toward a target at the other end. Each team tries to get more of its stones closer to the center of the target than the other team. Read on for a complete breakdown of curling’s basic elements.

Throwing rocks: Each player on the team throws two stones in each end. (An end is similar to an inning in baseball.) Each team throws 8 stones in an end. The players alternate throwing with their opposite number, the player on the other team who plays the same position they do. Curling rocks: When you throw a rock down the ice, depending on its rotation — which is applied intentionally — it will curl, or bend, one way or another. How much (or little) a rock curls or bends, depends largely on the conditions of the playing surface. Sweeping: Sweeping makes a rock curl less and travel farther. The lead, second, and third all take turns sweeping the rocks. The skip, who is like the team’s quarterback, is the only one who doesn’t regularly sweep stones. Keeping score: Once all 16 rocks have been thrown down the narrow sheet of ice, the score for that end is counted based on the final positions of the stones in the house, (the group of circles on the ice that looks like a bull’s eye). Only one team can score in an end. A team scores one point for every rock that it has closer to the center of the house than the other team.

Strategy: Generally, the skip determines a rink’s strategy. During the game, the skip stands at one end of the sheet and tells his or her other three players where they should place their shots. A team’s strategy doesn’t always go according to plan! And that’s part of what makes curling so much fun. No two games are alike; the unpredictability is always appealing. Great Reasons to Try the Sport of Curling Why should you take up curling? People who curl seem to share a certain fun-loving attitude toward this winter pastime. Even at national and world championships, players in the middle of a high-stakes game have been known to share a few laughs. (Imagine seeing that at a hockey or football game!) Here are some of the best reasons to curl: You can play at any age. Both sexes can play. (And curling with your significant other can be a lot of fun!) The rules are easy to learn. You don’t have to pay a lot to play. Curling is good for your health. Curling is wheelchair accessible. The Curling School by CurlTech Section 1 Overview of the Sport Description Curling is a team sport played on ice.

The sport, which is now an Olympic medal sport, probably originated in the 1500's on the lakes and ponds of Northern Europe. Two teams of four players each slide 42-pound granite rocks down a sheet of ice 140 feet long by 15 feet wide (see Figure 1.1). The rocks are delivered from one end of the sheet to the other toward the center of a 12-foot diameter target. Curling is played actively in more than thirty countries in Europe, Asia, North America, New Zealand and Australia. The majority of players live in Scotland, Canada and the United States. It is mostly played indoors at dedicated curling facilities housing multiple sheets (lanes) of ice. Curling can be enjoyed by nearly all age groups for social play and high-level competition such as the Olympic Games. Curling awareness has increased dramatically since the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City and the Games in Torino, Italy in 2006 where media coverage of the sport dramatically increased in the United States. Many teams are preparing for competition in the Winter Games in Vancouver, BC in 2010.

Object of the Game The object of the game is to score as many rocks as possible by throwing them closest to the center of the 12-foot ring. The targets are painted into the ice just below the surface at both ends of the sheet of ice, to allow the game to be played back and forth, usually eight or ten times. Each player throws two rocks toward the target, alternating with the opponent. Rocks traveling down the ice will curve anywhere from six inches to six feet. After all sixteen rocks have been thrown the score is determined. Teams score one point for each rock closest to the center of the house without an opponent's rock closer. In each end (similar to an inning in baseball), only one team can score. A unique part of curling is the concept of sweeping. Players vigorously sweep, or brush the ice in front of the rock to keep it moving. The friction (and resulting heat) of the brooms momentarily melts a molecular layer of the ice in front of the rock. This thin layer lubricates the bottom of the rock allowing it to travel farther and straighter. The Playing Area Some History As mentioned earlier, the game originated on the frozen lochs of Western Europe several hundred years ago.

There was a point in curling history where temporary enclosures were placed around the curling section of the frozen lake. This was done to protect the curlers from the elements. Ice that is formed by cold air is known as "natural" ice. For natural ice to occur, obviously the temperature must be below 0 C (32 degree F). This limited the growth of curling to the northern latitudes. When the sport finally came to North America (early 1800's), it was primarily played in Canada, where the winter temperatures were consistently below freezing. In the early 1900's, refrigeration technology allowed ice to be prepared in regions where winter temperatures are often above 32 degree . This ice is known as "artificial" ice. Almost all curling facilities now have artificial ice, which allows curling to thrive in lower latitudes. Artificial ice is produced using a process of compressing ammonia or Freon® and then allowing it to expand and cool. This cooling process removes heat from the playing surface, lowering the temperature, and creating ice. This is done by running cooling pipes under the playing surface.

The pipes are usually four inches apart, run the length of each sheet, and carry cold liquid chilled by the ammonia or Freon. A four-sheet club has approximately six miles of pipe under the ice. Artificial ice allows people to curl in warm climates as well. The refrigeration compressor is driven by one or more large capacity electric motors. These motors draw an enormous amount of electricity. To date, dedicated curling facilities in warm climates (35 degrees North latitude and below) are essentially non-existent. Curling in these climates usually happens at ice rinks that share ice time with skaters, hockey players and curlers. The Sheet The modern sheet of ice is approximately fifteen feet wide by about 140 feet long. Rubber "hacks" are placed in the ice for foot traction during for delivering the rocks. Figure 1.1 Sheet Dimensions The Hog Line The hog line has two functions. The far hog line serves as the leading edge of the area "in play" meaning rocks must fully cross the hog line to stay in play during the end. The nearer hog line serves as the farthest edge of the delivery release point meaning all rocks must be released before they touch the near hog line.

Anecdotal Explanation The name hog line comes from an old shepherding term. The line of slow-moving sheep at the trailing edge of the pack was referred to as the as the hog line, meaning they were as slow as hogs. This line of sheep was the farthest back a sheep could be and still be part of the group. You can draw the distant similarity. In curling, it's the farthest point a rock can be from the center and still be in play. As players began to slide in delivery (1940s and 50s) rules were put in place to prevent a player from sliding the entire length and placing the rock in house. The near hog line seemed to be a suitable spot. Starting in the 1950s, the body was not allowed to cross the hog line during the delivery. In 1973, the international organization wrote the rule stating the rock must be released before it touches the hog line and the body would be allowed to slide past it. Today, the rock is removed from play if it touches the hog line prior to release. The Ice From a distance, curling ice appears perfectly smooth.

After a closer look, you'll notice that the ice appears bumpy. The rocks ride on these small frozen bumps called "pebble". The pebble is put on before each game with a machine that works like a flower sprinkler. Without the pebble, there would be too much friction between the ice and the rocks, making it too difficult to throw the rocks the full distance. Pebble is what makes curling a "finesse game". The ice is maintained between games by sweeping off debris and scraping the surface two or three times a week. A special scraping machine is manufactured just for curling ice. The resurfacing machine removes the build-up of pebble and any frost that has settled before new pebble is applied. Occasionally, due to the uneven freezing of the surface, the entire area is flooded and allowed to freeze slowly. This levels the ice and is done about every six weeks. It is very difficult to prepare a perfectly level ice surface. Even though most imperfections can't be seen, the way the rocks behave while in motion may indicate the presence of ridges and troughs. This is part of the game.

Skips must determine what the sheets are like as early as possible, similar to "reading" the green in golf. The ice surface temperature is maintained somewhere in the 22-25 degree range. In some cases, sophisticated equipment is used to measure and maintain these temperatures. The Air The air temperature in some clubs is controlled. The ideal air temperature at chest level is around 40 degree F. Not only is it comfortable for the curlers, the heat keeps the relative humidity lower so frost won't build up on the ice. Some clubs have dehumidification systems. This further decreases the relative humidity. Lower latitude clubs with no heating capabilities usually have frost problems. Higher latitude clubs with no heat are very cold. The Curling Team Teams are made up of four players. Each player throws two rocks, alternating with the opponent. The first position is known as the Lead and throws the first two rocks. The second position is known as the Second and throws the second two. The third position is known as the Vice Skip and throws the third two rocks. The fourth position is known as the Skip (calls each shot and is the team captain) and throws the last two rocks.

The skip controls the game by determining all of the shots and developing the game strategy. Since the rocks curl as they travel down the ice, the throwers must aim at a point other than the intended resting point. The skip is responsible for providing an aiming point. He or she places the broom upright, directly over the desired aiming point. The skip is also responsible for determining whether sweeping is necessary and communicating this to the sweepers* The use of a team coach is becoming more popular. Curling coaches are required to "passively coach" the team. Rules state that the coach cannot interact with the team during play. Even with the existence of a team coach, the skip must call all of the shots. Coaches generally communicate before, after and in some cases, during a break half way through the game. Time-outs are another opportunity for coaches to intervene. * There are certain instances when the skip is not responsible for determining sweeping. (See the Sweeping section) Types of Shots Essentially, there are only two types of curling shots, the draw and the takeout. There are many variations of these two shots, however. Draws are shots that are only thrown hard enough only to reach the field of play at the other end.

Takeouts are designed to remove rocks from play. As mentioned earlier, we intentionally rotate the rocks as we throw them. These rotations are called turns. A clockwise rotation (for a right handed person) is called an In-turn while a counter-clockwise rotation is called an Out-turn. The names originally come from the direction your elbow took as you were throwing. (the elbow pointed out as you rotated the out-turn and vice versa). This is no longer appropriate because the elbow shouldn't move at all but the names remain.

Below is a list of possible draw shots: Open Draw a rock thrown into an empty house Center Guard a rock thrown short of the house to be used as protection Corner guard a rock short of the house and off to the side Come around any draw shot that curls around another rock Raise Tapping a front guard into the house Tap back a heavier weight draw designed to push another rock back but not out of the house Freeze a draw that comes to rest touching another rock Corner-freeze a draw that comes to rest on the edge of another rock Below is a list of possible takeout shots: Normal a takeout thrown with enough weight to firmly remove another rock (a normal takeout undisturbed should hit the back wall and bounce back about a foot) Hack Weight Hit a takeout thrown with enough weight to gently remove another rock (a hack weight takeout undisturbed should come to rest at the back wall) Peel a takeout thrown with very hard weight to remove rocks from play (undisturbed peel weight shots should hit the back wall and bounce back several feet) Hit & Roll a takeout that, after making contact with another rock, rolls to a designated place Tick/Chip a takeout thrown to hit another rock thin enough to move it to the side without removing

 it from play The Skip's Signals and How to Interpret Them All shots called by the skip have an associated hand or arm signal.

Hand signals were developed due to the length of the sheet of ice (the option is to scream to other players at the other end). Also, many curling clubs are so loud that talking is difficult. Skip's signal can vary dramatically. Listed below are the most common signals used. There are two basic types: 1. Signals to determine the shot Tapping the ice with the broom (intended resting point) Right arm extended (in turn for right-handers) Left arm extended (out turn for right-handers) Tapping the rock with the broom (intended takeout target) 2. Signals to determine the weight Tapping the hack with broom (intended weight) Touching the arm at the wrist, elbow or shoulder Touching the upper body at the waist, chest and neck The Game Flow Games consist of either eight or ten "ends" depending on the level of competition. League and bonspiel games are generally eight ends while play leading to a national or world championship would be ten ends. An end in curling is similar to an inning in baseball. Each end takes approximately fifteen minutes, so an eight end game would generally take two hours to play.

Each game, the teams are assigned a sheet of ice (similar to a lane in bowling) at the curling club. Curling clubs have anywhere from two sheets to eight sheets of ice. Pre-Game Routine The game begins with a handshake. It is customary for each player to shake hands with each opposing player and each teammate. Shake hands with the opponent first. We teach the kids to shake hands in our junior programs. The W.E.ST. Technique is a good handshake method for juniors AND adults. W eb T wo Web When reaching out for the handshake, make sure the webs (area between the thumb and index finger) of each hand make contact. Eye Contact Remember the color of their eyes. Solid Use a solid grip that is firm but not overpowering. This can be used for men and women. Two Shake two times. Practice Slides In league games, it is customary to NOT practice. Most curlers take a few "practice slides" before throwing the first rock. This is done by sliding out of the hack area with no rock. Do not throw rocks prior to any game unless it is specifically mentioned in the league rules.

Practice slides help limber-up the body (pre-game stretching is also recommended, see the Delivery section) prior to throwing the first rock. In championship games, a short pre-game practice is allowed, generally ten minutes per team. The Coin Toss The vice skips on each team toss a coin to determine who has the last rock advantage in the first end. In most cases the winner of the coin toss chooses to throw the last rock, the loser of the toss chooses the rock color. Beginning of the Game At this point, the skips move to the opposite end of the ice and the team not delivering moves between the hog lines. The skip calls the shot, the first rock is thrown, and the game is on. Note: In many clubs, the rocks are numbered from one to eight. Unless told otherwise, the lead should throw rocks number one and two, the second throws three and four and so on. Each player will throw two stones per end, alternating with the opponent. Your team throws one, the opposing team throws one, and so on. As the lead is throwing, the second and vice are designated sweepers, with the skip calling the shots. When the second is throwing, the lead and vice are the sweepers.

When the vice is throwing, the lead and seconds are sweeping. When it comes time for the skips to throw, the vice skip takes over responsibility of the house and calls all sweeping for direction. The lead and second remain as the sweepers for the skip's shots. Yes, the lead and second sweep more than the vice, and the skip doesn't sweep at all. Position of Players Understanding where to position yourself on the ice is critical to team performance as well as playing by the rules. The leads and seconds must position themselves between the hog lines unless they are about to sweep or about to deliver a rock. If you are about to deliver a rock, position yourself behind the hack and remain quiet and still as your opponent delivers. As soon as the opponent delivers the rock, choose your rock and move into the hack area. While the opponent's rock is still in motion, begin the setup process in the hack (described in the Delivery section). If you are about to sweep, position yourself on the tee line approximately two feet from the sideline. Confirm the shot and weight with the thrower. As your teammate begins to deliver, start moving forward and to the center trying to "meet" the rock near the hog line.

At this point you may begin sweeping the rock if necessary. When you have stopped sweeping, return to the other end of the ice. Be sure not to walk down the center of the sheet, preventing the opponent from viewing. As you are walking back, try not to distract the opponent in the hack. If time permits, stop and remain still while the opponent is delivering. Completing the End Once all sixteen rocks have come to rest, the vice skips from each team agree on how many rocks are counting and to which team they belong. Only one team can score in an end and the most any team can score is eight. Occasionally, when the counting rock or rocks can't be determined by the naked eye, a special measuring device is used (see the Measuring Rocks section). Normal scoring in an end may be one, two, three or even four rocks. Scores of five, six and seven are much less common. Scoring all eight rocks is as rare as a hole-in-one in golf and many players never see one. Scoring Having last rock in any end is clearly an advantage. It's called having the "hammer". The hammer in the first end is determined before the game by a coin toss, generally by the vice skips.

In championship play, the hammer is evenly but randomly assigned. After each end, when all sixteen rocks have come to rest, one team will score one point for every rock it has closest to the center. Only one team can score in an end. The scoring team gives up the hammer in the next end. If no team scores in an end, either deliberately or by accident, the hammer is retained. The vice skip of the scoring team is responsible for posting the score after each end. On the curling scoreboard, numbers 1 through 16 (possibly 17, 18, 19 etc.) are painted horizontally from left to right. These numbers represent the rocks scored. At one end of the scoreboard, there is a stack of individual numbers from 1 to 10. These represent the ends and are hung either over or under the painted numbers. Since teams throw different colored rocks, the ends are hung above or below the painted numbers depending on color. In curling, the rocks scored are posted cumulatively, meaning two rocks scored in the second end are added to whatever was scored in the first end (if any). The team scoring in the end throws first in the next end.

This means that the scoring team will never have last rock advantage after just scoring. Finishing the Game At the completion of the game, it is customary to again shake hands with your opponents and your teammates. It is now time for broomstacking. Most curling clubs have some sort of gathering area for broomstacking teams. There will usually be table set up behind each sheet of ice designated for this. Conceding the Game Curling is one of only a few sports that allow a team to concede before the end of the game. It is customary to concede the game if you think the lead is insurmountable, even if it is mathematically possible to still win or tie. Of course if it is mathematically impossible to tie or win, the game is over and the losing team should immediately shake hands. Game Speed Most people find that fifteen minutes per end is a comfortable pace for the game. In fact, most league schedules and game times rely on this. Slow play not only delays the following games, it allows players to get bored and/or cold. It is important to be ready to throw when it is your turn.

Timed Games At all championship level games and in some bonspiels, time clocks are used to control the speed of the games. The reason for time clocks is to prevent one team from taking enormous amounts of time to call the game. The clock is similar to a chess clock and each team has 73 minutes (146 minutes total) to complete a ten end game. Teams out of time lose the game. The clock begins at the start of the forward motion of the rock and stops when the skip or acting skip is clear of the playing area. Skips should note that even if your rock has come to rest, the clock would continue to run until you completely give way to the opposing skip. It is necessary for the lead and second to be ready to play when the opponent's rock comes to rest. This is a noticeable difference in the pace of the game. Teams under the clock no longer have the luxury of casually moving into the hack and taking their time. The pace at the beginning of end is usually faster than the pace at the end due to the vice skips and skips discussing the shots. The faster the leads and second are, the more time the back end has to discuss the strategy.

Equipment Equipment for Curlers Curling equipment comes in a range of complexity and cost. The only essential items are a "slider" and a "broom". A slider is a piece of Teflon®, plastic or steel that is slipped onto one foot in order to easily slide down the sheet of ice. The modern game of curling is designed around the ability to slide with no effort. The other foot usually wears a rubber-soled shoe used to grip the ice. To throw the rock, one foot pushes while the other slides. Right-handed curlers push with their right foot and slide on their left. The broom or brush is used to sweep the ice (polish it, actually) and most curling clubs have brooms available for use. See the Advanced Equipment section for the CurlTech choice on purchasing a broom More advanced curlers may choose to purchase special curling shoes with a built-in slider. See the Advanced Equipment section for the CurlTech recommendation for curling shoes. There are many manufacturers of curling equipment in the United States and Canada. Most veteran curlers choose to have their own curling equipment; shoes, brooms, special curling gloves, pants, jackets, etc. The list of equipment types and styles is endless.

Consult your local curling trainer or curling professional for advice on appropriate equipment. Equipment for the Curling Club Curling facilities own a variety of equipment that directly affect to the game. Refrigeration System The most expensive and complex equipment in the club is the refrigeration system used to make artificial ice. Heating, dehumidification and water purification systems are also complex and expensive. Rocks The next most critical piece of equipment is the rocks. They are made from solid chunks of special, high-density granite found in Wales and Scotland. Earlier rocks came from an island off the Scotland coast called Ailsa Craig. The island's best granite is called "blue hone". Blue hone granite is very dense and lasts long as a running surface. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to break or chip near the striking band. A better striking rock is a Trefor (pronounced Trevor) quarried in Wales but its running surface wears quicker and can pit, causing irregular movement. The best rocks today are Trefor granite with blue hone inserted as the running surface. The cost of a rock is between $300.00 and $500.00! With proper care, they can last many decades.

Se the Field of Play section for more detail on rocks. Misc. Club Equipment Why Curling Ice is Different Than Other Ice | Innovation | Smithsonian Why Curling Ice is Different Than Other Ice There is a science to preparing ice for the shuffleboard-like sport. It's all about the pebbling An ice maker pebbles the 2014 Olympic curling rink in Sochi. (Rich Harmer) smithsonian.com February 14, 2014 Let’s be honest: the fervor around curling in the 2014 Olympic Games has been mostly driven, so far, by the return of Team Norway’s outrageous pants . When it comes to knowing as much about the sport, plenty of people fall a little short. And if you don’t know the rules, odds are you aren’t thinking much about the actual surface across which athletes push 44-pound stones for a shot at Olympic glory. It’s just a hockey rink, right? Well, not quite. Trying to curl on untreated ice “would be like a pro golfer going from putting at Augusta to putting on his back lawn,” says Derek Brown, USA Curling’s director of high performance.

If curling ice was flat, the stone would move barely halfway across the "sheet," or curling lane. And that's assuming the curler is hurling it as hard as possible. Friction would halt the rock within seconds. So, to make the ice more amenable to the sport, devoted ice makers employ a technique called "pebbling." More or less what it sounds like, pebbling involves freezing small droplets of water across the playing surface between each match. Curling stones weigh 44 pounds. They are concave, on bottom, which limits the contact they have with the ice. (Rich Harmer) The curling stone's concave bottom, which limits how much it comes into contact with the ice, and the pebbles reduce friction. Essentially, the pebbles melt a bit when the heavy stone runs across them, creating a micro-layer of water upon which the stone can glide. The pebbles create the “spin” (or curl, hence the sport's name) of the stone after it’s released, at least in part; physicists contend that something called "wet friction" also accounts for the curl.

Sweepers—those furious ice brushers who've become fodder for Olympic memes and GIFS —use a broom to brush the pebbles, thereby changing how the stone spins. Specific techniques melt the pebbles, reducing friction and helping the stone travel even farther and straighter. Naturally, the game changes as the pebbles erode, and sweepers have to constantly compensate. So while strategy is left to the athletes, pebbling falls on the shoulders of ice technicians like Shawn Olesen, a North Dakotan who spends most waking moments thinking of the science, and art, of creating the perfect curling ice. “Our goal is to be unseen and thought about,” says Olesen. While he was not part of the crew to prep the curling ice in Sochi, he does travel the country building surfaces for the United States Curling Association (USCA) , the organization responsible for the championship events that send American athletes to the Olympics. “From the first day of competition to the last day of competition, our goal is consistency, so when they throw that first rock they have conditions [as close as possible] to the last rock they throw before they leave,” he says.

“That’s what we work for.” Curling can be traced back to the 1500s , but rules weren’t drawn up until 1838 in Scotland, when men started to put some structure around the game they played to pass the time during long, bleak winters. When the game eventually moved into indoor arenas, the idea was to recreate the kind of conditions—stray pebbles and snow dustings that fell naturally across the playing surface—you’d find outside. These conditions helped carry the stone to the other side of the ice. Today, Brown says, “manufactured ice is way better than it could ever be outdoors.” The process actually starts well ahead of competition. Host arenas Olesen works with send water samples to a company called Jet Ice so that PH levels and purity can be measured. The goal is to have the most neutral water source possible, with close to no dissolved solids, Olesen says. Clean water is easier to manipulate into perfect pebbles on the ice. From Jet Ice, Olesen recieves tools—from carbon filters to water softeners and anti-ion tanks—custom built for each arena so the water can be purified before it hits the ice.

“Every [site] has its own little character,” Olesen says. “Every time you go somewhere you think you have it figured out but it’s still a challenge.” Olesen and a team of up to 12 people will arrive at a competition site four or five days ahead of the event. The team uses a laser level to make sure the existing ice is as flat as possible—within half an inch—and shaves off inconsistencies. They paint over hockey lines, draw throwing circles, logos and other curling-specific markings and put foam around the edges of the long, narrow game sheets. From there, they flood the playing surfaces with water; carpet is laid around the foam's edges. Technicians shave the flooded game surface before they begin pebbling. (Rich Harmer) Then the real work begins. Olesen and his crew shave the flooded game surface until it’s totally flat (yes, again) and begin pebbling. From a water tank on their backs, workers spray purified water through a copper wand, which drops pebbles across every inch of the 140-plus-foot curling sheet, much like a sprinkler moving back and forth across a lawn. Pebbles range in size.

Crews lay down two coats on each game sheet. (Rich Harmer) Each pebbling can is different, with varying numbers of holes, producing pebbles in a range of sizes. Some technicians measure the number of droplets per centimeter, Olesen says. "They range from extra fine to extra coarse. Each ice maker has his own preference for pebble size and pebbling technique," he adds. Crews lay down two coats of pebbles on each game sheet. “The first is cooler [water is room temperature] than the second [more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit], which will actually stand a little taller and be the initial game pebble. If the game pebble happens to wear away, the first coat is there waiting to finish the game,” Olesen says. The process is repeated between each match, which features 10 “ends” (think: innings), though Olesen may monitor and re-pebble the ends of the game sheets at the 5th-end break. Since curling is played round-robin style, there are dozens of matches at any given tournament. At the Olympics, the sport stretches 12 days.

Even after pebbling is over, Olesen’s work isn’t done. To keep the game running smoothly, he monitors ice temperature (ideally, it is 23 degrees), air quality and humidity levels, running readings through a central computer system and making real-time adjustments to ensure the pebbles can last through the match. The science behind the ice making is constantly changing, he says. Ice makers across the world gather for workshops, certifications and to exchange tips ahead of events like the Olympics. There are “celebrity” ice makers, who tend to travel and train up-and-comers. So while the game itself gets the fame, pebbling and the strategy behind it has its own kind of glory, Olesen says. “You’re working to see if you can get nature to do what you want it to do, instead of doing what it wants to,” he says. Like this article? About Curling About Curling Try Curling on Februrary 25th Visit us and try curling on February 25th! Online Reservations... Spring League Registration is open until January 15th on the participant site . You are here: Home / About Curling About Curling What is curling?

Seemingly simple. A granite rock, a sheet of ice, a target 42 yards away. Finish with your rocks closer to the target than your opponents’, and your team of four wins a game in which keen competition mixes with a wonderful social atmosphere. But wait: this is an Olympic sport, played by people across the world from ages 8 to 80. There must be more to it. And there is. The rocks curl (or curve) down the sheet, traveling over an ice surface rife with nuances thanks to specially applied ‘pebble’ of frozen mist that lets the 42-pound rocks move with surprisingly little effort. Finesse and control of how hard rocks are thrown (the ‘weight’) become the important factors, not strength. The weight of a thrown rock affects the amount of curl, but a rock’s progress can be altered by judicious sweeping to polish the ice in front of it, making a rock move both farther and straighter. Added complications are crafty opponents who place their stones in positions to block your access to the center of the target (the ‘house’).

You have to think several rocks ahead to make sure that, at the completion of each end of 16 rocks, your rocks are closest to the button, the center of the house. So curling is a game of strategy, of finesse, and yes of fitness. A team’s sweepers travel up to two miles in a game and, at the highest levels of the sport, expend the same energy as a sprinter in a 200 meter dash. More about curling Curling Equipment and History - Olympic Sport History Sports History Curling is a team sport played by two teams of four players on a rectangular sheet of ice. Its nickname, “The Roaring Game”, originates from the rumbling sound the 44-pound (19.96kg) granite stones make when they travel across the ice. Scottish origins One of the world’s oldest team sports, curling originated in the 16th century in Scotland, where games were played during winter on frozen ponds and lochs. The earliest-known curling stones came from the Scottish regions of Stirling and Perth and date from 1511. In the 1600s, stones with handles were introduced.

Key developments The first curling clubs appeared in Scotland, with the Grand Caledonian Curling Club, formed in 1838, being responsible for formulating the first official rules of the sport. The Club was renamed the Royal Caledonian Curling Club in 1843. The key 20th-century developments in the sport have been the standardisation of the stone, the development of the slide delivery, and the use of indoor, refrigerated ice facilities. Olympic history Men’s curling was included in the Olympic programme in 1924 at the first Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix. It was then dropped, and later re-introduced as a demonstration sport in 1932 in Lake Placid. Between 1936 and 1992, curling was staged at the Games as a demonstration sport: in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936 and Innsbruck in 1964, under the German name of “Eisschiessen”; and in 1988 in Calgary and in 1992 in Albertville, with both men’s and women’s events.

It was in Nagano in 1998 that it officially joined the Olympic programme, with both men’s and women’s competitions. A beginner's guide to curling, the world's best sport. | Sports on Earth A curling sheet, via Wikimedia Commons Teams are made up of four players. Each team alternates sliding 42 pound stones (also called rocks because they're made of dense granite) from one end of the sheet to the other, both shooting the same direction. The thing that looks like a dart board is called the "house" and the bullseye is the "button" (this game is so delightfully homey and non-threatening; the whole premise of the sport is sliding stones slowly). There are a bunch of lines to keep things organized. The line that runs down the center of the sheet from one end to the other is reasonably called the centre line. A stone must stop between the hog line (21 feet in front of the center [sorry, centre] of the house) and the back line (you got this one) to remain in play. The tee line runs through the button perpendicular to the centre line. I imagined it was given this name because it makes a "T" with the centre line.

That might not be true, but it makes sense. The last technical thing you need to know is the free guard zone. On the image above, this is the green-ish highlighted area from the hog line to the teeline, but doesn't include the house. This zone exists because the first four rocks thrown (the term is "thrown" even though nobody throws 42 pound stones at each other) cannot be removed from the free guard zone. If they are hit, the rock is replaced and the shot doesn't count with no redo. How Scoring Works There are 10 ends, which are like innings, where each team alternates throwing eight stones each. The object of this flawless game is to have the closest stones to the button when an end finishes. Scoring is very simple, even though it may sound a bit convoluted at first. You get a point for each stone closer to the button than any of the other team's stones. Only stones inside the house count. So if the Red team has two stones closer to the button than Yellow team's closest stone, Red scores two points.

Some basic logic that follows from this: only one team can score per end, but if neither team has a stone in the house, neither team gets points in what is called a blank end. Strategy There are three main types of shots: guards, draws and takeouts. Guards block the house. Draws are designed to get around the guards and land in the house. Draws will often have really nifty curls, leading you to believe your high school physics teacher was a dirty liar. Takeouts are hard shots that knock other stones out of play. There are a litany of terms for good throws that accomplish several things at once, such as: double roll-in split, double takeout, draw raise, raise takeout, etc. Just know that Olympic curlers are masters at using stones like billiard balls. Many tutorials describe curling as a "game of strategy, tactics and skill" which offers no helpful distinction whatsoever. Strategy is curling's most interesting element. Teams have to plot how to get their stones into the house while still maintaining guards so the other team can't execute a takeout easily or shoot their stone even closer to the button.

(Remember what I said earlier about gibberish?) Because you're super-observant, you're probably thinking that the last shot of each end is incredibly valuable. You're right! That's why the last shot of each end is called the hammer, easily the most violent term used in curling. To keep things fair, the previous end's loser gets the hammer. via Wikimedia Commons Although this isn't a perfect analogy, the team with the hammer is kind of like the team in football with possession. Technically speaking, either team can score, but it's far more likely the team with the hammer will, and they'll adjust their strategy by playing more aggressively, trying to keep the four-foot zone free (shown at right), shoot lots of draws towards the button, or set up corner guards so they have a way to get a stone into the house with the hammer. When a team has the hammer, one point is generally considered a failure. If it looks like they might only gain one point, they will often try to "blank the end" by ensuring no stones are in the house. This way, nobody gets any points and they retain the hammer and can try again the following end. Most people think of curling as the sport with sweeping.

Indeed, it is fairly comical to hear the skip shout instructions at sweepers about 100 feet away in a perfectly quiet arena, but the strategy of sweeping is fairly obvious. The dudes with the brooms allow teams to have some influence over a stone's movement after the delivery, but suffice it to say: generally speaking, if the stone has too much weight, they won't sweep. Although a lot more can be said here, the most intriguing part of curling is how varied the strategies can be. There's rarely a "right" thing to do and ends can evolve very differently. Some ends will be takeout after takeout, others will involve a crowded house with several guards, requiring elaborate draws or takeouts. Ultimately, curling is a game about the flawless execution of a plan. As far as sports go, there isn't a whole lot of room for luck. What countries are good at curling? Since it is a game played on ice, Canada is obviously the best, winning gold at the last two Olympics. The game was invented in the United Kingdom, so they're pretty good, too. The rest of the semi-competitive teams shouldn't surprise anyone: Sweden, Norway, Switzerland and Denmark.

China, the United States, Germany and Russia round out the men's top 10 in the World Curling Federation rankings . The women's rankings are very similar. The following countries try to be good at curling but fail: Ukraine, Mongolia, Liechtenstein, Kosovo, Israel and Georgia. A for effort, gang. You've convinced me. Curling is the greatest sport on the planet. When will it be on? The short answer is: when you're normally sleeping. Qualifications start Monday, Feb. 10th and run every day until the 17th with start times of 12 a.m., 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The semifinals for both men's and women's are the 19th, the women's final is the 20th at 8:30 a.m., and the men's final is the 21st at 8:30 a.m.. Yes, it is unfortunate that curling will mostly be played while you're sleeping. That's another great aspect of curling: It's very, very hard to have a curling match spoiled since so few people watch or care about it.

Fire up those DVRs people. Curling's back! What Is Curling? | Wonderopolis Wonder of the Day #133 What Is Curling? How much does a curling stone weigh? Why do players use brooms to sweep the ice during curling? Tags: Listen If you've watched the Winter Olympics in recent years, you may have noticed an interesting sport called "curling." A unique mix of shuffleboard and bowling on ice, with the strategy of chess thrown in for good measure, curling features two four-person teams who alternate sliding a large stone across the ice toward a bull's-eye 126 feet away. Some believe curling is a relatively new sport. Hardly! Curling dates back to 16th-century Scotland, where farmers used large, smooth stones they found in local streams to play the game on frozen marshes. Scottish immigrants eventually brought the game to North America, first to Canada in the 1750s and then to the United States in the 1830s. Many people do not know that curling was included in the original Winter Olympics in 1924.

After that, curling disappeared for many years, only recently returning to the Winter Games as an official medal sport at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. So exactly how is curling played? Each game consists of 10 “ends" or periods (like innings in baseball), in which teams take turns sliding 42-pound polished granite stones across a sheet of ice toward a bull's-eye of four concentric circles 12 feet in diameter . The bull's-eye is called the "house," and its center is the "tee." Each player shoots twice in each end. Teams earn points when their stones are closest to the tee after all 16 shots. Some players will aim for the tee, while others may aim to knock other players' stones out of position. Players must strategize how best to keep their stones closest to the tee. When players slide their stones, they use a special technique that involves a twist of the wrist . As the stone slides across the ice, it will “curl" or curve much like a bowling ball hooks down the lane at a bowling alley. Once a player releases a stone, then the brooms come into play.

Most people unfamiliar with curling wonder why the players chase the stone down the ice, furiously sweeping the surface in its path. The captain of the team, called the "skip," keeps an eye on the stone's progress toward its target and shouts out sweeping instructions to the other players. As the stone curls toward its intended target, the other three team members use special brooms to sweep the surface of the ice in the stone's path, which can cause the stone to change both speed and direction. The sweeping motion creates friction , which melts the ice and creates a thin layer of water that makes the stone curl less and travel farther. Sweeping can help a stone travel up to 15 feet farther. Wonder Contributors Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day looks really good in stripes! Try It Out Are you ready to learn more about curling? Find a friend or family member to help you check out the following activities: Curling isn't the easiest sport for the casual observer to try. Finding an ice rink, a 42-pound polished granite stone, and a set of brooms would pose a challenge for most of us. Thanks to technology, though, you can play online games that will give you a better feel for the sport.

Click through to try your hand at either Virtual Curling or a wackier version called Seal Curling that uses seals in lieu of the 42-pound polished granite stone! If you want to watch some interesting videos about curling, check out USA Curling TV ! Choose a few videos to watch and write down at least five interesting facts you learn. Share what you learn with a friend or family member! A long sheet of ice…a 42-pound stone…and some brooms…these may not be the typical pieces of equipment you think of when you imagine Olympic sports. It just goes to show you, though, that you can make a sport out of some interesting objects. If you're up to the task, we want you to make up your own unique sport today. Choose any kind of playing field or surface you like. Will your sport use a ball or something else…like a toaster, a garden gnome, or a picture frame? Can you make use of any other unique pieces of equipment, such as a rake, leaf blower, or water hose? Have fun creating a new sport with your own set of rules! Share your idea with friends and family members and ask them to help you play the first game ever of your new sport!

Wonder Sources Understanding Olympic Curling - dummies Understanding Olympic Curling Understanding Olympic Curling Understanding Olympic Curling Many Americans consider curling to be one of the most unusual Olympic events. However, the sport is gaining in popularity every year. Curling is a cross between shuffleboard on ice and bowling. Many people think that the idea of watching a shuffleboard tournament is a bit of snore, but curling is strangely compelling. Once you start watching, it is hard to pull yourself away before the match is over. As more people become exposed to the game through watching the Olympic coverage, more people want to give it a try. Consequently, there are now curling clubs in every state. Curling is an ancient sport. It is believed to have originated in Scotland sometime before the 16th century. Curling has been an Olympic event off and on over the years. It was a full-fledged event in the first winter Olympics in 1924 and then was a demonstration sport 3 more times before becoming an official sport again in 1998 having spread throughout most of Europe, North America, Australia and Asia. Gameplay The Olympic curling events take place over a series of round robin events.

The tournament format is similar to the kind of rounds that we see in Basketball tournaments. Each game consists of ten “ends,” which are similar to sets in tennis or innings in baseball. In each end, each team member throws two stones. If there is a tie after the ten ends, game play continues until the tie is broken. Gameplay is typical reserved to 73 minutes per team for the ten ends with 2 timeouts. If extra ends are played, they are limited to 10 minutes per team with an extra time out. In curling, teams slide a polished granite stone over a rectangular sheet of ice. The ice sheet has a pattern on it (called the house). The goal is to place your team’s stones closer to the target than your competitors. To assist the stone in reaching its mark, teammates sweep the ice with brooms to guide the stone. The friction from the sweeping creates thin water tracks that the stone can follow. The Olympics and most international competitions, use only traditional Scottish curling stones. These granite stones (44 lbs each) are from Ailsa Craig a Scottish island. These ailsite stones have very low water absorption, which makes them ideal for the sport.

Strategy The game requires a lot of skill, strategy, and finesse. Because of this it is often called “chess on ice”. The skip (essentially a team captain) decides where they want each stone to be placed to ensure that their team’s stones end up closest to the center of the bulls eye. Once they strategize they’ll stand near the target and place the broom handle at the point of the field that they want the person sliding the stone to aim for. The slider will begin at the hack (the back edge of the course). The slider will draw the stone back (sometimes they lift off the ice and sometimes not and then they swing the stone forward sliding themselves and the stone forward. The slider must release the stone before he crosses the first line. The skip then directs the other two teammates how to use their brooms to guide the stone. Rink preparation The ice sheet (145 x 15 feet) has to be created in specific conditions in order to obtain the correct playing surface. The surface must start off with a level field and then have water droplets sprayed on it so that it creates a pebbled surfaced. This surface helps to create the curl (or spin) of the stone after it is released.

Question: What is the name of the surface used to play a game of curling?
Answer: Sheet