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 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. Curling | Pettit National Ice Center Connect With Us Curling The Pettit National Ice Center is pleased to have curling as a part of its opportunities to offer. We feature a curling area on our West rink and it is available for rental and use by calling 414.935.4778 or via e-mail at kbutler@thepettit.com .

Curling is a team sport with similarities to bowls and shuffleboard, played by two teams of four players each on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared ice. Teams take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones down the ice towards the target (called the house). Two sweepers with brooms accompany each rock and use timing equipment and their best judgment, along with direction from their teammates, to help direct the stones to their resting place. The complex nature of stone placement and shot selection has led some to refer to curling as “chess on ice.” Upcoming Events The Pettit National Ice Center500 South 84th StreetMilwaukee, WI 53214 © 2017 Pettit National Ice Center Submit Your Photo Curling Curling The Canadian Junior Curling Championships get underway in Victoria on January 21. All eight curlers representing British Columbia are BC Games alumni and five have competed at both a BC Games and for... Wed 18 Jan The BC Games Society announced today the 18 sports that will be part of the Kamloops 2018 BC Winter Games.

Up to 1527 athletes, 377 coaches, and 246 officials will compete in alpine skiing, archery,... Mon 4 Jul Right after winning their gold medal, the Matthew McCrady rink was at a loss to describe the winning feeling. The Zone 4 Fraser River squad – including Zac Curtis, Liam Purgavie and Jacob Umbach... Mon 14 Mar With the first full day of Penticton 2016 BC Winter Games action wrapped up, the competition is heating up throughout Penticton sport venues. At the ripe old age of 14, West Vancouver (Zone 5) diver... Mon 14 Mar Smithers curler Sean Turney couldn’t have dreamed of a better finish to his first game at the 2016 Penticton BC Winter Games, which he kicked off with 9-4 win. “We were focused on trying to do... Mon 29 Feb The time is now for 1738 of BC's best emerging high performance athletes, coaches and officials as they converge in Penticton for the 2016 BC Winter Games. 1224 athletes have trained and qualified...

Mon 22 Feb The Penticton 2016 BC Winter Games kick off in exactly one month and 1738 of BC’s best emerging high performance talents have registered and are ready to be part of this celebration of sport and... Thu 31 Mar Read more The game of curling dates back over 500 years with evidence of people sliding stones on frozen ponds or lochs in Scotland. The game came to Canada in 1759 and has become very popular with over 1000 active curling centres in communities across the country. Canadian curlers are successful and well-respected in international competition, with Canadian teams having won the majority of the world championship events. Curling was a demonstration sport at four Olympic Winter Games before becoming a full medal sport in 1998. Curling Facts A stone is delivered from the hack to the house 44 pounds – weight of a stone Brooms are used to sweep the ice and direct the stone 16 stones for a complete end Ice surface is -5C Curling is played by two teams of four players on a rectangular sheet of ice. Teams take turns delivering stones towards the target or “house”.

The players are identified as lead, second, third, and skip, which determines the order in which they deliver the stones. Sweepers accompany each stone down the ice to help direct its final placement. An “end” is complete after 16 stones have been delivered. One point is scored for each stone that is closer to the centre of the target (button) than any stone belonging to the other team. A game consists of 10 ends with extra ends added in the event of a tie. Curling athletes at the BC Winter Games are 11-16 years old and are in the Training to Train phase of athlete development. Club teams in each zone compete for the right to represent their zone at the Games and square off against the best in the province. Curl BC is the Provincial Sport Organization responsible for the development of the sport in British Columbia and represents over 25,000 curlers. Notable BC Games alumni include Corynn Brown (Kamloops) and her team who won gold at the 2010 and 2012 BC Winter Games, as well as the 2011 Canada Games and went on to compete at the 2013 World Junior Championships.

Also the 2014 BC Winter Games W.R. Bennett Award winner, Tyler Tardi , who went on to win bronze at the 2015 Canada Winter Games and is representing Canada at the 2016 Youth Olympic Games. Initiatives 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 How to Score in Curling: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow How to Score in Curling The rules of curling are simple to understand, but actually scoring points can be difficult to master and requires the use of considerable strategy. Steps Game Basics 1 Know how teams are set up. Each game of curling is played with two teams, and each team has four members. Each member of the team will throw two stones per end, and each of those stones is played one at a time, not back-to-back. The other players will help direct the stone toward the house. Players will determine their order of rotation before the game and follow that rotation throughout all the ends. 2 Understand the layout of the ice. The actual playing surface is called a sheet, an each sheet has a house and a button.

[1] The "house" is the target or dartboard at the end of the sheet. The "button" is the bull's eye of this target. Both teams will aim for the same house and button. Players will start from a position that is 57 feet (17.4 m) away from the house. To stay in play, the stone must stop in between the hog line, which is 21 feet (6.4 m) from the center of the house, and the back line, which lies behind the house. 3 Send eight granite stones down the ice. During each end, each team will send eight separate granite stones (sometimes called “rocks”) down the ice toward the goal. Each stone weighs 42 lbs (19 kg). The teams will take alternate turns. In other words, Team A will curl one stone, then Team B will curl one stone. Team A will then curl their second stone, and Team B will curl their second after that. This continues until each team has used eight stones. 4 Play 10 ends. To play a full game, you will need to play through a total of 10 ends.

That means each team will be curling a total of 80 stones. Each end will begin with the team who won the end before it. If Team B wins the first end, Team B starts the second end. The second team actually has a greater advantage than the first, so this is done to help even out the odds. Part 2 Making Shots 1 Throw the stone. During each turn, one player will "throw" the stone by gliding it across the ice and aiming it toward the house. The speed, force, and direction are all important. While success is not entirely dependent upon the throw alone, it is difficult to get near the button without a good starting throw. 2 Sweep the stone. During each throw, the other players on a team will use brooms to sweep the ice in front of the stone as it glides across the sheet. [2] The ice of the curling sheet is fairly rough on its own, so if a moving stone is left on its own, it will hit these rough patches and spin or "curl" across the ice. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how the throw was made and on any obstacles in the stone's path.

The friction of the sweeping melts the ice, allowing the stone to move across it more smoothly. If you want to keep the use moving fast and straight, you would sweet the ice directly in front of it. If you want the stone to curl around other obstacles, you would sweep less. Doing so causes the stone to grab onto the rough ice and turn. 3 Practice the three main strategy shot types. Plain, straight shots are used in curling, but strategy shots are more common and usually more significant to the outcome of an end. There are three main types of strategy shots: guards, draws, and takeouts. Each has its place within a game of curling. Guards block the house from the opposing team. These shots land just in front of the house but within the scoring area. If the opposing team were to hit the stone, that stone would likely be knocked into the house, so the opposing team will usually try to avoid that area. Draws are shots that are designed to get around the guards by curling around them. These are some of the most strategic shots you can use and some of the hardest to implement because they have to bend around the guards in precise ways to get into the house.

Takeouts are hard, fast shots that move with such great force that they completely knock one of the opposing team's stones out of play. Some takeouts end up within the house, while others don't, but they must at least remain within the active play zone to be considered valid. Part 3 Scoring 1 Get stones into the house during an end. Only stones that are within the house or button can earn points. It is possible to land a stone within the active play area but not within the house. Stones lying in these areas at the conclusion of an end will not count toward any points. It is also possible for no one to score points during an end if neither team gets any stones in the house. If in doubt, you can determine whether or not a stone is in the house by standing directly above it and locating its leading edge. That edge must touch the outermost margin of the house or fall within it, but it cannot go past it. 2 Land more stones toward the center of the button than the other team. The team with the closest stone at the conclusion of an end will be awarded the point for that end. Only one team can earn points during an end.

Even if Team A gets one stone out of eight in the house while Team B gets all eight in the house, Team A will still get the point for that end if its stone is closer to the center than any of Team B's stones. You can earn more than one point during an end. If Team B has three stones closer to the center than any of Team A's stones, Team B will earn three points. With eight stones per team, per end, eight is the maximum number of points a team can score during an end. When you cannot determine which stone is closest simply by looking at it, a referee will need to use a measuring stick to figure it out. 3 Tally up your points at the completion of the game. After playing through all 10 ends, each team will tally up their points. The team with the most points will win the game. If you have a scorekeeper, the scoreboard will be updated at the end of each end with each team's current number of points.

Community Q&A Curling Tips - Curl Manitoba Curling Tips Curling Tips Share this page When you step into the world of curling, you’ll discover a sport that is thrilling thousands of Manitobans who know it has everything you need to enjoy yourself this winter, and more. From the moment you throw your first stone you’re already a curler, and an important member of the team. There’s no need to spend hundreds of dollars on equipment, take costly lessons or spend years learning the basics. The game is easy to play and from the start you’ll have fun, no matter what your level of skill. In curling, you don’t need to be the biggest, the strongest or the most popular player to be the star of the team, but it may help if you have the most delicate touch or you’re the smartest. Curling is a game of finesse and strategy, not brute strength. And as you grow older, you’ll probably get better. When you begin to curl you’ll notice that the sport is also a social event, a way to meet with old friends and make new ones.

With thousands of curlers and hundreds of teams already playing in the province, you never know who you’ll meet at your next game or come up against at one of the many bonspiels organized in the province. And there’s leagues for everyone - young and old, men and women, mixed or seniors. Having a good time this winter is just a stones throw away. HOW TO PLAY From looking at a curling rink - a long narrow sheet of ice, with bull’s eyes painted on either end, like a giant frozen shuffleboard - it’s easy to figure out the purpose of the game: to get your team’s stones closest to the center of the target. But because the game is played on ice, it’s both more complex and challenging. Curling is played in rounds, called ends. In every end, each of the four players on a team will throw two stones alternately with the opposing team. After each end, the score is tabulated. A game usually consists of ten ends, but may be played in eight. Which team will shoot first is decided at the beginning of play, by lot, by the two teams’ thirds.

Thereafter, the order of play is determined by who wins each end - the winner of an end will throw first the next end. The Team Each curling team consists of four players, the lead, the second, the third and finally the skip and players will throw their stones in that order. The skip is the captain of a curling team. In each end, the skip throws the team’s last stone, which generally is the most difficult. The skip is usually the player with the most experience on the team who decides the team’s strategy and calls the shots. The skip is most easily identified as the player seen standing in the house, or target area, holding out their brush as a target for their teammates. Scoring Each stone that touches or is inside the house can be counted. After all stones have been thrown in an end, the team with the stone closest to the center of the house counts one point and gains an additional point for every stone that lies closer to the center than the nearest opponent’s stone. The Scoreboard The scoreboard looks more intimidating than it actually is. It is set up to easily determine both the score and the end being played.

Points are permanently marked on the board, and a team’s score is indicated by the placement of the ‘end’ markers. After winning an end, a marker with the end number is placed above or below the total score for that team. To indicate the total score after an end has been blanked (meaning neither team scored a point), the end marker is hung on the left-hand upper or lower corner of the scoreboard. The Curl in Curling The secret to curling, as you may suspect is the unique curling action of the stone. This comes from the rotation put on the stone during delivery. Without any rotation, the stone would just slither down the ice unpredictably. With a fast rotation or spin, the stone moves in a straight line. But by turning the stone just the right amount, it can be made to move left or right, depending on the direction of the rotation. The In-Turn and the Out-Turn With the in-turn the stone is delivered with a clockwise rotation. This will make the stone curl from left to right. The out-turned stone rotates counter-clockwise and will curl right to left.

Mastering both these types of shots is essential to good curling for it allows a team to direct their stone around guard stones placed by either team in front of the house. Sweeping Sweeping, as you may have already guessed, is an attempt to make a stone thrown with insufficient weight, go further. It also will make a stone curl less, by shortening the time it will take for the stone to reach the house. Sweeping is effective because: It slightly melts the ice, creating a temporary film of moisture on which the stone can slide more easily; It smoothes and removes frost from the ice, reducing the friction in its path; and It cleans the ice of any debris. HINTS FOR BETTER CURLING Although the only way to learn how to properly throw a stone is practice, there are certain hints that can give you that head start when you begin to curl. The Grip Grip the stone lightly with your fingers; control of the stone’s rotation comes from the thumb and forefinger. To throw an in-turn, slightly turn the handle of the stone to the 10:00 o’clock position. The rotation should be applied to the stone at the end of the delivery.

To throw an out-turn; turn the handle of the stone to the 2:00 o’clock position. The rotation would be applied to the stone by slowly rotating the hand to the handshake position. Delivery When getting ready to deliver the stone, place the ball of your foot in the hack, the rubber starting block is there to give you traction. Your toe should be pointing directly at your skips’ brush held out as a target. Your sliding foot should be flat on the ice parallel to your hack foot and slightly ahead. Now you make a slight forward motion of the rock and body, which serves as a starting point for the back swing. Remember, when you are getting ready for the back swing, your body and the stone must be directly in line with your skips’ brush. As the stone begins to slowly move back, both legs aid in the lift of the lower body. However, once the lower body begins to move upward, the majority of the body weight shifts to the hack leg and foot. Upper body position varies only slightly during the entire motion. The rock comes back toward the toe. Then, as the stone begins to move forward, the sliding foot is delayed so the stone may be extended ahead of the sliding foot.

The sliding foot begins to move forward in behind the stone and the drive from the hack begins to take place. A proper follow through is important for consistent delivery because it protects against any abrupt movement during final release. You should keep your eyes and body pointed directly at your skip’s broom, with your throwing arm remaining outstretched, even after the stone is on its way down the ice. Remember to pay attention only to your target, not where the stone will eventually end up. WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO CURL Clothes: Although most curling rinks are indoors these days, it is still advisable to wear warm, loose fitting clothing. Layering is also suggested so you can remove outer garments to avoid overheating. Shoes: Shoes are the most important piece of equipment for a curler. One shoe will work as a gripper, the other as a slider. Shoes come in a variety of different price ranges made from a variety of different materials. The slider may be anything from plastic to Teflon. If you’re serious about curling, buying a quality pair of shoes is a definitely a good investment. Brooms and Brushes: Like shoes, brooms and brushes come in a variety of materials and price ranges.

The traditional curling broom is the corn broom. However, brushes have become the standard replacement for the broom. Its action requires no sweeping but rather a constant rubbing motion over the ice which curlers find easier. HOW TO JOIN Because curling is so popular in Manitoba, it’s never hard to find a league in which to play. Throughout the province there are a variety of leagues catering to everyone’s age, skill or interest. There are men’s and women’s leagues, mixed leagues, junior men’s and junior women’s leagues as well as senior’s leagues. Possibly your first step should be to ask your friends and co-workers if they know of a league you can join. Chances are that someone close to you is an avid curler who can guide you towards a league, and offer you invaluable advice on playing the game. Also, your company, employees association, or a club you belong to may have organized a league you can join. Otherwise, you can always drop by your local curling rink and ask for information. The people there would be more than happy to give you the names and numbers of the key people to contact.

Programs Curling Curling About the Sport Curling is a team game with similarities to shuffleboard, played by two teams of four players each on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared ice. Teams take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones down the ice towards the target. Two sweepers with brooms accompany each rock and use timing equipment and their best judgment, along with direction from their teammates, to help direct the stones to their resting place. The object is to get the stones as close to the center of the rings as possible. Curling for men was played at the first Olympic Winter Games at Chamonix, France, in 1924, but curling did not appear again as an official Olympic sport until the Nagano 1998 Winter Games with both men’s and women’s tournament. Competition Events If curling were easy, they'd call it hockey! Bumper sticker You Need to Know At the Olympic Winter Games, curling consists of two events: a women’s tournament and a men’s tournament. Each tournament starts with 10 curling teams. Two teams play against each other at a time. One game consists of 10 “ends” (similar to innings in baseball).

During each end, each four-person team “throws” (in fact, slides along the ice) eight stones — two stones per person and 16 altogether. Team members sweep the ice clean in front of each stone to control the stone’s direction, known as its “curl,” and the stone’s speed. After both teams have delivered eight rocks, the team with the rock closest to the button is awarded one point for each of its own rocks that is closer than the opponent's closest rock. The team with the most points — more stones closer to the center of the rings — at the conclusion of 10 ends, is the winner. Olympic Challenge Twelve nations are scheduled to participate in the curling competition at the Sochi Olympics. The table below shows the number of athletes for each nation. What fraction of the competing nations has 10 athletes on their team? Express your answer in simplest form. Medal Curling Curling Curling is a sport with similarities to bowls and bocce, played on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared ice by two teams of four players each. Teams alternate turns at sliding heavy, polished granite stones down the ice towards the target area called the house.

Two sweepers accompany each rock and use timing equipment and their best judgement along with direction from their other teammates to help direct the stones to their resting place. The complex nature of stone placement and shot selection has led some to refer to curling as "Chess on ice". Playing surface The curling sheet is an area of ice 146 feet (45.5 m) in length by 14 feet 2 inches (4.318 m) to 16 feet 5 inches (5.0038 m) in width, carefully prepared to be as close to level as possible. A key part of the preparation is the spraying of water droplets onto the level ice. These water droplets are called pebble. Due to the friction between the stone and pebble, the stone turns to the inside or outside, causing the stone to 'curl'. The amount of curl can change during a game as the pebble wears. The surface of the ice is maintained at a temperature near 23°F (-5°C). Making and maintaining perfect ice conditions at a curling club is as much an art as a science. Most curling clubs have an ice maker whose main job is to care for the ice.

At the major curling championships, ice maintenance is extremely important. Well known professional ice makers Shorty Jenkins, Hans Wuthrich and Dave Merklinger reside in Canada. Large events such as the Brier or other national championships are typically held in an arena which presents a challenge to the ice maker as they must constantly monitor and adjust the ice and air temperatures as well as air humidity levels to ensure a consistent playing surface. It is common for each sheet of ice to have multiple sensors embedded to monitor surface temperature as well as probes set up in the seating area to monitor humidity and in the compressor room to monitor brine supply and return temperatures. On the sheet, a 12 foot (3.7 m) wide set of concentric rings, called the house, is painted near each end of the rink. The centre of the house is marked by the junction of two lines that divide the house into quarters and is known as the button. The two lines are the centre line, which is drawn lengthwise down the centre of the sheet, and the tee line, drawn 16 feet (4.9 m) from the backboard and parallel to it.

Two other lines, the hoglines, are drawn parallel to each backboard and 37 feet (11.3 m) from it. The rings that surround the button are defined by their diameter as the four-foot, eight-foot, and twelve-foot rings. They are usually distinguished by colour. The inner rings are merely a visual aid for judging which stone is closer to the centre; they do not affect scoring; however, a stone that is not at least touching the outside of the 12-foot ring (i.e. more than 6 feet from the centre) is not in the house and therefore does not score (see below). Twelve feet behind the button are located the hacks. A hack is a device used to provide traction to the curler making a shot; the curler places the foot he or she will push off with in the hack. On indoor rinks there are usually two fixed hacks, rubber-lined holes, one each side of the centre line with the inside edge no more than three inches (7.6 cm) from the centre line and the front edge on the hack line. A single moveable hack may also be used.

Players Curling is played between two teams of four curlers each, with team members named for the usual order in which they play. The lead plays first, then the second, the third (or mate), and finally the fourth; the fourth is typically the skip (team captain) but not always. For example, skips Randy Ferbey and Russ Howard throw third and second respectively. The position at which the skip (team captain) throws will be renamed with skip. For example, Randy Ferbey's team will be lead, second, skip, fourth, while Russ Howard's team will be lead, skip, third, fourth. Lead The lead, or first, throws the team's first two stones of an end, and sweeps for the other team members. Strategically, the lead usually has similar shots from end to end, usually throwing guards or draws. Second The Second throws the team's Third and Fourth stones and sweeps for all other players. Third Also called the vice-skip, vice or mate, the third throws the team's fifth and sixth stones, and usually sweeps for the second and the lead. The third usually assists the skip in his or her duties.

When it is the skip's turn to throw, it is usually the third who holds the broom for the skip. After each end (round of play), the thirds for both teams must reach an agreement about which team scored and how many points. If there is a disagreement, or uncertainty, the thirds may measure the rocks to see which ones are closer. At this time, only the thirds are allowed in the house. In major tournaments, the scorekeeping is left to an official. Depending on the tradition, when the third's team scores, the third will record it on the score-board. Depending on the tradition, the third may flip a coin with the opposing third to determine who will have last rock (hammer) advantage at the beginning of a game. The winner of the toss has the option to pick either last rock, or the colour of the rocks they wish to play with. In major tournaments, these decisions are usually made beforehand. Skip The skip is the captain of the team and determines strategy. Based on the strategy, the skip holds the broom indicating where the player throwing must aim ("calling the shot"). When it is the skip's turn to throw, the vice-skip (usually the third) holds the broom.

The skip usually throws the last two rocks of the end, however some teams have the skip throwing in other positions. The skip rarely does any sweeping, except in the house and behind the tee line. The skip is required to stay out of the playing area when it is the other team's turn, but he is allowed to sweep stones in motion behind the tee line as a result of their shot. (In International rules, the player in charge of the house is the only player allowed to sweep their opponent's stones behind the tee-line. For most of the end that is the skip, but when the skip is throwing the vice-skip takes charge of the house.) Fourth The "fourth" refers to the thrower of the last two stones in each end for a team if that player is not the skip. That is, if the skip does not play last rocks in each end, the last player to throw is known as Fourth. Team naming Except in international or some national and provincial events in Canada and the United States, a team will usually be identified by the last name of the skip.

For example, Cassandra Johnson's foursome is known as "Team Johnson," unless they are representing the United States in the World Championships or the Olympics, in which case they would be known as "Team USA". Equipment Shoes When curling, players need to wear specially designed shoes. The sole of one shoe has a thin strip of Teflon or another type of smooth surface, called a slider. Inexpensive sliders can be purchased and attached to any shoes by means of an elastic strap. This enables curlers to slide out of the hack when delivering a rock. Left-handed curlers wear this shoe on their right foot, while right-handed curlers wear it on their left. The other shoe has a thin layer of rubber to maximize traction on the ice. Another piece of footwear is the gripper, which can slide on and off the shoe with the slippery surface. This is also usually made of rubber. This piece of equipment is needed when a player is sweeping, and needs traction with both feet. Casual players may wear running shoes and improvise a slider by applying tape to their off foot. Broom (brush) The curling broom is used to sweep the ice surface in front of the rock.

Aggressive sweeping momentarily melts the ice, which lessens friction, thereby lessening the deceleration of the rock, while straightening the trajectory of the rock. The broom can also be used to clean debris off the ice, although this is often done in vain. The skip will also hold a broom at the opposite end of the rink from the delivering player as a target for the deliverer aim the rock. In earlier days, brooms were made of corn strands and were similar to household brooms. Brushes were used primarily by elderly curlers as a substitute for corn brooms. Today, brushes have replaced traditional corn brooms at every level of curling, but are universally referred to as brooms. Brooms are also used by some curlers as a balancing aid during delivery of the stone. Curling stone (rock) The curling stone, or rock, weighs a maximum of 44 lbs. (19.96 kg). It has a maximum allowable circumference of 36 inches (0.9144 m). A stone may be a maximum of 4.5 inches (11.43 cm) in height not including the handle.

The handle is attached to the stone by means of a bolt, which runs vertically through a hole in the center of the stone. The handle allows the rock to be gripped and rotated upon release. When the rock is thrown with the right hand, clockwise rotation is referred to as an in-turn. Counter-clockwise rotation is referred to as an out-turn. The opposites are true if the rock is thrown with the left hand. The handles are coloured to differentiate the rocks belonging to each team. Two popular colours for handles are red and yellow. The handle may be of the 'Eye on the hog' variety for detecting hog line violations. The bottom of a curling stone is concave. The surface in contact with the ice, known as the running surface, is a circle ¼ to ½ inch (6 to 12 mm) thick. This narrow running surface is where the ice and the stone interact. On properly prepared ice, the rock's path will bend (curl) in the direction the front edge of the rock is turning, especially toward the end of its motion. The degree of curl depends on several factors, including the preparation of the ice and the flattening of common paths to the house during the game.

Ice on which the rocks curl well is said to be swingy. The Scots in particular believe that the best quality curling stones are made from a specific type of granite called "Ailsite", found on the Ailsa Craig, an island off the Ayrshire coast. According to the Scottish Curling Stone Company, Ailsite has very low water absorption which prevents the action of freezing and melting water from eroding the stone. In the past, most curling stones were made from this granite. However, the island is now a wildlife reserve, and is no longer used for quarrying. Because of the particular rarity of Ailsite, costs for curling stones can reach as much as $1500 (USD) for the best stones. Many curling clubs use a lower grade stone that can be upwards of $500. There are also stones which use a disc of ailsite attached to another type of granite to provide the running surface. Very informal neighbourhood curling clubs with limited resources may make cylindrical "curling stones" out of concrete-filled cans.

The curling stones used at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino were provided by the Garn For granite quarry at the Yr Eifl mountain on the Llyn Peninsula in North-West Wales. Specialized equipment A special handle for stones, called "Eye On The Hog", has recently been developed, which integrates electronics to ensure the stone is released before it crosses the hog line. The handle is coated in metallic paint; the circuitry detects the relative charge of the thrower's hand contact to determine if they are still in contact, and a linear field is established at the hog line to indicate its location to the internal sensor. Lights at the base of the handle indicate whether contact was sustained past the line or not. Not only does this remove the chance for human error (eliminating the game's most frequent cause of controversy), but it means there is no need for hogline officials as well. The downside for the technology is that the equipment currently costs around $650 a piece which multiplies quickly with the amount of rocks and sheets of ice in a tournament. Therefore its use is found mostly in high-level national and international competitions such as the Winter Olympics.

Although the rock is designed to be delivered by players grasping the handle as they slide down the ice, a special "delivery stick" may be used by players incapable of delivering the rock in this fashion. Such a stick is designed to attach to the handle so that it can be released without requiring the player to place a hand on the handle in a crouched position. This allows the game to be played by players with disabilities, as well as those unable to crouch comfortably. According to the Canadian Curling Association Rules of Curling, "The use of a curling aid commonly referred to as a 'delivery stick' which enables the player to deliver a stone without placing a hand on the handle is considered acceptable." Game play A competitive game usually consists of ten ends. Recreational games are more commonly only eight or even six ends. An end consists of each player from both teams throwing two rocks with the players on each side alternating shots, for a total of sixteen rocks. If the teams are tied at the completion of ten ends an extra end is played to break the tie. If the match is still tied after the extra end, play continues for as many ends as may be required to break the tie.

The winner is the team with the highest score after all ends have been completed (see Scoring below). It is not uncommon at any level for a losing team to terminate the match before all ends are completed if it believes it no longer has a realistic chance of winning. Most competitive tournaments require eight ends to be completed before allowing a losing team to concede in this manner. Competitive games will usually end once the losing team is "run out of rocks" - that is, once it has fewer stones in play and/or available for play than the number of points needed to tie the game in the final end. In international competition each side is given 73 minutes to complete all of their throws. Each team is also allowed two 60 second timeouts per ten end game. If extra ends are required each team is allowed 10 minutes of playing time to complete their throws and one added 60 second timeout for each extra end. Throwing When throwing the rock, the player must release it before reaching the near hogline (players usually slide while releasing their shots) and it must cross the far hogline; otherwise the rock is removed from play (hogged).

While the first three players throw their rocks, the skip remains at the far end of the ice to guide the players. While the skip is throwing, the third takes this role. Thus, each time a rock is thrown, there is one player throwing the rock, and another player at the far end. The two remaining players, equipped with brooms, follow the rock and assist in guiding its trajectory by sweeping the ice in front of the rock. Sweeping causes the rock to decrease its curl but travel a greater distance. The sweeping players combine directions from the skip and/or the thrower with their own judgement for the weight of the rock, as well as extremely precise timing, to guide the rock into the appropriate position. Often when giving instructions, the thrower or skip will yell "HARD." They are referring to the amount of pressure the sweepers should use to sweep the ice. In general the sweepers are responsible for instructing the skip in regards to the weight, or speed of the rock, and the skip and the thrower instruct regarding aim. Teams confer between throws to determine where they will attempt to place the next rock. Delivering the rock The process of throwing a rock is known as the delivery.

While not mandatory, most curlers deliver the rock from sliding out from the hack. When sliding out, one shoe (the one with the non-slippery sole)is positioned against one of the hacks (a position referred to as being in the hacks). For a right-handed curler, this means starting from the left hack, and vice versa for a left-handed curler. When delivering the rock, it is important to remember that the momentum behind how much weight is applied to the rock depends on how much leg drive the delivery has. It is usually not wise to push the rock with the arm, unless absolutely necessary. When in the hack, one must crouch down with the body lined up and shoulders square with the skip's broom at the other end. While in the hack, one may hold a broom out for balance. Different curlers hold their broom out in many different fashions. The broom is held in the hand opposite from the rock, and should be positioned so that the non-sweeping side of the broom is against the ice. This prevents drag which would be caused by the soft head of the broom dragging against the ice.

Before any delivery, it is important to ensure that the running surface of the rock is clean, and that the area around you is clean as well. This is achieved by wiping the running surface of the rock with either your hand or with the broom, and then cleaning the area around you with the broom. The reason for this is that any dirt in the area or on the bottom of a rock could alter the trajectory of it and ruin the shot. When this happens, this is called a "pick". After cleaning the rock, the next step is to know what rotation, or turn, to put on the rock. The skip will usually tell the thrower this information. The thrower will then place the handle of the rock generally at either a "two o'clock" or a "ten o'clock" position. When delivering the rock, the thrower will turn the rock from one of these two positions toward the "twelve o'clock" position before releasing it. A rock turned from ten o'clock to twelve will spin clockwise and curl to the right, and a rock turned from two o'clock to twelve will have the opposite effect. A generally desired rate of turn is about two and a half rotations before coming to a rest.

Once the thrower knows the turn to give the rock, the thrower will place the rock in front of his or her toe in the hack. At this point the thrower will then start his or her delivery. This begins by slightly rising from the hack, and moving the rock back to one's toe. This is the beginning of a pendulum movement that will determine the force given to the rock. Some older curlers will actually raise the rock in this backward movement, as this is what they are accustomed to. The forward thrust of the delivery comes next. The thrower moves his or her slider-foot in front of the other foot while keeping the rock ahead of him. The thrower then lunges out from the hack. The more thrust from this lunge, the more power or "weight" the rock will have. When lunging out, the gripper-foot will drag behind the thrower. When lunging out, it is important to push as precisely as possible in the direction of the skip's broom at the other end, so that the "line" of the rock is accurate.

The rock should be released before the thrower's momentum wanes at which point the thrower imparts the appropriate curl, keeping in mind the stone should be released before the first hog-line. The amount of weight given to the rock will also be told to the thrower by the skip at the other end. This usually occurs by the skip tapping the ice with his broom where he or she wants the rock to be delivered. In the case of a take-out or a tap, the skip will tap the rock that he or she wants removed or tapped. It should also be noted that with a more skilled skip, where he wants the rock to land will not always be the exact place he holds the broom if the skip expects the rock to curl. When the rock is delivered accurately at the broom, it will curl towards where the skip wants it to land. Handicapped Delivery Curling has also been adapted for play for those that are wheelchair bound, or otherwise unable to throw the rock from the hack. Handicapped curlers may use a special device known as a "curler's cue" or "delivery stick". The cue holds on to the handle of the stone and is then pushed along by the curler.

At the end of delivery, the curler pulls back on the cue, which releases it from the stone. Sweeping When a rock is delivered, it is important that there be two players following the rock so that they are ready to sweep its path if needed. Sweeping is done for two reasons: to make the rock travel farther, and to make the rock travel straighter (curl less). When sweeping, pressure and speed of the brush head are key in slightly melting the pebbled ice in the path of the rock. One of the interesting strategy aspects of curling is knowing when to sweep. When swept, a rock will always travel both farther and straighter. In some situations, one of the two is often not desirable (for example, a rock may have too much weight, but needs sweeping to prevent curling into a guard), and the team must decide which is better: getting by the guard but traveling too far, or hitting the guard. Much of the yelling that goes on during a curling game is the skip calling the line of the shot. The skip evaluates the path of the rock and calls to the sweepers to sweep as necessary to hold the rock straight.

The sweepers themselves are responsible for judging the weight of the rock and ensuring the length of travel is correct. Usually, the two sweepers will be on opposite sides of the rock's path. Grip of the broom is vital - one hand grips the top (non-brush end) of the handle while the other grips the handle close to the head of the broom so that as much pressure as needed may be applied while sweeping, though the precise amount of pressure may vary from relatively light brushing to maximum-pressure scrubbing. It is important to never to touch the rock while sweeping (a rock touched by a sweeper is burned, and the opposing skip may opt to have the rock removed from play). Sweeping can be done anywhere on the ice up to the "tee-line", as long as it is only for your own team's rock. Once your team's rock crosses the tee-line, only one player may sweep it. Additionally, when an opposing rock crosses the tee-line, one player from your team is allowed to sweep it. This is the only case that a rock may be swept by an opposing team member. In international rules, this player must be the skip, or if the skip is throwing, then the third.

Types of shots Essentially, there are two kinds of shots in curling, the draw and the takeout. There are many variations of these shots, however. Draws are shots in which the stone is thrown only to reach the house (or in front of the house - when the rock is called a guard), while takeouts are shots designed to remove stones from play. Choosing which shot to play will determine whether the thrower will use an in-turn or out turn, for a right-handed person, the clockwise and counter-clockwise rotation of the stone, respectively. Possible draw shots include guard, raise, come around, and freeze. Takeout shots include peel, hit and roll, chip and hack. For a more complete listing look at the complete list Glossary of curling terms. Free guard zone Until four rocks have been played (two from each side), rocks in the free guard zone (those rocks left in the area between the hog and tee lines, excluding the house) may not be removed by an opponent's stone. These are known as guard rocks. If the guard rocks are removed, they are replaced and the opponent's rock is removed from play.

This rule is known as the four-rock rule or the free-zone rule; (for a period in Canada, a "three-rock rule" was in place, but that rule has been replaced by the four-rock rule). This rule, a relatively recent addition to curling, was added in response to a strategy of "peeling" opponents' guard stones (knocking them out of play at an angle that caused the shooter's stone to also roll out of play, leaving no stones on the ice). A team in the lead would often employ this strategy during the game. By knocking all stones out, the opponents could at best score one point (if they had the hammer). Alternatively, the team with the hammer could peel rock after rock, which would blank the end, keeping the last rock advantage for another end. While a sound strategy, this made for an unexciting game. Last rock (or Hammer) The last rock in an end is called the hammer. Before the game, teams typically decide who gets the hammer in the first end by coin toss or similar method.

(In tournaments, this is typically assigned, giving every team the first-end hammer in half their games.) In all subsequent ends, the hammer belongs to the team that did not score in the preceding end. In the event that neither team scores, the hammer remains with the same team. Naturally, it is easier to score points with the hammer than without; in tournament play, the team with the hammer generally tries to score two or more points. If only one point is possible, the skip will often try to avoid scoring at all in order to retain the hammer until the next end, when two or more points may be possible. This is called a blank end. Scoring without the hammer is commonly referred to as stealing, or a steal, and is much more difficult. Scoring After both teams have delivered eight rocks, the team with the rock closest to the button is awarded one point for each of its own rocks that is closer than the opponent's closest rock. Rocks that are not in the house (further from the center than the outer edge of the 12-foot ring) do not score even if no opponent's rock is closer.

A rock is considered in the house if any portion of its edge is over any portion of the 12-foot ring. Since the bottom of the rock is rounded, a rock just barely in the house will not have any actual contact with the ring, which will pass under the rounded edge of the stone, but it still counts. This type of rock is known as a "biter." The score is marked on a scoreboard, of which there are two types. One is the baseball type scoreboard, which is usually used for televised games. On this scoreboard the ends are marked by columns 1 through 10 (or 11 for the possibility of an extra end to break ties) plus an additional column for the total. Below this are two rows — one for each team. The number of points each team gets in an end is marked this way. The other form of scoreboard is the one used in most curling clubs (see photo). It is set up in the same way, except the numbered row indicates a team's progress in scoring points rather than marking ends, and it can be found between the rows for the team. The numbers placed are indicative of the end.

If the red team scores 3 points in the first end (called a three-ender), then a one (indicating the first end) is placed beside the number three in the red row. If they score two more in the second end, then a two will be placed beside the five in the red row indicating that the red team has five points in total (3+2). This scoreboard works because only one team can get points in an end. However, some confusion can exist if no team gets points in an end. This is called a blank end and the end number usually goes in the furthest column on the right in the row of the team who has the hammer (last rock advantage), or on a special spot for blank ends. Conceding a game When a team feels it is impossible or near impossible to win a game, they will usually shake hands with the opposing team to concede defeat. This may occur at any point during the game, but usually happens near the final end. When a game is completed by playing all ends, both teams also shake hands. This is often accompanied by saying "Good game!" Hands are also shaken before the game, accompanied by saying "Good curling!" to the opposing team.

In the Winter Olympics, a team may concede after finishing any end during a round-robin game, but can only concede after finishing eight ends during the knockout stages. Dispute resolution Most decisions about rules are left to the skips. However, all scoring disputes are handled by the third, or vice-skip. No players other than the third from each team should be in the house while score is being debated. In tournament play the most frequent circumstance in which a decision has to be made by someone other than the third is the failure of the thirds to agree on which rock is closest to the button. An independent official then measures the distances using a specially designed device that pivots at the center of the button. When no independent officials are available, the thirds measure the distances. Curling culture Top curling championships are typically played by all-male or all-female teams. The game is known as mixed curling when played by both men and women. The Canadian Mixed Curling Championship is the highest-level mixed curling competition, in the absence of world championship or Olympic mixed curling events.

Curling is played in many countries including the United States, United Kingdom (especially Scotland), Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland and Japan, all of which compete in the world championships. Curling is particularly popular in Canada. Improvements in ice making and changes in the rules to increase scoring and promote complex strategy have increased the already high popularity of the sport in Canada, and large television audiences watch annual curling telecasts, especially the Scott Tournament Of Hearts (the national championship for women), the Tim Hortons Brier (the national championship for men), and the women's and men's world championships. Despite the Canadian province of Manitoba's small population, teams from that province have won the Brier more times than teams from any other province. The Tournament of Hearts and the Brier are contested by provincial and territorial champions, and the world championships by national champions. Curling is the provincial sport of Saskatchewan, home of some of the most famous curlers.

Ernie Richardson and his family team dominated Canadian and international curling during the late 1950s and early 1960s and are generally conceded to be the best male curlers of all time.[6] Sandra Schmirler led her team to the first ever gold medal in women's curling in the 1998 Winter Olympics. When she died two years later from cancer, over 15,000 people attended her funeral, and it was broadcast on national television. An amateur sport While Canadian bonspiels (tournaments) offer cash prizes, there are no full-time professional curlers. However, some curlers make a considerable portion of their income from curling. Some stay-at-home mothers or house-wives can claim curling as their profession. Still, curling survives as a people's sport, returning to the Winter Olympics in 1998 with men's and women's tournaments after not having been on the official Olympic program since 1924 (that year's curling competition, for men only, was confirmed as official by the IOC in 2006).

Because accuracy, strategy, skill, and experience are more valuable in curling than traditional sports virtues of speed, stamina, and strength, most competitive curlers are older than their counterparts in other sports. However, there are many young teams who turn heads, and junior curling is quite popular, with national finals being televised nationwide in Canada. Good sportsmanship More so than in many team sports, good sportsmanship is an integral part of curling. For example, celebrating an error by the opposing team, fully acceptable in some sports, is frowned upon in curling. Even at the highest levels of play, a player is expected to "call their own fouls", so to speak, such as alerting the opposing skip if they burned a stone. It is also traditional for the winning team to buy the losing team a drink after the game. (This is in interesting contrast to the game of darts, where the loser traditionally buys the winner a drink by way of congratulations.) This is often referred to as the Spirit of Curling. As noted above in the game play section, it is not uncommon for a team to concede a curling match after it believes it no longer has a reasonable chance of winning but before all ends are completed.

Concession is an honourable act and does not carry the stigma associated with "quitting". To concede a match the losing team removes their curling gloves (if they wear gloves) and offers congratulatory handshakes to the winning team. Thanks and wishes of future good luck are usually exchanged between the teams. Additional information The means of preparation one must take to be competitive in the sport of curling go beyond physical fitness and above-average agility. The competitor must not only be able to have an extensive understanding of classical mechanics with an emphasis on friction, but must be able to apply this knowledge to the playing field. This is a commonly overlooked fact. Curling is an excellent example of the adage "easy to learn, but difficult to master". By the Numbers The participants and commentators of curling use various measures to relate information about the behavior of ice and the individual rocks thrown. The ice in the game may be fast or slow. If the ice is fast, a rock will travel farther with a given amount of weight on it. The speed of the ice is measured in seconds. This measure is the amount of time that a draw to the button will spend moving before it comes to a rest.

If the ice is slow, the rock will have to have more weight in order to reach the button and would reach the button more quickly. Thus, the speed of the ice (in seconds) is lower than if the ice is fast, in which case the rock would have to be thrown more slowly and would take longer to get there. Additionally, the weight (speed) of an individual rock can also be measured in seconds. This time is the time the rock takes to cross first one hogline and then the other. If this number is lower, the rock is moving faster, so again low numbers mean more speed. The ice in a match will be somewhat consistent and thus this measure of speed can also be used to measure how far down the ice the rock will travel. Once it is determined that a rock taking (for example) 9 seconds to go from hogline to hogline will stop on the button, the curler can know that if they can match that time with later stones, they can throw stones that will stop near the button.

Question: In curling, how do team members help to direct the "stones" towards the target?
Answer: Sweeping