All About Curling And Winter Sports

Curling is a very simple but nonetheless challenging winter sport. Read here to learn all about curling including its history and practice!

Along with skiing, ice skating and snowboarding , curling is a winter sport. You can also practice this sport on artificial courts designed for it.

It requires a bit of strength and some skills as well as lots of team spirit, precision and strategy. This is one of the reasons why curling is sometimes called “chess on ice”.

Some information about the history behind curling

There is no agreement on the origin of the name “curling”. The name of this sport may be related to the verb “curl” in English. This sport was also called “drone games”. Most sources agree that it originated in Scotland.

Although there is no exact date of origin, experts believe it originated in the 16th century. In this regard, experts have found many historical artifacts about this sport. For example, experts have found a curling stone engraved with the date 1511.

This sport was first mentioned in a document from 1540 with some annotations in Latin by John McQuhin. Paintings by the Flemish painter Pieter Brueghel the Elder depict scenes of a similar sport.

People used to practice this sport on a frozen pond or lake. In 1716, the first course was built at the Kilsyth Curling Club in Scotland. The size and weight of the stones ranged from 1.8-10 kg.

Curling came to America in 1807 from Scottish immigrants who founded the Royal Montreal Curling Club in this Canadian city. In the 20th century , it became an Olympic sport.

The stones the players use for this sport also have their own history. This is because experts have found ancient objects that filled this function.

All about curling: Gameplay

Curling is a team sport that you can practice on a fairly narrow, rectangular rink. It is about 44 meters long and 4.5 meters wide.

Two teams of four players play against each other. Each player throws two stones per round (this means that eight stones are thrown per round). They can use brooms or brushes to modify the path of the stones.

The principle is reminiscent of that in bowling, as the goal is to slide the stones as close as possible to the “house” located in the other one of the course.

The players on each team throw in order and switch with them on the other side. To achieve their goals , players can make different types of throws:

Get the stone as close to the house as possible.
Take-out. An upward shot to remove stones from the game. Take-out shots knock the other stones in the house out of the game.
Position the stones in a way that protects your own so that the opposing team does not hit them.

The stones closest to the center are counted. If the one after the one closest to the middle is from the other team, you will only get one point.

The game is played a specific number of rounds. A match can have eight to ten rounds. The team with the most points wins. If the teams are right at the end, then you have to play an extra round.

At present, there is limited time to cast. Each team has up to 60 minutes to do so.

All about curling: The teams

In curling, each of the teams consists of four players. Each player has his own specific role:

The driver

It is the player who throws the first time. In other words, this player throws the first and second stones. For that reason, one can say that their throws are the easiest as there are no other stones to worry about. However, the role of the person is very important, as the place where the stones land will determine the rest of the game.

When the driver has finished his throws, he must help his teammates to brush to facilitate slipping.

The other

As the name suggests, this player throws the next few stones. Therefore, he throws third and fourth stones. When he or she is done, he or she should also brush or help sweep the casts from the teammates that come afterwards.

The third or vice-skipper

In addition to throwing stones number five and six, and sweeping for the first player, he also marks the game and helps develop the strategy.

This player is like the vice captain of a team. When it’s time for this player to throw, this player actually has both the role of captain and mentor for those who sweep.

The skipper

It is the most important player on the team. In general, it is usually the player who has the most experience. He decides the team’s strategy and indicates the game and the sweeps.

As he throws the last two stones, this player has the most difficult task. This is because the track is full and he or she needs to be very careful.

All about curling: Equipment

In addition to the stones and brushes, other equipment is also used:

Stone. They weigh about 4.5 kg. There are two sets of eight stones each in different colors. They are made of solid granite. They have an angled handle on the top pin.

Broom. They are used to sweep the surface of the stone path, which helps them move and increases their speed and direction.
Slider. It is a sole that the players place under their shoes that helps them glide.

There are no official rules or indications according to the sliders that players may use. Only championships require some uniformity.

The house is the target that the players aim their stones at.

Contraindications to curling

More than anything else, curling is a strategic game. Some studies actually cite decision making as an important factor in this sport.

There is no age limit or conditions. It is a sport that everyone can enjoy as it contributes both physical and psychological benefits.

As with all sports activities, players have to make certain reservations to avoid injury. Drops can occur as the surface is slippery. In addition, players also need to be careful with the stones.

In some cases, curling is contraindicated. For example, if you have acute low back pain, it can aggravate the condition when you have to bend down to throw the stones away.

In addition, according to several studies, people with asthma or allergies should be careful when practicing winter sports as it can pose a greater risk to them.