5 interesting facts about curling

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Did you know that Manitoba is the curling capital of the world? Not only do we have more curling clubs here than Ontario and Quebec combined, the province is also home to some of the best curlers in the world!

What is Curling?

Curling is a team sport. Each team is usually composed of four members each. In mixed doubles, a team is composed of two players, a male and a female. In wheelchair curling, teams can have a fifth player known as the Alternate (substitute). Each team has a Skip or team captain, and a Vice-Skip.

The object of the game is to get your Stones (circular objects made of polished granite stones) closest to the “Button” which is the center of the “Houses” (the target that looks like a bullseye at each end of the playing surface). The Stone is pushed and once it is sliding, other team members ensure that the stone gets to the target by sweeping the surface with brooms, which are now called brushes. The brushes eliminate “pebbles” or water droplets that turn into ice and cause the stones to “curl” or move away from their path. It is a game of teamwork and strategy.

Curling has Scottish roots, but it has developed into the totally unique Canadian sport that it is today. Here’s a quick (and humorous) description of curling:

Curling, a 2-minute guide, World Curling

Here are some cool curling facts:

  1. Winnipeg was the curling centre of Canada in 1910

    The sport became popular in North America in the late 1800s after Canadian teams kept winning tournament after tournament locally and abroad. A touring Scottish team even went home with more losses than wins when it toured Canada in 1902 to 03. By 1910, almost every town in the West had a curling arena. Winnipeg had more curling clubs than Montreal and Toronto combined, and became known as the curling centre of Canada.

  2. Curling became an Olympic sport in 1924, but was only fully recognized in 2006

    Curling first became part of the Olympics in the Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix, France in 1924. However, it was dropped in the succeeding games and became a demonstration sport until the 90s. This meant that curling was played in the Olympics mainly for people to see it, but the medals earned didn’t count towards the country’s final medal tally. This changed in 2006. The International Olympic Committee decided to upgrade the curling medals earned in the Olympics from 1942 up to the present from demonstration medals to official medals.

  3. Curling has its own language

    Bonspiel, button, house…. these are just some of the words you’ll hear when you watch a game. Here’s what they mean (plus some additional terms):

    • Bonspiel – A curling competition or tournament.
    • House – The rings or circles toward which play is directed consisting of a 12-foot ring, 8-foot ring, 4-foot ring and a button. It is the target, the middle of which is a circle called the Button.
    • Stone – It is made of dense, polished granite and pushed around to reach the button. It is what a ball is to basketball or a puck is to hockey.
    • Deliver – When a player slides the stone on ice.
    • Brush – Formerly called a broom, it is a device used to sweep the ice in the path of a moving stone.
    • Sheet – It is the ice or the playing surface upon which a curling game is played. The minimum size is 14’2″ wide and 146′ long.
    • Biter – A stone that just touches the outer edge of the circles.
    • End – A portion of a curling game that is completed when each team has thrown eight stones and the score has been decided.

    (Definitions from Curling Canada).

  4. It’s also called the “Roaring Game”

    Curling got this nickname, not because of the shouting done by teams, but by the rumbling sound the stone makes when it is pushed then glides across the ice. You’ll hear more roaring when the teams brush the ice frantically to guide the stone to the button of the house.

  5. It’s a polite and kind sport

    You won’t hear trash-talking in curling! Players strictly adhere to the rules of good sportsmanship and politeness despite being competitive. Instead of brawls, you’ll hear opposing players encouraging and complimenting each other. Also, a team that concedes, when there’s no chance of winning, is often seen as honourable. This is called the “Spirit of Curling.”

If all of these have piqued your interest in the sport, why not try it? Check your nearest community centre or see listings on the Leisure Guide if you’re in Winnipeg. You can also get in touch with any of the Curl Manitoba member clubs from the list on this page: CurlManitoba Club Information.
 
Sources: History of curling, and Glossary of curling terms, Curling Canada; 10 cool facts about curling, Rudie Obias, Mental Floss; Curling, Patricia G. Bailey and Gerald Redmond, Canadian Encyclopedia. Accessed August 19, 2024.

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