Photo by Andrew Turner
Curling is one of those weird, under-appreciated sports involving minimal action but lots of shouting of weird phrases that nobody else really understands.
A quick Google search for “curling sport” will lead you to dozens of resources, many of which are Canadian.
Eastern Canada is pretty big on the curling scene, especially my province of Newfoundland and Labrador. During the 2006 winter Olympics, Memorial University shut down so we could watch Brad Gushue and his team of Newfoundlanders take home Canada’s first Olympic gold in men’s curling. The first medal for Newfoundland in any sport, we’ve since named a highway after the team.
Where does curling come from?
The origins of curling are muddled, but some people believe it’s one of the world’s oldest team sports. A painting by 16th-century Flemish artist, Peter Bruegel, shows a curling-like activity being played on ice. In 1540, a Scottish notary named John McQuhin recorded a sporting challenge between a monk in Paisley Abbey and a representative of the Abbot in which a rock was thrown along ice.
The first recognized curling clubs were established in Scotland. From there, the Scots spread the sport to wherever they immigrated, particularly colder countries like Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA.
Photo by Kenneth Hynek
It wasn’t until the first Olympic Winter Games in 1924 that international curling competition took place, with Great Britain taking the gold. Now, it’s normal for athletes from around the world to play.
The Basics
Teams are made up of four people, with each player throwing two stones per turn while teammates sweep the ice with brooms to direct the stones. The goal is for the team to get more stones closer to the center target than the opposing team. Two teams compete at one time, each team alternating their shots, with players in four different positions:
Lead: Throws first, sweeps all other team members’ shots.
Second: Throws second stone, sweeps all other team members’ shots.
Vice: Throws third stone, holds the brush for the Skip, and only sweeps the Lead and Second’s stones. This role is more difficult because there are more stones already thrown.
Skip (team captain): Throws last, holds brush for all other players, tells other players when to sweep, and watches the “curl” (direction) of the stones.
The two teams’ Skips direct the play for their teams, with team members throwing two stones at a time.
To begin, the lead delivers as the Second and Vice sweep, and the Skip watches the curl. The sweepers must judge how far the stone travels, all while the Skip hollers directions. When it is the Skip’s turn, the Vice takes the Skip’s position and the Lead and Second sweep.
When all stones are thrown, points are awarded for those closest to the target.
Every game ends with the opposing teams saying “good curling” to one another, followed by a handshake.
Confusing? Yeah, a little. But I can’t think of another sport where berating teammates and yelling “Harder! Faster!” is perfectly acceptable.
Community Connection
Headed to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver? Check out these free accommodations.
About the Author
More By This Author
- Kitesurfing Down a River (2 comments)
- The Athlete as Industry: How Will Cleveland Survive Without LeBron James? (1 comments)
- Is Nike's World Cup Commercial Cursed? (1 comments)
Related Posts
14 Comments... join the discussion!
-
-
This was a great overview Candice! I live down the street from a curling club and work with a few ladies who are gunghoe about the sport, but I’ve brushed the sport off as being kinda lame. I guess now though I have to go check it out!
↵ -
This sounds like so much fun! A tad bit like Ice Hockey, perhaps?
↵ -
Great review just in time! We got to be fans during the last winter olympics but probably forgot all we learned then in the interim.
↵ -
I’ve watched this on TV a few times and figure its just a variation of lawn bowls. Just with ice, rocks and the cold instead of bowls, grass and the sun
↵ -
I have to agree with amaxwell, at risk of offending my Eastern Canadian comrades…
WFT!
Making an omelette is more exciting than curling and perhaps more athletic…↵ -
Don’t knock it til you try it, Joshy! Curling is some HARD business. Plenty of sports out there that require more precision than sheer power.
↵ -
I like how it’s based on strategy. And the screaming.
↵ -
Don’t be hatin’! We’re restricted to where we can play our sports as 99% of the time, the weather sucks. Although…yeah…I think I’d break more of a sweat watching TV.
↵ -
Maybe it’s my time in Northern Minnesota talking, but I really like to watch curling. Nice beginner’s guide, although I wish you’d included … well, OK, I guess the meanings of “Hurry!” and “Whoa!” shouted by the skip ought to be self-explanatory.
↵ -
Saskatchewans got a weird love affair with curling too. It’s like the #2 sport in rural areas next to hockey. Particularly because a rink is one of the few things you can find in nearly every small town.
I personally can’t stand it, which makes me kind of a reject by some of the die-hards. In high-school watching curling was turned into a drinking game, which was probably more exciting than this ’sport’. I think part of my grudge against curling is that I am one of the few people to have ever been injured during this sport. lol. Go falling and busting ur elbow trying to dodge a rock being thrown at you…*sigh*
↵ -
One of the world’s biggest curling bonspiels is this weekend in Winnipeg (central Canada). It’s a surprisingly popular sport for what it is. Everyone in my family curls, except me. I want to give it a try though! It’s more about strategy than anything. Btw It’s much more fun to watch on tv in fast-forward.
↵ -
Curling has been on the past two days when I got home from work and it’s so booorrrriiingggggg.
↵
