Federation: WCF (World Curling Federation)
First Played: 16th century, Stirling, Scotland
Team Members: 3 Sweepers, 1 Shooter
Equipment: Curling Stone, Broom, and Curling Shoes
Field: Indoor
Olympic Participation: First played in the 1924 Olympics. Official Olympic sport since the 1998 Olympics.
Description:
Curling is a sport played on ice, where two teams aim to throw their curling stones as close as possible to the target (the house) at the center of the rink. Also referred to as "chess on ice," the game involves sweepers guiding the stone thrown by the shooter to ensure the correct angle and momentum. The shooter must release the stone, held by a handle known as "eye on the hog," before crossing the "hog line." Matches take place on a rink and consist of 10 rounds. In each round, 16 stones are thrown, 8 per team. A game can last up to 76 minutes. If there is a tie after 10 rounds, an extra end is played to determine the winner.
History:
There is much evidence that curling was played in Scotland in the early 16th century. A curling stone from 1551 can be seen in the Stirling Museum, which also houses the world's oldest football. The game is depicted in "A Winter Landscape" from 1565 and "Hunters in the Snow" paintings. The Kilsyth Curling Club claims to have been founded in 1716, making curling one of the oldest organized sports. Brought to Canada by Scottish immigrants, the sport is now played by over 1 million licensed athletes worldwide. The International Curling Federation was founded in Perth, Scotland, in 1966 and was renamed the World Curling Federation in 1990. After its debut in the 1924 Olympics, curling was reintroduced in 1998 and is now one of the most-watched sports at the Winter Olympics.
Field Dimensions:
The curling rink is 42 meters long and 4.3 meters wide. At each end of the rink, there are target circles, known as houses, with a diameter of 3.66 meters. The distance from the play line to the house is 6.4 meters, and the houses are 34.7 meters apart. A "Tee line" helps players improve accuracy by bisecting the house. The rink's temperature is maintained at -6 degrees Celsius during play.
