Curling is a team sport played on ice. Curling gained its popularity, to a greater extent, in our country thanks to a large number jokes in which he is mentioned. But few people know that this is very interesting game. Curling is a full-fledged sport; it even hosts various championships, including the World Championship and the European Championship. In this article we would like to talk in more detail about curling, in view of its growing popularity in our country.
Contents of the article:
Curling history
Who invented curling? It is known that the birthplace of curling is Scotland. The first evidence of the origin of curling was the discovery of a stone for this game at the bottom of a dry lake. The date of its manufacture, 1511, was carved on the found stone. Curling was first mentioned in chronicles in 1541. By 1716, the first curling club opened.Since the 17th century, curling stones began to be standardized, that is, to receive a single standard. At the same time, immigrants who fled to America took this game with them to the New World. At the beginning of the 19th century, the rules of the game of curling were officially approved. It is worth noting that to this day no significant changes have been made to these rules of the game.
Curling later became a sport, and in 1959 the world's first Curling Championship was held, since then it has been held every year. Since 1975, the European Curling Championship has been held every year. Since 1998, curling has been recognized as an Olympic sport, and began to be held during the Winter Olympics, as well as.
How to play curling
Curling rulesNow let's look at the rules of the game of curling. The game of curling involves two teams, which must consist of four people. Each team is assigned its own color. The essence of the game is that teams take turns launching special projectiles that are made of granite (in the game they are called stones) across the ice; these projectiles must be sent to a specially marked area (which in the game is called “house”). If the opponent’s stone is in the “house”, then it must be knocked out. Teams are given 8 stones to send to the house. Stones that do not reach the boundaries of the house, or, on the contrary, pass them, are eliminated from the game - this is called out.
Each team throws stones in turn. The team that throws the stone last has a very large advantage, so the order of throws in curling has great value. The order of the throw is initially determined by drawing lots; subsequent throws are made first by the team that won the previous round. After all the stones have been thrown, the team points are calculated. When counting points, only those stones that are in the house and were not knocked out of the game are counted. The team whose stone is closest to the center wins the round and gets a point.
Curling Basics
Each team must choose its own captain, who will oversee the entire game process. It is important to note that the team’s performance largely depends on the captain, so it is necessary to choose as captain a person who can organize, support and supervise the team’s actions. The main job of a team captain in curling is to tell his team which direction to move the stone.
The game goes as follows. The player serving the stone puts on a slider - a special sliding attachment on the shoe (if special curling shoes are not used), which allows you to slide along the ice. Then he takes a curling brush, places it edge-on on the ice, places the handle of the brush on his left shoulder and clasps its lower part with his left hand (you can clearly see how this is done in our video below). Then the player leans on the block with his right foot, places a stone in front of him and takes it by the handle with his right hand. Having straightened up slightly, the player takes his back leg a little back, and then rolls forward with the same leg, crouching on it, and pushes off the block with his right leg, after which he places it with his toe down and pulls it behind him. Having reached the line, the stone is released, while the main task is to try to push the stone harder so that it gets as far as possible.
When the stone is launched, two team players use special brushes to rub the surface of the ice, due to which the stone continues its movement and does not stop. It is important to know that with brushes you can not only continue the movement of the stone, but also control its trajectory. If you touch a stone with a brush, it is eliminated from the game.
These are, in principle, all the basic principles of the game of curling; you can learn more about the game either from an instructor or by reading special resources and literature dedicated to this sport.
Curling equipment
How much does a curling stone weigh? This question interests a lot of people, so let's talk about the standards of curling stones. So, the curling stone weighs 19.96 kg, its diameter is 29.2 cm and its height is 11.4 cm.Curling facilities and equipment are usually provided at the venues where curling is played. For curling you will need: boots, a brush and a stone. If you play curling often, then it is best to purchase your own shoes.
Curling boots are made using special technology; first of all, they retain heat thanks to the inner felt, because the game takes place on ice. In addition, curling shoes have a special sole - it is different. As you already know, the left foot should slide and the right foot should push off, based on these principles the sole of curling boots is made. The left shoe is made of a special sole, which provides excellent gliding, while the right shoe, on the contrary, is made of a non-slip sole. Curling shoes can be purchased in the online store, as well as in sporting goods stores.
This video will help you learn about the main features of the game of curling. The curling instructor will also demonstrate some features of the game.
To see what curling is like, we also recommend watching this report from the World Championships in this sport.
In this article we will talk about the history of curling and the basic rules of the game. We will try to show that curling is not just strange big stones around which competitors scurry and shout on the ice with brushes in their hands, but precise strategy, skill, passion and, to some extent, luck of the curlers.
Two competing teams, consisting of men or women, take to the ice rink. Each team has 4 players. One by one, one of the members of each team fires heavy projectiles—granite stones—on the ice, which has been filled and prepared in a special way. And there is a marked target on the ice.
This game originated in Scotland. It was a very long time ago - in the sixteenth century. And there is evidence of this. In Dunblane, at the bottom of a drained pond (or lake), a curling implement was discovered, on which the date of its manufacture was engraved - 1511. At Paisley Abbey, the monastic annals contain records of curling, dating back to 1541. In addition, Pieter Bruegel in 1565 depicted Dutch peasants in two of his paintings enthusiastically playing icestock on the surface of a frozen lake (it is very close to curling). Researchers and historians believe that the name of the game comes from one of the Scottish verbs "curr", describing a roar or low growl. Indeed, when a granite projectile, called a stone, slid along the ice, touching its jagged edges, a characteristic sound could be heard, similar to a roar or growl. In the chronicles of one of the Scottish towns - Darwell, it is said that to play curling, weavers got used to taking heavy loads with them after work, which, in fact, had such a purpose as oppression for the loom. Such stone weights had a handle that could be removed if necessary. So in the past, curling shells came in a variety of shapes. It was only in the eighteenth century that the shape began to acquire its modern cylindrical appearance, precise size and weight. Scotland has a cold climate, which is why the game has become so popular. Then it spread to Canada, the USA and around the world. The first serious competition, the world championship for men, was held in 1959 in Edinburgh. And then the winners were men from Canada. The women's championship was organized in 1979, again in Scotland, but in Perth. The team from Switzerland won then. But in Russia, curling did not take root for a very long time. An attempt was first made in the nineties of the nineteenth century by foreign diplomats. Then curling clubs were created in St. Petersburg and Moscow. But then the revolution happened. Then, in the twenties of the twentieth century, they wanted to revive curling again, but this sport was recognized as a bourgeois game and banned. And so, on the basis of one of the physical education academies, a curling club was formed in 1991. Curling was added to the Winter Olympics in 1998.
What do you need for curling?
To conduct the game, the ice area is pre-filled and prepared in a certain way. This is a rectangle, one side of which can be from 44.5 to 45.72 meters, and the other - from 4.42 to 5.0 meters. There is a target marked on the site, the diameter of which is 3.66 meters. It's called "home".
Few people know that the weight of the playing stone is almost 20 kg, or more precisely, 19.96 kg. And these shells are made only from special hard granite. It is mined on the Scottish island of Ailsa Craig. The stone is processed and polished with diamond powder, has a sliding surface and a handle at the top that allows you to control the stone. The curler first slides along the platform with a stone, holding it by the handle, and then releases it into a free slide; his path can be from 20 to 30 meters.
Players also have special brushes; they are made of carbon, fiberglass or other durable synthetic polymers, and the rubbing surface is made of cardura. It is with this that the player rubs the ice surface in front of the stone as it moves.
A stone-throwing curler wears Teflon sliders on his shoes to glide. Professional curling shoes are expensive, but they are practical, warm and comfortable. To prevent injury, the use of knee pads is permitted.
What are the ground rules?
Victory is awarded to the team that scores more points during the match. There are ten game periods, they are called ends. Each team includes four players. The athletes’ task during the end is to try to make every effort to get as many “curling stones” released by their team players towards the center of the “house” (scoring target). By the end of the end, for each stone placed closer to the center of the target (compared to the position of the opponent’s stones), the team receives a point.
A total of 160 stones are released per game. That is, in each period there are 16 shells, this number is divided equally between the 2 playing teams. It turns out that each player from the team will launch two sports equipment. The “task” for each stone is given by a skip, which is what the player located in the “house” is called. It all depends on the tactics and situation at home. Sometimes you need to try to make the stone stop in the place the team wants. And sometimes you need to release it so that “your” stone knocks the opponents’ stones out of the marked scoring zone. When the stone moves, players should no longer touch it. But you can rub ice in front of a stone, this is called sweeping. This is done in order to change the state of the ice surface in certain place sites. This way you can try to maintain (or slightly change) the trajectory along which the stone slides and slightly extend the path of its independent movement. This activity is not at all as simple as it may seem to viewers. During a sweep, the player's pulse reaches 180 beats per minute, and the muscles of the legs and arms are heavily loaded. These movements cannot be compared to the way we rub the floor of the house when cleaning! Sometimes, if a stone has been placed in a very successful manner, they try to protect it, that is, create difficulties for the enemy’s stone so that he does not knock it out. The most important is the last throw of the team, it decides almost everything. In the first end (period), a draw decides the fate of throws for the teams. And in the subsequent ones - the main, decisive throw for the team that lost the previous end. But the game requires not only strength and dexterity, but also tactical moves. For example, some teams deliberately make an ineffective last throw. Indeed, in this case, the team, although it will lose a possible point, will receive a preferential last throw in the future. At the end of the match, the amount of points earned is calculated. If the teams have an equal number of points, then another period of the game will be assigned, it is called an extra end. The very last launch of the stone in it will be done by the player of the team that lost in the previous, that is, the tenth end.
What should a curler be able to do?
The criteria by which an athlete’s skill can be judged include his ability and ability to give the “curling stone” the required speed and set the direction of its sliding along the court in such a way that:
- the projectile stopped exactly where it was intended;
- hit the enemy’s stone at the right angle and displaced him, or even better, knocked him out of the “house”.
To achieve your goals, you need to calculate the forces at the moment when repulsion is made from the block, and set the direction. Actions must be clear and coordinated.
The success of the game largely depends not only on the skill of the team players, but also on the coherence, clarity of their actions and the supply of tactical combinations. It is for the nuances and tactical moves that curling received its unofficial name - “chess on ice.” People who know the rules and subtleties of this game assure that it is interesting and spectacular. MirSovetov wishes good luck to the athletes at the ongoing Olympic Games!
Curling became an official Olympic discipline only recently, in 1998. This sport requires a specially prepared field, the surface of which must be icy. The dimensions of the curling court are 45.7 * 5.0 meters. If you look at the field from above, it is quite easy to see the special markings, with the boundaries of which the game itself takes place. An important element is the house, which represents a target for shooting. It is to this goal that athletes must bring the “stone” (special pin). The closest possible location of the game projectile is the optimal achievement for the players of a particular team.
Shells and equipment
The rules of curling provide for certain requirements for sports equipment. The size must meet the following parameters:
- Have a round hemispherical shape;
- Made from granite;
- The diameter of the projectile must be less than 91.4 centimeters. The pin height is limited to 11.4 centimeters.
The weight of the stone ranges from 17.2 to 19.9 kg. A metal handle is attached to the sports element for convenient launching of the stone. According to the rules of curling competitions, there must be eight stones in the game. The set of stones is complemented by a brush and a stand designed for sliding during the starting launch.
An important element for curlers is the correct selection of shoes. Two pairs of boots are used as equipment. One set is equipped with a sole with increased sliding properties, the other pair of shoes has a sole with the opposite effect. TO technical equipment athletes also use a stopwatch.
Game format
A curling match consists of 10 games called ends. Based on the results of all rounds, the final score is calculated. The peculiarity of awarding points is that they are given to the team whose stones are closer to the center of the target. The more stones in a row according to the end results are closer to the center of the target, the more points the team receives. The losing end team remains without points. The final result is formed by summing up the points for the individual stages of the game.
Features of throws
According to the rules of curling, a draw result in the game is excluded. When the same indicators are achieved, athletes play extra-end. Based on its results, the final winner is determined.
To win a match, an important role is played by correct and subtle calculation aimed at correctly choosing the point at which it would be optimal to perform the next action. Throwing power is also one of the components of success in this sport. The further process depends on the skill of the curler and how quickly his partners cope with clearing the path in front of the stone. This manipulation allows you to quickly and accurately deliver the pin to the intended target.
Additional batch
Using the last shot, a team can literally snatch an advantage. The right to throw first in the extra end is determined by drawing lots. In the remaining rounds, participants who lost the previous segment of the match begin throwing. Sometimes in intermediate games it is advantageous to throw.
Dimensions of the playing field
The basic rules of the game of curling provide for certain requirements for the court.
Its length is 44 and a half meters. The curling field is 4.3 meters wide. The house in the form of a shooting target is made with a diameter of 3.6 meters. The standard weight of granite stone is 19.9 kilograms.
As the official rules state, curling is based on several main requirements:
- The match features two teams of four curlers;
- The confrontation is divided into ten separate parties (ends);
- In each end, the teams alternately launch eight stones;
- Before sending a stone to the target, the player pushes off from a special column and accelerates along the ice surface;
- The goal is to send a projectile in the intended place or push out an opponent’s stone;
- Success largely depends on the chosen tactics and implementation of the game plan;
- The rest of the team helps speed up and give precision to the projectile by rubbing the surface in front of it with brushes;
- They perform these manipulations as close as possible in front of the stone, which also allows them to slightly adjust its direction.
To summarize: after all the stones have been drawn by both participating teams, points are calculated. Only stones that have not left the boundaries of the house are subject to the records kept by the judges. The players whose pin gets closest to the center of the house target win the end. The team gets a point for each shell that ends up as close as possible to the central part of the house than the opponents' stones.
Baseball Rules You Should Know
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COMPETITION AMONG MIXED PAIRS
1) A team consists of two players - 1 man and 1 woman. Substitute players are not allowed. Both players must be in play for the entire match, otherwise the team loses the match. Each team can have one coach.
2) The game is scored in the same way as in regular Curling. "Stationary" stones placed before the start of each end can be worth points.
3) The game consists of 8 ends.
4) Each team makes 5 throws per end. The player who makes the first throw also makes the last throw in the end. Another player on the team makes the second, third and fourth throws in that end. The player taking the first throw may vary from end to end.
5) No stone, including "stationary" stones and those in the house, may be knocked out of bounds before the fourth throw in the end (the fourth stone thrown is the first stone that can be knocked out of any stone outside the site). If this rule is violated, the released stone is removed from the game, and all moved stones are returned to their original positions by the team that did not violate the rule.
6) Before the start of each end, one of the teams must place its “stationary” stone in one of two positions in the playing area of the court, designated “A” and “B”. The opponent's stone is placed in the position that remains free. The positions of the “stationary” stones should be as follows:
a) Position “A”: The stone is placed on the center line either immediately before or immediately after one of the 3 points marked on the center line: Midway between the “hog” line and the outer edge of the nearest circle. At a distance of 0.915 meters (3 feet) from the first position closer to home. At a distance of 0.915 meters (3 feet) from the first position closer to the hog line
Taking into account the condition of the ice, teams must determine the "A" position for each playing area before starting pre-match warm-ups. This position must be used throughout the match.
b) Position “B”: the stone is located on the center line and behind the “tee” line, while touching the outer edge.
7) The procedure for determining the team making the decision on the position of the “stationary” stones:
a) The teams participating in the match determine which of them will decide on the position of the “stationary” stones in the first end, using
test throws. The decision is made by the team with the lower test throw score.
b) During the game, the decision on the position of the “stationary” stones is made by the team that lost the previous end.
c) If an end ends with a zero score, the decision on the position of the “stationary” stones is made by the team that started this end.
8) The team whose "stationary" stone is in position "A" (in front of the house) makes the first throw in that end. The team whose "stationary" stone is in position "B" (in the house) takes the second throw in that end.
9) During the direct execution of a throw by one of the team players, the other player must be on the ice of the playing area of his court. After the thrower has released the stone, both players may sweep the released stone, as well as any of their own stones that are in motion, anywhere on the court to the tee line. This rule applies to all team throws, including test throws.
10) If a player throws out of turn, the stone is returned to the block and the throw is completed according to the rules, after all the moved stones are returned to their original positions by the team that did not violate the rule. If the violation is not discovered before the next throw, play continues as if there was no violation.
In this article we will tell you what kind of Olympic sport curling is. You will learn everything about it and understand how to play it and what is known about it. Similar questions a few years ago were very common; they were often asked even by experienced fans of the Winter Olympics. At the moment, this extraordinary type of sports is rapidly gaining popularity. The main goal is that teams must alternately throw special granite pebbles at the target.
From the history of curling
The chronology of these sports battles is truly unique. Their ancestor arose back in the 15th century in Scotland. Members of the archaeological expedition managed to find a small tournament shell, which dates back to 1511. Even earlier (namely in 1457), the government of the country issued a decree banning a number of entertainments. Officials believed that gambling competitions distracted peasants and other workers from household chores and visits to temples. The game of stones escaped sanctions, this fact gave a great impetus to the development of the competitive component. The country that is the birthplace of curling is Scotland, but some researchers point to the fact that the origin of the sport dates back to the Netherlands. There, during the same period of time, similar championships arose. In paintings by Dutch artists of the sixteenth century, you can see how men enthusiastically launch stone blocks right at the target.The official winter athletic club was founded in 1716. Residents of the Scottish town of Kislit regularly played on a unique playing field. The first matches took place on a huge artificially created dam. The athletes used ordinary large-sized projectiles. Some craftsmen took loads from looms. At first, few people understood how to play curling; unified rules appeared a little later.
The history of the name also comes from the Scottish language. The word curling began to be widely used around the 17th century, after the Scottish writer Henry Adamson spoke about the competition in his poem. The root curr is of Gaelic origin (the language of the indigenous people of the Scottish Highlands) and means to growl. This fact can be explained by the fact that the large granite touched the surface of the ice while sliding and made a special sound. Thus, the term can be translated as "game of roaring stones." At first, the results largely depended on the luck of the athletes. The different shapes of the granite blocks and the uneven ice surface caused the unpredictability of the results. 
History of development
In 1838, in Scotland's largest city, the best athletes created a special players' union in Caledonia. The main goal of the association was to unify all possible rules and creating a list of necessary equipment. The shape of the projectile gradually acquired a modern look. The game also actively developed in America; many immigrants organized competitions in the USA or Canada.Although curling as a sport appeared quite a long time ago, the first World Championship was held only in 1959. During competitions in Falkirk and Edinburgh, the best curlers from different continents competed for the Scottish Cup. The Canadian men's team took home the trophy. Girls entered the fight a little later; a similar world tournament among women was held in the late seventies. The winners of the newly created discipline were the Swiss.
Currently, professional athletes of the planet annually determine the winner of the world championship. The most prestigious championship is the Olympic competition. Every four years, leading athletes participate in this sports festival. The “winter bowling” championship was first presented at the 1924 Olympics, but it was of a demonstrative nature. Only 4 teams took part (2 from Sweden, Great Britain and France). Curling was again introduced at the competitions in Nagano, with the British winning gold medals. 
Rules
At first glance, the game process may seem very confusing. Two teams participate in the match. Athletes take turns taking granite stones of a certain color by a special handle, and then launch them across the ice precisely at the target. The main task is to hit a “house” with a twenty-kilogram projectile, which is located at a distance of thirty meters. The athlete can also knock or completely push the opponent's piece of granite out of the target.The rest of the teammates can adjust the trajectory of movement using unique shields. As a result of friction, a thin film of water is formed. In this way, athletes can change the speed and direction of the throw. You will have 8 different attempts to hit the target. If one of the blocks does not reach the house or, on the contrary, moves too much, then he drops out of the fight. At the end of each time period, points are counted and intermediate results are summed up. 
The rules of the game of curling briefly for “dummies”:
- Each team has 8 stones available.
- The player must get as close to the target as possible.
- You can shoot down enemy projectiles.
- The team that hits the very center of the target will win.
- The match ends after ten independent periods.
About sports in Russia
Curling clubs first appeared back in the days Russian Empire. It was at the end of the 19th century that several visiting diplomats organized teams in Moscow and St. Petersburg. In the USSR there were practically no attempts to popularize the game, since high-quality shells, they are called stones in curling, were very difficult and expensive to produce. The very specifics of the tournaments also did not attract Russians for a long time. Currently, our country’s national team is a full participant in various championships. The women's team performs more successfully; the girls became European champions a couple of times and were one step away from winning the world championship. Today, more and more people are starting to engage in curling; many parents send their children to special sections. The guys train in special equipment; comfortable sportswear for winter sports is available in the Stayer store.
Features of the sport
On playground You will notice a unique ice cover that is approximately 45 meters long. The entire field is lined with several dividing stripes of different sizes. In the center of the house there is a “T-line”, the width of which does not exceed 1 centimeter. You will also see the back and scoring lines nearby.At official competitions, several referees are present at once. Each match is monitored by a specially trained team. The Olympic Games are considered the most prestigious tournament. The World, European and Pacific-Asian curling competitions are also held.
This discipline has a number of technical features. The player must release the attached handle before it crosses the throwing line. Otherwise, this attempt will be cancelled. Also, the result may not be counted if a team member changes the trajectory of movement with his foot or even a broom. There are a huge number of ways to hit the target. In some cases, the main task is to knock someone else's projectile out of the house or protect your own. 
For curling you will need the following equipment:
- Several round stones (weight between 17-20 kilograms).
- A brush designed for rubbing the playing area.
- Slider for sneakers, which will provide better gliding on ice.
In this article we talked about the history of the emergence and development of curling, where it appeared and who invented it. Now it will be more interesting for you to watch competitions, and maybe participate in them.
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