Others shake their heads in disbelief and wonder why sweepers chase a smooth stone down the ice. Why would men and women train to advance highly polished stones toward a tee with surrounding concentric circles? Who developed this unusual sport and when?
Curling reportedly originated in 16th Century Scotland, known as the "Roarin' Game" due to the sound of the stone sliding on frozen lochs and ponds...
"The first Rules were drawn up in Scotland, and they were formally adopted as the “Rules in Curling” by the Grand Caledonian Curling Club, which was formed in Edinburgh in 1838 and became the sport’s governing body.
Four years later, following a demonstration of curling on the ballroom floor of Scone Palace near Perth by the Earl of Mansfield during a visit by Queen Victoria, the Queen was so fascinated by the game that in 1843 she gave permission for the Club’s name to be changed to the Royal Caledonian Curling Club (RCCC) – by which it is still known today." Reference: Worldcurling.org
Modern curling competitions are held indoors. A curling playing surface (called a sheet) from Wikimedia Commons:
From NBC Sports, "The playing surface in curling is 150 feet (45.7 meters) long and 16 feet, 5 inches (5 meters) wide. The ice is set up to accommodate play in both directions, meaning the surface is symmetrical with four concentric circles, known as the house, at each end.
The center circle, or the tee, of the house is 1 foot in diameter, the next circle is 4 feet, the next 8 feet and the outside circle 12 feet. This outside circle marks the edge of the house.
Players start a stone moving from a rubber block called the hack. The hack is 126 feet from the tee line, which is at the center of the house. Players swing the stone back and then forward before pushing off from the hack and sliding along the ice. Players must release the stone before the front edge touches the hog line, a line running width-wise through the center of the tee at the other end..."
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| historic photo of Team Canada, stillmed.olympic.com |
Free Guard Zone
"The area in front of the house, between the hog line and the tee line (not including the concentric circles of the actual house) is known as the Free Guard Zone. No stone in this area may be removed from play by the opposition until the first four stones in an end have come to rest. Players are allowed to bump other stones with shots, but are not allowed to knock a stone out of play.
Any shot played when the Free Guard Zone rule is in effect that results in an opposition stone being knocked out of play is an infraction. In this case, the played stone is removed from play and any other stone that was moved is replaced. For any stone lying within the house, normal rules apply at all times..."
Sweeping
"After a stone is thrown, players are allowed to sweep the ice in front of the stone. Sweeping clears the ice of any debris that might slow the stone down or send it off course. Sweeping also melts a thin layer of ice that reduces friction and thus increases the distance the rock travels.
Sweeping is allowed by any player on the throwing team between the two tee lines. Players are not allowed to sweep opponents’ stones in that area.
Sweeping is allowed by any player on the throwing team between the two tee lines. Players are not allowed to sweep opponents’ stones in that area.
Behind the tee line at the playing end (where the stones stop moving), only one player from each team may sweep at any one time. This may be any player of the delivering team, but only the skip or vice-skip (third) of the non-delivering team.
Only stones in motion – termed “running stones” – may be swept. Players may not touch any stones while sweeping. Also, they may only sweep in front of the stone, in a direction perpendicular to the direction of motion.
Players are allowed to sweep stones that are set in motion by other stones..."
Violations that serious impair scoring, include Hogline violation, touching a moving or stationary stone, playing out of order and incorrect sweeping.
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