While the main objective of the game is to determine the relative skills of the players, the spirit of the game demands good sportsmanship, kindly feeling, and honorable conduct. But, if a curler should so inadvertently and be aware of it, he or she is the first to divulge the breach.
No curler ever deliberately breaks a rule of the game or any of its traditions. A true curler would prefer to lose, rather than win unfairly.Ī good curler never attempts to distract an opponent or otherwise prevent another curler from playing his or her best. Curlers play to win, but never to humble their opponents. A shot well executed is a delight to see, and so, too, it is a fine thing to observe the time-honored traditions of curling being applied in the true spirit of the game. The curling culture centers around the "Spirit of Curling"Ĭurling is a game of skill and traditions. Understanding the physics of angles and the transfer of momentum are keys to the advanced gameĬurling is a game of finesse, strategy, physics and can be intensely physical.there's a lot more to the game than shuffleboard on ice.Ĭurling is not just a sport, but a culture also. Like billiards, stones can be bounced off one another to meet your goals. Like chess, you need to be thinking several moves ahead, employing complex strategies, to outsmart your opponent Players must often quickly drop their heart rate down to their resting heart rate in order to make their next shot Sweeping, when done properly, is incredibly intense (think of wind sprints), raising the sweeper's heart rates above 160 beats per minute. Sweeping allows players to impact the length and direction (somewhat) of the stone's delivery by making the stone go further and straighter Players must predict the amount of curl that the stone will take based upon the ice conditions (which may change over the course of the game) and the weight (strength of delivery)
This pebble combined with the rotation placed on the stones by the players cause the stones to curl one direction or the other The stones curl as they decelerate thanks to a "pebble" of frozen mist on the surface of the ice. The stones are deceptively easy to slide down the ice requiring a high amount of finesse and fine motor control to deliver the stones with the appropriate weight Finish with your rocks closer to the target than your opponents’, and your team of four wins a game in which keen competition mixes with a wonderful social atmosphere. A granite rock, a sheet of ice, a target 120 feet away. On the surface, curling seems as simple as shuffleboard on ice.