Curling, the Scotland-born sport that returned to the Olympics in 1998, is a mix among bocce, shuffleboard and chess. It is commonly referred to as “chess on ice,” and its popularity in North America appears to be growing with every new ice rink.
Played on a sheet of ice 138 feet long and 14 feet wide, the idea is to get a granite stone inside the “house” — a 12-foot-wide circle at the other end of the ice. A perfect shot is in the “tee,” which is in the center of the house.
The sport consists of two four- person teams that trade positions of lead (sliding the stone down the ice), sweeping (helping the stone go to the preferred spot) and skipping (directing the teammates).
Each team delivers eight stones, two by each player, and players can knock opponents’ shots out of the house. Only house shots are scored.
Watch the experts in person Feb. 21-28 when the U.S. Olympic Trials take place at the Broomfield Event Center.
“The growth of the sport of curling since 2002 has been incredible,” said Leland Rich, president of USA Curling. “We’ve enjoyed a good relationship with NBC post-Olympics, which has helped grow the sport into many nontraditional curling locations. . . . We’re excited to be bringing our 2010 Olympic team trials to Broomfield. This larger market area will no doubt help further support the growth of our sport nationally.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
Colorado curling clubs
Aspen Curling Club , Aspen Ice Garden, appraisaloffice@sopris.net
Broadmoor Curling Club , Colorado Sports Center, Monument,
Crested Butte Curling Club , Red Mountain Park, Crested Butte, nkw@crestedbutte.com
Denver Curling Club , The Ice Ranch, Littleton,
University of Denver Curling Club , DU campus,
Tee shots
Basic strategies of shooting:
The “draw”
This is what it’s called to send the stone down the ice sheet, with the help of the sweepers and the direction of the skip. Having the stone land in the tee would be a perfect shot, but typically you don’t want to land in the house on your first shot, because it likely will be taken out with ensuing shots.
The “takeout”
Easy enough. Just like shuffleboard, this is what it’s called to knock out an opponent’s scoring stone.
The “guard”
As its name implies, this shot is a defensive move that puts one of your team’s shots in front of another, guarding the scoring stone from being taken out.
Did you know?
•For international competition, the temperature of the ice must be 23 degrees Fahrenheit.
•Before you order your stones, consider the cost of shipping. Stones weigh from 28 to 44 pounds and come in sets of 16.
•A team name is typically the last name of the skip.
Source: USA Curling
The beginning
Scottish rule. Curling was first documented in Scotland and Holland in the 1500s, with the Scots developing the game with rules by 1807.
Game on. The first U.S. curling event took place in Orchard Lake, Mich., near Detroit. Curling was played in Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York and North Dakota by the late 1800s.
Interest growing
Must-see TV. According to the U.S. Curling Association, curling received the best TV ratings in the past two Winter Olympics, including in 1994 when it was not a sanctioned event.
Hot topic. The organization says curling was the third-most searched topic on during the 1998 Olympics in Nagano.
Source: USCA
