JEFFERSON COUNTY — From first-time players to Olympic athletes, any curler will be quick to say it’s all about the ice.
After decades of competing for ice time with hockey leagues across the metro area, members of the say they’re ecstatic to finally have a dedicated facility whose sole purpose is creating the perfect sheet of curling ice.
Last month doors opened on a that’s one of a few dedicated curling facilities in the western United States.
For curlers, using a hockey rink is akin to bowling on a driveway. The ice sheet has to be pebbled with small droplets of frozen water to create less friction so the 44-pound rocks can slide further as they spin or “curl” across the ice.
“You need that pebbled texture because the stones are concave, which reduces friction as they roll over the ice,” said club president Pam Finch. “And a Zamboni will never touch this ice; using one creates patterns that affect where the rock will go.”
With four lanes, a locker room and a lounge and viewing area outfitted with a refreshment bar, the new facility near Colorado Mills mall has already allowed the club to expand league play and programming options, Finch said.
This includes corporate events during the day, a junior league kicking off next month, with planned senior and adaptive curling leagues in the works. There’s also four-week classes to get those new to the sport up to speed.
“We have 230 members and are hoping to double that in the next few years,” said club vice president Matt Culbertson.
The decades-long plight of the Denver Curling Club is a common one for clubs across the country, said Terry Kolesar, the director of communications for U.S.A. Curling.
“It’s difficult to grow any club if you’re stuck with leftover ice conditions — it’s not very fun,” Kolesar said. “Now every time the Denver club steps onto the ice, they’ll have great curling opportunities.”
Culbertson said the game may seem simple and easy to pick up — the team that slides the most stones closest to the target wins. But there is more to it.
As the game progresses, the rocks slowly melt the ice. This means sweepers fine-tuning where the stone stops have to adjust their strategy as conditions change.
So having quality ice is key. The water at the new facility is run through two filtration systems to remove all minerals and impurities. The ice is kept at a colder temperature than hockey ice, and humidity is also controlled to avoid frost build-up.
Head icers from , said Mike Lowrimore, project manager of Calcon Constructors.
“They were extremely complimentary for the quality of the slab,” he added.
Larry and Sheri Sharpe jumped into the sport after watching the Olympics earlier this year. They learned on hockey ice and joined the Denver Curling Club after hearing about the new facility.
“We learned all the techniques like spin and in-turn, but it was hard to see it work because it was the wrong ice,” Larry Sharpe said. “Now I can stand here and finally see it work.”
Austin Briggs: 303-954-1729, abriggs@denverpost.com or
