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Curling
Updated: 2006-02-10 14:55
Curling originated in the 16th century in Scotland, where games were played
during winter on frozen ponds, lochs and marshes. The earliest-known curling
stones came from the Scottish regions of Stirling and Perth and date back to
1511. The earliest reports of curling came from Paisley Abbey, Scotland, in
1541. In the early days of the sport, stones were taken from river bottoms. In
the 1600s, stones with handles were introduced, allowing a delivery style
similar to what is used today.
Jessica Schultz (L)
from Anchorage, Alaska, of the U.S. women's Curling team delivers the rock
as spectators look on during a curling exhibition by the team in New
York's Central Park January 10, 2006.
[Reuters] |
The key developments in the sport in the 20th century have been the
standardisation of the stone and the use of indoor, refrigerated ice facilities.
Curling for men was included in the programme in 1924.
COMPETITION
At the Olympic Games, both women and men compete in ten-team events. Curling
is a competition between two teams with four players each. The game is played on
ice, and the two teams take turns pushing a 19.1kg stone towards a series of
concentric circles. The object is to get the stone as close to the centre of the
circles as possible.
One game consists of ten "ends". An end is similar to a baseball inning.
During each end, each team delivers eight stones - two stones per person. The
team members deliver the stones in a set order presented to the officials before
the game. The first player is known as the "lead". He/she is followed by the
"second," then the "third" (also known as the "vice-skip") and finally the
"skip", who is the leader of the team. Each end starts with the leads
alternating throws until they have each thrown their two stones. They are
followed by the seconds in the same manner, and so on.
The score for the end is determined when all 16 stones have been delivered.
The team that scores in an end shoots first in the next end. The team with the
most points at the conclusion of ten ends is the winner.
LIST OF EVENTS
curling Men
curling Women
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