There are many sports in the world, but not all of them are as popular as hockey and football. Curling is one of these sports – it is widely known worldwide, but in popularity, it is much inferior to many more famous sports. In this article, we are going to cover the specifics of curling – and if you want to bet on sports, you can visit the 22Bet platform.
Curling is an Olympic winter sport, a team game on an ice rink. Athletes take turns throwing unique stones in the direction of a target marked on the ice in order to hit it and push out the opponent’s stones.
Fans of this game call it “ice billiards”. A few years ago, the meaning of this sporting direction raised many questions, and some did not take it seriously at all, even despite the fact that since 1998 it has been included in the Olympics program. But today this specific type of competition is gaining popularity with great speed.
History of occurrence
Some scholars believe curling originated in Scotland, citing a 1511 stone found by an archaeological expedition as proof. Others argue that the homeland of this activity is the Netherlands since the paintings of the Dutch artists of the 16th century depict the process of this game. And from there the game came to Europe through Scotland, with which Holland traded.
But still, the first official curling community was formed in Scotland. The first artificial ice platform was also prepared here. Stones from the mountains were used as shells, choosing the same ones in shape. It was not until the 18th century that the size and shape of projectiles were unified, setting requirements for diameter (11.5 inches), weight (44 pounds), and height (4.5 inches). Shortly thereafter, the game began to spread around the world. The equipment was standardized by the first curling association in Edinburgh, called the “Main Curling Club of Caledonia”.
The first curling tournament took place in 1768 in the United States. And uniform rules were developed in 1804.
Curling rules
- Two teams play, four members each.
- The periods of the game are called ends, there are 10 of them in the match.
- For each end, the team is given 8 stones. They need to be sent to the marked area – the house while pushing out the stones of the opponents from there. Shells that do not hit the house are eliminated.
- Each player in the period makes a couple of throws in turn with an opponent. The right of the first throw is established during the draw. The team that starts the game chooses the color of the stones. In the next and, the right to the first throw belongs to the team that won the previous one.
- When all the projectiles have been used, the stones of both sides are counted that hit the center of the house or lie closer to it than the opponents’ projectiles. A point is awarded for each such stone. The winner is the one who scored more points.
- If, when counting, neither team has shells inside the house, a draw is announced, and the right of the first throw is reserved for the same team.
- If at the end of 10 ends both teams have the same number of points, then extra time is announced – “extra end”, which reveals the winner.
Throw technique
The stone can be directed at the target in a variety of ways, the main thing is that the following requirement is observed: the player should release the handle of the stone before it crosses the throw line. Otherwise, the movie will not be counted. From the 1st to the 4th throw, a rule called the “free throw zone” applies. It means that shells that do not hit the house but lie between them and the scoring mark, cannot be knocked out.
Curling area
The parameters of the site are 45.72 x 5 m. It is covered with ice, on which markings are applied:
- The line of the center of the house (tee-line) is 1.27 cm wide.
- The back line (back line) is the same width.
- Scoring line (hog-line) 10.16 cm wide.
- Centerline is 1.27 cm wide.
- Line of blocks – located at the ends of the central and parallel to the center of the house.
- The Control line (15.24 x 1.27 cm) is located on all sides of the field outside of the end line and parallel to it.
In addition, four circles are drawn on each side of the field with decreasing radii and a common center in the middle of the house. The house itself is 3.66 meters in diameter.
Curling clothes and shoes
Curling is a winter sport, so the equipment for competitions should be warm. In addition, it should be tight so as not to interfere and stretch well so as not to restrict movement. Therefore, athletes prefer clothing made from fabric with the addition of spandex.
It is recommended to choose trousers with a hanging waist since a large number of slopes are made in the game. From the inside, the trousers should be insulated, for example, with fleece, to provide protection from the cold, because the game on ice lasts more than one hour.
For the game, participants wear mittens or gloves with fixing straps. They do not allow your hands to freeze and make the grip with the brush better. There are special gloves with holes in the palms, which help to remove excess moisture.
Players’ shoes are special shoes with different soles: sliding on the left foot, but not on the right. These shoes are lined with felt on the inside, which allows them to retain heat for a long time.
