The Spirit of Curling
Curling is a game of skill and traditions. A shot well executed is a
delight to see and so, too, it is a fine thing to observe the
time-honored tradition of curling being applied in the true spirit
of the game.
Curlers play to win but never to humble their opponents. A true curler would prefer to lose rather than win unfairly. A good curler never attempts to distract an opponent or otherwise prevent him/her
from playing his/her best.
No curler ever deliberately breaks a rule of the game or any of its traditions. But, if he/she should do so inadvertently and be aware of it, he/she is the first to divulge the breach.
While the main object of curling is to determine the relative skills of the players, the spirit of the game demands good sportsmanship, kindly feeling, and honorable conduct. This spirit should influence both the interpretation and application of the rules of the game, and also the conduct of all participants on and off the ice.
Rough guide to curling
Curling is a sport played on ice with two teams of four players. The purpose of the game is to put your stones (made out of granite and about 42 lb in weight) closer to the centre of the house,
(the target area defined by circles drawn on the ice surface),
than the other team.
After all stones have been played, the team with the stones closest to the centre of the house scores points for that end. There are typically eight ends in a curling game. The points total is equal to the number of stones closer to the centre than the nearest stone of the opposing team. After the ends (game time about two hours) the team with the most points wins the game.
The stones do not move in a straight line. They are thrown with a turning motion and due to the friction with the ice they move along a curved path. While the stone is travelling down the ice, the delivering team's players are allowed to sweep in front of the stone as a method
of controlling the stone's speed and direction. Sweeping is done with
a broom designed for curling. The sweeping action very slightly melts
the surface of the ice creating a thin water film, which lowers the friction between stone and ice.
This has two effects: the stone does not slow down as quickly and runs further before it stops and the curved path becomes straighter. Therefore the place where the stone stops and its direction can be changed while it is running without touching it. When players aren't throwing, they sweep the stones for their teammates.
At the highest-level curling is a skillful game of precision (inches over a distance of 40 yards) and physical endurance (for the sweeping). On a lower level curling is, however, a game that can be enjoyed by men and women from the young to the old.
