What is curling? A guide to FanSided’s favorite winter sport
Curling is one of the best things about the Winter Olympics. Here is everything you need to know about this esoteric and unusual sport.
The 2018 Winter Olympics at PyeongChang, South Korea are upon us, which means humanity finally gets its long-awaited fix of its foremost event. It’s a game that captures the world’s attention once every four years. It’s game that makes you think they took table shuffleboard and somebody said, “this is a lot of fun. What if we made it life-sized and played it on ice?” I’m talking about curling, but I’m sure you already knew that.
Even if you don’t realize it yet, curling is low-key everyone’s favorite winter Olympic sport, because it’s the most relatable. It’s the only event you can watch and think to yourself, “hey, I can do that.” Curling is so awesome, it’s even one of the sports Russia is allowed to partake in this year despite their IOC ban.
But where did it come from? How do you actually play? Well, it’s simple and it’s complicated.
Curling is a game so legendary, its exact origins were lost to time. Although it transcends all political and geographical borders, the earliest recordings date it back to early-16th century Scotland. The official rules were drafted in 1838 by the Grand Caledonian Curling Club. (Before 1838, I assume matches took on a “house rules” vibe and statutes varied depending on whose ice you played on.) It was dubbed the “Roaring Game” because of the sound the stone makes as it slides across the ice.
It debuted as a men’s sport at the 1924 Olympic Games in Chamonix, but was dropped from the program after that. It made its way back intermittently as a demonstration sport until Nagano in 1998, when it was cemented on the official docket on both the men’s and women’s side.
As you’d expect, cold weather countries tend to excel, with Canada as the overall leader in medal count and gold winners.
Here’s what you’ll need for a regulation game:
- A rectangular, symmetrical 150-foot by 16.5-foot ice surface. At each end, four concentric circles are drawn — this is referred to as the house. The size of the circles start at a diameter of one foot, then four, eight, and finally, 12-feet for the largest one.
- Two teams, each with four players
- Eight handled, polished granite stones for each team. The stones are allowed to weigh between 38 and 44 pounds, with a maximum circumference of 36 inches and a minimum height of 4.5 inches.
- Three brooms for each team
- Appropriate footwear
The two teams take alternating turns in sliding the stones, trying to place them closest to the button (the epicenter of the circles) to score or knocking others out of the way. The throws commence with a player pushing off the hack, similar to a starting block in a track meet. The thrower slides with the stone and must release it before the front of the stone crosses the hog line. The hog line is 33 feet in front of the hack.
Once released, the two other players from the team are sweepers and the fourth player usually gives direction. Sweeping manipulates the stone’s path and speed. The more sweeping is done, the faster and farther the stone will go.
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When both teams finish their eight throws, the winner of the round is determined by whoever is closest to the button. That team gets one point for each stone that lies closer to the button than the opponent’s closest stone. A match goes for 10 rounds.
For the full official rules, click here. If you’re ready to buy some fancy curling shoes and synthetic brooms and jump into the curling world, go here.