What is curling? Curling: basic rules of Curling how many people are in a team.

Curling Curling is a team sports game on an ice rink. Participants of two teams alternately launch special heavy granite projectiles (“stones”) across the ice towards a target marked on the ice.

Curling rules

The curling court is a rectangular field 146 feet (44.5 m) long and 14 feet 2 inches (4.32 m) wide. The target, called the "house", has a diameter of 12 feet (3.66 m). The stone weighs 44 pounds (19.96 kg) and is made from granite. It has a cylindrical shape and a flat sliding surface. A handle is attached to the top of the stone.

The game involves two teams of 4 people. The game consists of 10 independent periods, the so-called ends. During one end, teams take turns releasing 8 stones. When playing a stone, the player pushes off from the starting block and accelerates the stone across the ice. At the same time, he tries to either stop the stone in a certain place, or knock opponents’ stones out of the scoring zone, depending on the current tactical goal. Other team players can use special brushes to rub the ice in front of the stone, thereby slightly correcting its movement.

After all 16 stones have been played, the end points are counted. Only those stones that are inside the house are taken into account. The team whose stone is closest to the center is considered to have won the end. She gets one point for each stone that is closer to the center than all the opponent's stones.

The last throw gives a very big advantage to the team. In the first end, the order of the teams is determined by drawing lots; in all subsequent ends, the right of the last throw is given to the losing team of the previous end. If in the final position no one has stones in the house, the end ends in a goalless draw, and the right to the last throw remains with the same team. Therefore, it is often advantageous to “throw” the last stone (that is, throw it into touch, deliberately make an ineffective throw), rather than earning just one point.

The winner is determined by the sum of points in all ends. In the event of a tie after 10 ends, an additional period is assigned, called an extra end, the winner of which becomes the winner of the match. The right to the last throw in the extra end is granted, similar to previous periods, to the team that lost the tenth end.

Curling history

It is known that curling originated in Scotland at the beginning of the 16th century, factual confirmation of the existence of this sports game is a curling sports equipment (stone), on the surface of which the date of manufacture is stamped - 1511, found at the bottom of the dry Lake Dunban. The first chronicle mentions of curling are found in medieval monastic books dating back to 1541, preserved in the Scottish Abbey of Paisley.

Approximately from the same time (1565) are two paintings by Pieter Bregel, which depict Dutch peasants playing curling on the ice of a frozen lake. It is curious that Scotland and the Netherlands in the 16th century had very strong trade and cultural ties, as evidenced by the widespread use of not only curling, but also golf in continental Europe.

The oldest curling The club in the world is the players' association of the city of Kilsyth, located in the north of Scotland, founded in 1716. In the same city there is the oldest man-made sports field intended for the game of curling - an artificial dam enclosing a pond and defining a platform measuring 100 by 250 meters.

The word curling itself first began to be used as a name for a game in the 17th century, after being mentioned in a poem by the Scottish poet Henry Adamson. Researchers believe that the game got its name not from the complex curlicues that the stone left behind on the ice, but from the Scottish verb curr, which describes a low growl or roar (the closest equivalent in English is purr). The thing is that a granite stone sliding on the ice touched the notches of the ice, which caused a characteristic sound. To this day, in some areas of Scotland the game is better known as the Roaring Stones Game.

It is worth noting that the imperfect shape of the projectiles and the unpreparedness of the field did not allow ancient curlers to play based on one or another winning strategy or develop sportsmanship - in most cases, the outcome of the game was decided by the luck of a particular team or player.

Interesting information about shells is also contained in the annals of the Scottish city of Darwell: weavers after work relaxed, playing curling heavy stone weights used in looms, and these weights had a removable handle. It also says that "many wives supported their husband's authority by polishing the handle of the stone and bringing its shape to perfection."

Around the 18th century, the shape of the stone began to be standardized into its modern form: diameter 11.5 inches (about 29 cm), height 4.5 inches (11.4 cm), weight 44 pounds (19.96 kg). The cold climate, abundance of ice and democratic requirements for the game made it very popular in Scotland and then throughout the world. Together with the settlers who fled to America from the power of the English monarchs, curling also penetrated into the New World, into Canada, where it became especially widespread due to objective climatic reasons. Curling's debut in the United States took place in 1768: the game was brought with them by Scottish soldiers stationed in Quebec at that time.

The first world men's curling championship was held in Edinburgh in 1959 and went down in history as the Scottish Cup Competition, and the first world champion in this discipline was the Canadian team led by Ernie Richards. The first Women's World Cup was held in Scotland in 1979.

In Russia, curling took root only on the 3rd attempt. The first attempt was made by foreign diplomats in the 90s of the 19th century. Curling clubs were founded in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but the revolution made its own adjustments. In the 20s of the 20th century, enthusiasts tried to revive this sport, but curling was recognized as a bourgeois game and banned. The last and successful attempt was made in 1991. On the basis of the State Academy of Physical Culture named after. In Lesgaft, the curling club “Lesgaftovets” was created.

in 2005, 12 teams already competed for world gold, of which 8 teams represented Europe, 2 from North America, and 2 from Asia and Oceania. European teams receive tickets to the world championship based on the results of the European Championship, which has been held since 1975. In 1992, the national men's team, led by Igor Minin, went to their first European Championship. The Russian women's team first competed on the European stage in 1994. At the 2005 European Championship a record was set - 58 teams from 38 countries.

In 1998, curling was recognized as an Olympic sport, and the first gold medals were awarded at the Winter Olympics in Nagano. The winner in the men's competition was the Swiss team, and the Canadian team won the first gold medals in the women's competition. In 2002, the Russian women's team, led by Olga Zharkova, took part in the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in this discipline.

Curling(English) curling) is an Olympic team sport in which teams must alternately throw special stones across the ice towards a target (“home”), while trying to push out the opponent’s stones.

History of the emergence and development of curling

The history of curling begins in Scotland; it was there, at the bottom of a dry lake in Dunblane, that a game shell was found, on which the date of manufacture (1511) was indicated. In 1457, the Scottish Parliament passed a resolution prohibiting a number of games, as it was believed that they distracted people from going to church and practicing archery. Curling was not banned; most likely, this gave impetus to its development.

Who invented curling?

Scots.

Around the same time, in the Netherlands there was a game similar to curling - icestock, its image is present in the paintings of Pieter Bruegel dated 1565.

In the 16th century, residents of Kislit (Scotland) created a curling society, and the first official curling club appeared in 1716. Also in Kislit there is an artificial dam measuring 250 by 100 meters, which served as a curling field.

Initially, ordinary stones were used for the game, which were more or less suitable in shape. There are records that the weavers of the city of Darvel played curling with stone weights, which were used in looms.

The first rules for the game of curling were formulated in 1804 at the Duddingston Club.

In 1838, the first curling association was created in Edinburgh, which was called the Caledonian General Curling Club. The tasks of the association included the task of standardizing the rules and gaming equipment. As a result, the shape of the curling stone acquired a modern look: diameter 29.2 cm, height 11.4 cm, weight 19.96 kg.

The first World Curling Championships for men were held in Falkirk and Edinburgh in 1959, and for women in 1979 in Perth, Scotland. Since 1975, world championships have become regular.

In 1998, curling made its debut at the Nagano Olympics.

Curling rules

A team consists of 4 players. Each player performs two throws in each end in a certain sequence, alternating with the opponent.

A game consists of 10 “ends,” as periods are called in curling. In each end, teams must throw 8 stones at the target, stones are thrown alternately. The right to throw first is determined by drawing lots. The team making the first throw has the right to choose the color of the stones for the game. The order of throws continues until one of the teams wins the end; in the next end, the winner of the previous end throws first.

How many ends are there in curling?

The goal of each throw is to hit the stone as close to the center of the house as possible or to push the opponent's stones out of the house. At the end of the end (after all rolls have been made), a team scores one point for each of its stones in or touching the house that are located closer to the center of the house than any of the opponent's stones. If in the final position no one has stones in the house, the end ends in a goalless draw, and the right to the last throw remains with the same team.

The throwing technique in curling is quite complex, and there are a huge number of ways to direct the stones at the target. According to the rules, the player must release the handle of the stone before it crosses the throwing line, otherwise the throw does not count and the bat is removed from the game.

During the first four throws of each end, a special Free Guard Zone rule applies. According to this rule, it is prohibited to remove from play stones that are between the scoring line and the center line of the house, but are not located in the house.

Curling area

The curling playground has an ice surface, its length ranges from 44.5 to 45.72 meters, and the maximum width is 5 meters. This area is delineated around the perimeter with special dividers or lines.

In addition, there are other marking lines on the field:

  • T-line - line of the center of the house (maximum width 1.27 cm).
  • Back line - back line (maximum width 1.27 cm).
  • Hog line - scoring line (width 10.16 cm).
  • Center line (maximum width 1.27 cm).
  • Shot line - parallel to the tee line, at each end of the center line.
  • A reference line 15.24 cm long and a maximum width of 1.27 cm, which is drawn at a distance of 1.219 meters outward from and parallel to the hog line, on each side of the court.

On each side of the site there are four concentric circles with centers in the middle of the house and radii of 1.829 meters, 1.219 meters, 61 cm and 15.24 cm. The house itself has a diameter of 3.66 meters.

Curling equipment (stones, brushes, slider)

  • Curling stones have a round shape with a circumference of no more than 91.44 cm and a height of at least 11.43 cm. The weight of the stone must be between 17.24 - 19.96 kg. Curling stones are made from a specific type of granite that is quarried on the island of Ailsa Craig in Scotland.
  • Brush for rubbing ice.
  • Teflon shoe slider that provides better glide for the throwing player.

With each new year, more and more diverse sports games appear. And they all have their own specific rules. And their entertainment value is different. But this is precisely what attracts a large number of people who, over time, become fans of a particular sport. However, it should be noted that not all disciplines are able to be included in the program of the Olympic Games. Curling not only managed to achieve this, but also became an official sport of the Olympics. This review will discuss what rules are typical for this game, which has managed to gain universal recognition from numerous fans. In addition, some historical moments of this interesting sport should be highlighted.

What can you say about this type of competition?

Curling is a sport that has been officially included in the Olympic program since 1998. However, the history of this competition began much earlier. Somewhere in the sixteenth century. Today, a large number of athletes from many countries around the world practice curling. There is nothing strange about this, since the game has a pronounced competitive nature and is able to attract the attention of even those people who have not watched it before. That is why the rules of the game of curling have become of interest to many.

The term "curling", if interpreted from English, means "rotation". Currently, this is the name given to a sports game played on ice. The rules of the game of curling involve the use of a special object such as a pin.

A little history: about the emergence of a sports discipline

The game originated in Scotland. It was this country that provided the opportunity for many other countries to become more familiar with this sporting discipline. Basically, curling has taken root where there are conditions suitable for it. After all, at that time, ice filling in certain areas was not carried out. The fields were simple, icy natural bodies of water. Officially, curling is a sport recognized in 1838, when a specialized club was opened. Five years later, after Queen Victoria attended the game, it began to be called accordingly - royal.

What is an Olympic sport?

Although curling was included in the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix in 1924, it was not officially considered an Olympic discipline. They began to call him that only after 74 years.

The rules of the game of curling require the use of a specially prepared field. And it must be filled with ice. The size of the playing area is 45.72x5 meters. If you view the field from above, you can see the markings along which the game itself takes place. The important part is the “house”, which looks like a shooting target. This is where athletes need to bring the pin. In addition, the rules of curling mean that the closer to the center she stands, the better it will be for the players of any team.

Dimensions of sports equipment

The pin has the appearance of a rounded projectile. When creating it, a material such as granite is used. The diameter of the stone should not exceed 91.44 centimeters. The height also has a fixed value and is 11.43 centimeters. The weight of the skittles can vary from 17.24 to 19.96 kilograms. A metal handle is attached to the projectile in such a way that it is more convenient to launch it. The rules of curling competitions require the presence of eight pins, 2 for each athlete on the team. In one set with such projectiles there is a brush, as well as a stand used for sliding during the throw.

You will definitely need to choose shoes. It is a pair of boots that have a wide variety of properties. One pair of shoes has a sliding sole, and the other, on the contrary, has an anti-slip sole. The only technical accessory the athletes have is a stopwatch.

Dividing the game into separate periods

Curling, namely a match in this sport, is divided into separate game parts in the amount of 10 pieces. They are called "endom". As a result of the completion of all parts, points are determined. Moreover, they will be awarded to the team of athletes who win the race. The second team, accordingly, remains without points. The overall result will be the sum of the points that were received for completing individual stages of the game.

How to make the most accurate throw?

The rules of the game state that there simply cannot be a draw. In that situation, if the teams are tied on points, they will be given an extra run. It is the result that will contribute to the final determination of the winner. You can win competitions through subtle calculations. The athlete is only required to accurately calculate the point at which he should stop before making the throw. The strength of the throw performed is also particularly important. Everything will depend on the skill of the player and how quickly the athletes cope with clearing the road in front of the projectile. This must be done so that he can get to a certain goal faster and more accurately.

for Game

So, we should summarize what was written above and highlight some more aspects when answering the question of how to play curling.

The length of the site should be 146 feet, or 44.5 meters. The width of the playing field is 14 feet 2 inches, or 4.32 meters. The target, called the house, has a diameter of 12 feet, or 3.66 meters. The projectile weighs 44 pounds, or 19.96 kilograms. Granite is used in production. It has a cylindrical shape, a flat surface with high sliding performance. There is a handle at the top of the pin.

What else can be said about this sports discipline?

What other rules are there in curling? Two teams, 4 athletes each, take part in the gameplay. The game is divided into periods independent from each other. There are 10 of them in total. During one end, which is what one period of the game is called, teams take turns firing eight projectiles. When playing a stone, the player must push off from the initial column and accelerate the projectile, moving it along the ice. At the same time, he must either achieve a complete stop of the pin in a certain place, or make sure that it knocks out the projectile of the opposing team. Everything will depend on the chosen tactics. Other players on the same team help the projectile move faster and more accurately by rubbing the ice with brushes. They do this directly in front of the stone. In addition, due to this rubbing, they help correct the movement of the pin.

When all the shells have been played for both teams, the points of the period will be calculated. The jury will only take into account those pins that do not go outside the house. The team whose projectile is closest to the central part of the “target” will win one end. She will receive a point for each pin that is as close as possible to the opponent's stones to the middle of the house.

An additional period in the game that will help determine the winner

With the last throw, a team can gain a very large advantage. Whoever throws the projectile first in the opening end will definitely be a toss-up. In the remaining periods, those players who lost in the previous end begin to throw. If at the end of the period there are no stones left within the target, then a draw will be considered. In the next end, the first team to throw will be the same team that started throwing the pins in the previous game stage. That is why sometimes it is very profitable to throw a projectile, and not to get at least one point.

The winner will be determined by the total sum of all points in all game stages. If their number is equal, an additional period is assigned, which is called extra-end. The winner of this period becomes the winner of the entire game. The team that lost the previous one will throw in the extra end.

The popularity of the game is constantly growing

At this point, the question of what rules of the game of curling exist has been fully considered. We hope that this review helped you understand this sports discipline and understand what it is. In principle, there is nothing complicated or specific in this game. However, interest in it is growing stronger and stronger with each new day. And people’s passion for sports only makes us happy.

Before the start of the Sochi Winter Olympics, most did not know not only what the meaning of curling was, but even what kind of sport it was and what it was related to: alpine skiing or speed skating. The Olympics changed the attitude towards this sport, and it gained many fans and admirers. In this article we will look at the history, rules and features of “ice bowling”, as curling is also called.

Curling history

According to the official version, curling originated in the 16th century in Scotland. This is also confirmed by archaeological finds - the oldest stone for this game, discovered by scientists at the bottom of a dry lake, dates back to 1511. From that time on, curling began to spread throughout European countries. The first documentary mention of this game dates back to 1541. At the end of the 18th century, the first curlers club was opened.

European settlers, who set off for various reasons to conquer the American continent, brought curling to the New World.

In the 19th century, several significant events occurred in the history of curling: the official rules of this game were approved, revealing the meaning of curling, and three national varieties were identified: Scottish, German and Swiss.

Already in the 20th century, curling was recognized as a separate sport, and the first world championship took place in 1959.

It is important to emphasize that today the meaning of the sport of curling and its rules have remained virtually unchanged.

Olympic history of curling

Winter curling was introduced into the category in 1998, but it took about 74 years for this to happen. For the first time, curling was presented as a demonstration sport in the Olympic program at the games in 1924 and 1932. But either the players did not play recklessly, or the spectators did not understand the meaning of curling, but over the next 25 years no attempts were made to introduce the game into the Olympic program. The first set of Olympic medals in this sport was awarded at the games in Nagano, Japan in 1998.

When did curling appear in Russia?

The first wave of popularity of this game came at the end of the 19th century, when European diplomats created curling clubs in St. Petersburg and Moscow. In the 20s of the last century, they tried to popularize the game in the Soviet Union, but the Soviet people, busy solving current problems, did not understand the meaning of curling. In addition, at that time, granite was a scarce material, and bats made of wood did not contribute to the success and spread of curling in Russia.

In modern Russia, curling is also not very popular. European and world-class teams can be counted, as they say, “on one hand.” And in total there are no more than four hundred curlers (curling players) in Russia today.

Game Basics

Today, curling is a sport in which two teams compete. Each of them is assigned a specific color. Each of them consists of 4 people, from among whom a captain is selected to lead the game and show the team where to direct the stones.

During the game, teams alternately launch “stones” across the ice - special projectiles made of granite. The players' task is to hit a target called the “house” with this projectile, weighing 20 kg. It is located at a distance of 31 meters. If there is an opponents’ stone in the “house”, it must be pushed out. While the projectile is sliding, team members, assessing the trajectory of its movement, rub the ice with special shields, adjusting its launch range, speed and trajectory.

As the brushes rub against the ice, a thin film of water forms on its surface. Thanks to it, you can adjust the direction and speed of movement of the stone.

Each team is presented with 8 projectile stones that must hit the house. If the stones do not “reach” the boundaries of the house or cross them, then they are eliminated from the game. Thus, curling (the meaning of the game) is pushing the opponent’s bat out of the target with your own bat.

Rules of the game

The curling court is covered with ice and must be 44.5 m long and 4.32 m wide. The target into which teams must “drive” stones is called a house. Its diameter is 3.5 meters. Special curling stones are made from Scottish granite quarried at Eilis Craig. Each weight is about 20 kg.

Teams throw stones one at a time. The order of the first throws is determined by drawing lots at the beginning of the game. Subsequent throws are made first by the team that won the previous round. Each team's points are counted after all the stones have been thrown. Only stones located in the house and not knocked out of its boundaries are counted. The round, called the “end” in curling, is won by the team whose stone is closest to the “button” - the center of the target.

In order to understand the meaning of curling, you don’t need to graduate from university and be a professional athlete, you just need to watch the game and share the passion of the athletes!

In this article we will talk about the history of curling and the basic rules of the game. We will try to show that curling is not just strange big stones around which competitors scurry and shout on the ice with brushes in their hands, but precise strategy, skill, passion and, to some extent, luck of the curlers.

Two competing teams, consisting of men or women, take to the ice rink. Each team has 4 players. One by one, one of the members of each team fires heavy projectiles—granite stones—on the ice, which has been filled and prepared in a special way. And there is a marked target on the ice.

This game originated in Scotland. It was a very long time ago - in the sixteenth century. And there is evidence of this. In Dunblane, at the bottom of a drained pond (or lake), a curling shell was discovered, on which the date of its manufacture was engraved - 1511. At Paisley Abbey, the monastic annals contain records of curling, dating back to 1541. In addition, Pieter Bruegel in 1565 depicted Dutch peasants in two of his paintings enthusiastically playing icestock on the surface of a frozen lake (it is very close to curling). Researchers and historians believe that the name of the game comes from one of the Scottish verbs "curr", describing a roar or low growl. Indeed, when a granite projectile, called a stone, slid along the ice, touching its jagged edges, a characteristic sound could be heard, similar to a roar or growl. In the chronicles of one of the Scottish towns - Darwell, it is said that to play curling, weavers got used to taking heavy loads with them after work, which, in fact, had such a purpose as oppression for the loom. Such stone weights had a handle that could be removed if necessary. So in the past, curling shells came in a variety of shapes. It was only in the eighteenth century that the shape began to acquire its modern cylindrical appearance, precise size and weight. Scotland has a cold climate, which is why the game has become so popular. Then it spread to Canada, the USA and around the world. The first serious competition, the world championship for men, was held in 1959 in Edinburgh. And then the winners were men from Canada. The women's championship was organized in 1979, again in Scotland, but in Perth. The team from Switzerland won then. But in Russia, curling did not take root for a very long time. An attempt was first made in the nineties of the nineteenth century by foreign diplomats. Then curling clubs were created in St. Petersburg and Moscow. But then the revolution happened. Then, in the twenties of the twentieth century, they wanted to revive curling again, but this sport was recognized as a bourgeois game and banned. And so, on the basis of one of the physical education academies, a curling club was formed in 1991. Curling was added to the Winter Olympics in 1998.

What do you need for curling?

To conduct the game, the ice area is pre-filled and prepared in a certain way. This is a rectangle, one side of which can be from 44.5 to 45.72 meters, and the other from 4.42 to 5.0 meters. There is a target marked on the site, the diameter of which is 3.66 meters. It's called "home".

Few people know that the weight of the playing stone is almost 20 kg, or more precisely, 19.96 kg. And these shells are made only from special hard granite. It is mined on the Scottish island of Ailsa Craig. The stone is processed and polished with diamond powder, has a sliding surface and a handle at the top that allows you to control the stone. The curler first slides along the platform with a stone, holding it by the handle, and then releases it into a free slide; his path can be from 20 to 30 meters.

Players also have special brushes; they are made of carbon, fiberglass or other durable synthetic polymers, and the rubbing surface is made of cardura. It is with this that the player rubs the ice surface in front of the stone as it moves.

A stone-throwing curler wears Teflon sliders on his shoes to glide. Professional curling shoes are expensive, but they are practical, warm and comfortable. To prevent injury, the use of knee pads is permitted.

What are the ground rules?

Victory is awarded to the team that scores more points during the match. There are ten game periods, they are called ends. Each team includes four players. The athletes’ task during the end is to try to make every effort to get as many “curling stones” released by their team players towards the center of the “house” (scoring target). By the end of the end, for each stone placed closer to the center of the target (compared to the position of the opponent’s stones), the team receives a point.

A total of 160 stones are released per game. That is, in each period there are 16 shells, this number is divided equally between the 2 playing teams. It turns out that each player from the team will launch two sports equipment. The “task” for each stone is given by a skip, which is what the player located in the “house” is called. It all depends on the tactics and situation at home. Sometimes you need to try to make the stone stop in the place the team wants. And sometimes you need to release it so that “your” stone knocks the opponents’ stones out of the marked scoring zone. When the stone moves, players should no longer touch it. But you can rub ice in front of a stone, this is called sweeping. This is done in order to change the condition of the ice surface in a certain place on the site. This way you can try to maintain (or slightly change) the trajectory along which the stone slides and slightly extend the path of its independent movement. This activity is not at all as simple as it may seem to the audience. During a sweep, the player's pulse reaches 180 beats per minute, and the muscles of the legs and arms are heavily loaded. These movements cannot be compared to the way we rub the floor of the house when cleaning! Sometimes, if a stone has been placed in a very successful manner, they try to protect it, that is, to create difficulties for the enemy’s stone so that he does not knock it out. The most important is the last throw of the team, it decides almost everything. In the first end (period), a draw decides the fate of throws for the teams. And in the subsequent ones - the main, decisive throw for the team that lost the previous end. But the game requires not only strength and dexterity, but also tactical moves. For example, some teams deliberately make an ineffective last throw. Indeed, in this case, the team, although it will lose a possible point, will receive a preferential last throw in the future. At the end of the match, the amount of points earned is calculated. If the teams have an equal number of points, then another period of the game will be assigned, it is called an extra end. The very last launch of the stone in it will be done by the player of the team that lost in the previous, that is, the tenth end.

What should a curler be able to do?

The criteria by which an athlete’s skill can be judged include his ability and ability to give the “curling stone” the required speed and set the direction of its sliding along the court in such a way that:

  • the projectile stopped exactly where it was intended;
  • hit the enemy’s stone at the right angle and displaced him, or even better, knocked him out of the “house”.

To achieve the set goals, it is necessary to calculate the forces at the moment when repulsion is made from the block, and set the direction. Actions must be clear and coordinated.

The success of the game largely depends not only on the skill of the team players, but also on the coherence, clarity of their actions and the supply of tactical combinations. It is for the nuances and tactical moves that curling received its unofficial name - “chess on ice.” People who know the rules and subtleties of this game assure that it is interesting and spectacular. MirSovetov wishes good luck to the athletes at the ongoing Olympic Games!