Curling

The curling is a Sport of precision practiced on the Glace with heavy stones in polished Granite.

The goal is to place the stones more close possible of a target drawn on the ice, called house .

It is generally allowed that this play was invented at the 16th century in Scotland, in spite of the existence of two tables of Pieter Bruegel Old the which represent peasants Dutch playing curling. Whatever the truth, the play of Curling in outside was very popular in Scotland between XVIe century and the XIXe century when the climate was sufficiently cold to ensure of good conditions of the ice at the time of each winter.

That also explains why the seat of the world Fédération of curling is with Perth in Scotland.

The curling is an official sport of the Winter Olympics since the 1998. Some consider that the curling was already an official competition at the time of the Winter Olympics of 1924 where a tournament of curling had taken place.

Origins and history

The curling with its modern rules was founded with the Canada. “Royal Montreal Curling Club”, the first club sporting of this kind, was founded in 1807. The first club with the the United States was founded in 1832. Then the play was practiced in Suisse and Sweden at the end of the XIXe century.

In France, the curling is sometimes described as game of bowls on ice . It is of course about an unsuitable use because this term is the French translation of the Eisstock practiced in Germany, in Austria, Suisse and with the Luxembourg.

The surface of Play

The surface of play of the curling, or “track” consists of a frozen surface of 42,07 m (146 ') length and of a width going of 4,3 m (14 ' 2") to 4,75 m (15 ' 7"), prepared with great care to be planest possible to allow the “stones”, to slip with less possible friction. One of the keys of the preparation of this surface is to sprinkle the ice with fine water droplets what gives one finished “orange peel” to the ice. The conditions of play tend to evolve/move throughout part.

The “ house ” comprises a series of concentric circles of 3,66 m (12 '), 2,43 m (8 '), 1,22 m (4 ') and 0,3 m (1 ') of diameter, which are painted at each end. The center of the house, marked by the junction of the line of “T” and of the line of centers , is at 3,66 m (12 ') of the support-feet. Two other lines supplement the unit: the line postpones , located across the track and juxtaposed at the end external of the house, and the line of play , generally broader, this one, always across the track, located at 10,06 m (33 ') of the support-feet.

Support-feet, such called “hacks”, are fixed on the ice and are useful at the time launching it stone on each side at the ends.



Pierre de Curling

The stone of curling used for the play weighs 19,96 kg. It has a circumference of 91,44 cm and a height of at least 11,43 cm.

It is equipped with a handle at its top which makes it possible to make it swivel before being slackened

A characteristic of the stones is that their base is not concave punt but and surfaces it slips of the stone is from 6 to 12 mm less broad than the width of the stone. This small difference makes it possible to give an effect to the stone which will tend to follow a curved trajectory (the specialists say that it curle ). The degree of curve depends on several factors, in particular the preparation of the ice and the flatness of the track on the common ways towards the house during the play.

The Scot, in particular, estimate that the stones of curling of best quality are made starting from a special variety of granite, the Ailsite which one finds on the Ailsa Craig, an island close to the coast of Ayrshire.

Players

The curling is a team game, practiced between two teams of 4 players each one. The members of the team are named according to the order in whom they launch their stones in each “ends or boils”. The “lead” or n°1 of each team launches in first, follow-up of the “second” or n°2, the “third” or n°3 and the “skip” or n°4 which is also the captain of the team. This scheduling does not have anything obligatory, and certain teams have other uses. While the first three launchers send their stones, the skip is placed at the other edge of the skating rink to direct the players. When it is with the turn of the skip of launching, it is the third which plays this part.

When a stone is launched, there are a player who launches the stone and another at the other end of the track. The two remaining players follow the stone and assist the trajectory by sweeping the ice before the stone does not arrive, according to the directives of the skip.

Equipment

At the time of the play, the players must carry special shoes. One of the plants of the shoes has a metal strip in Teflon or stainless. It is this sole which makes it possible to slip. The left-handed launchers have this special shoe on their right foot, whereas the launchers droitiers have it on their left foot. The other foot has a thin layer of rubber, to adhere on the ice, or all at least to slip the least possible.

Another equipment is the brush of curling. It is used by the sweeping ones to sweep the surface of ice to advanced stone. The fact of sweeping in front of the stone slows down the deceleration of the stone, and reinforces the trajectory of this one. The brush can also be used for to clean the remains of ice and is also used by the skip to show where he wants that the stone goes. The skip maintains then the brush on the other hand to allow the players accompanying the stone to see where the stone should go. The brushes can be several forms and sizes according to the preferences of each one.

Play

The curling is played between two teams of four curlers. A play usually consists with ten “ends” so called “ends”, and lasts on average two hours. At the time of each “end” the players of each team are entitled to two stones, the players of each alternatively playing camp. At the time of the jet of the stone, this one must be slackened in the middle of the track before the hogline (line of the pig) is reached (usually, the players slip at the same time as they slacken the stone) and must join the basic line. Otherwise, it is isolated play. With each shooting, two players equipped with brushes vigorously rub the ice with advanced stone to modify its trajectory or to increase the distance from the stone. A player placed in the house, either the skip, or the third, indicates to sweeping if they must or not sweep. The skip requires sweeping to preserve an adequate trajectory, the sweeping ones decide for the force to apply.

Regulate of the four stones (Free Guard Zone)

Until the first 4 stones are played, the stones located in the adventure playground between the line of hog and tee, but not in the house, should not be removed (they can be moved without those not leaving the play) by the stones of the opposing team. If one of them is removed, this one is given to the same place and the stone which removed it must be withdrawn from the play.

Score

When the two teams launched 8 stones each one, the team which with the stone more close to the button gains a point for each stone which is closer than the stone nearest to the opposing team. Gaining is the team which made the greatest score after a number Pair of “ends”, usually 10 in high level competition. In club they are generally 8 “ends”, even less. In the event of equality of score at the end of the “ends” envisaged, it can be agreed to play of the additional “ends” to decide between the teams. In fact the third of each team decide pointing. If both do not manage to get along, it is a referee who will come to decide between.

Last stone

The last played stone is often called the “hammer”. The team which with the last stone at the time of the first end of the part is randomly selected by a drawing lot, generally a “pile or face”. To each gaining “end”, the last jet is allotted to the loser of the preceding “end”. If no team gained any “end”, the turn returns again to the same team as at the time of this part without score. It is obviously simpler to gain when the team has the last jet. At the time of the tournaments, the team which has the last jet tries to play for two points or more. So only one point seems possible, the skip will try to cancel the play in progress by not making a point to have the right to have again the last throw on the following “end”. When that arrives one calls that a white play. To gain a point or more by not having the last play is a “flight”.

Discussion of the results

The referee intervenes only at the request of the skips at the time of a divergence in the interpretation of a rule or to determine, while measuring, the position of the stones.

The curling in general

curling|curling The nations more in sight are: the Canada, the Scotland, the Swiss , the Norway and the Sweden.

See too

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