Words of Wisdom from SharLeigh

THE WINTER OLYMPICS ARE COMING
Are You Ready for Curling?

What can one do with a 42 lb. stone on ice? Watch the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy and you shall see the sport of Curling. It’s not exactly the game you think of when you envision the Olympics – like downhill skiing, figure skating and bobsledding – but it has been on the Olympic venue since 1924. Curling is a sport that has a “wee” bit of mystery to its origin. A Scotsman will proclaim the game was invented in Scotland, but others claim that the Flemish imported the game to Scotland during the reign of James I. Now throw into the mix archaeological finds of the famous curling stone named “Stirling Stone” with the date of 1511 inscribed on it and another stone with the date 1551. These stones were discovered in Scotland when an old pond was drained. Each Curling team includes four players: the lead, second, third or vice skip and skip. The skip is the strategist of the team. The game is played on ice with a 42.1 lb. highly-polished granite stone with a handle bolted to it. The stone is concave on the bottom to help it glide down the ice. The object of the game is to get the stone as close to the center circle as possible. When a team member releases the stone, there are two kinds of releases: a clockwise twist (in-turn) or a counter-clockwise twist (out-turn). These rotating releases help the stone glide down the ice. Once the stone is set in the motion, the ice is brushed in front of it to reduce friction so the stone may travel straighter and farther. This brushing can increase the stone’s forward motion as much as 10 feet. In competition, each game consists of 10 ends (or innings). There are two teams and two stones per person. Each member of the team gets to deliver two stones per end, alternating with the other team. When 16 stones have been delivered, the score for the end is determined. Once you have watched a curling event you will understand, it is an exacting sport but one of great fun and amazement when you see that stone glide down the ice.

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