Sports: Curling
[ Background | Equipment | Where ]
Background of the Sport
Curling is the second most popular winter sport in Canada, and is most widespread in the prairies. Curling is played on a sheet of pebbled ice, unlike the smooth ice of a skating or hockey rink, with target circles (the "house") at each end resembling shuffleboard. A curling team is called a "rink" and consists of four people led by the "skip." The object of this sport is to get the most curling "rocks" nearest the center of the rings at the opposite side of the rink. The sport of curling involves balance, strength, accuracy, and strategy.
The curlers use a broom to "sweep" the rock down the ice, guiding it toward its target. Because the rocks are thrown with a rotation they will curl left or right as they go down the ice. The skip needs to "read" the ice during a game to determine how much the rock will curl on any particular shot. The sweeping motion of the broom polishes the pebbled surface, allowing the rock to slide further.
The Canadian curling championships for men and women are called the Nokia Brier and the Scott Tournament of Hearts, respectively. Both are popular televised events.
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Equipment
Curling is an affordable sport to play. The most important pieces of equipment are the slider and the broom (the rocks come with the ice). The Teflon-coated slider covers the bottom of one curling shoe, so the curler can slide down the ice surface while throwing the rock (balancing is a challenge). A curler also needs gloves, shoes, and warm athletic apparel. Sliders and brooms can usually be rented at curling rinks, and the other equipment is available at many sporting goods stores.
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Where
There are plenty of leagues in Ottawa for curlers of all ages. If you're
interested in joining a curling league, you can contact your local Parks and Recreation office, for the curling club nearest you.
Curling is big in the Ottawa area, with the large number of Scottish immigrants over the years. There are several rinks in Ottawa, as well as in the outlying communities of Almonte, Carleton Place, Carp, Cumberland, Manotick, Metcalfe, and Russell.
Carleton Heights Curling Club Phone: | (613)224-6224 | 1436 Normandy Cr, Ottawa, ON K2C 0N6
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City View Curling Club Phone: | (613)224-1737 | 50 Capilano Dr, Nepean, ON K2E 6G4
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Granite Curling Club Phone: | (613)722-1843 | 2026 Scott, Ottawa, ON K1Z 6T1
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Hylands Curling Club Phone: | (613)521-0009 | 350 Hunt Club Rd, Ottawa, ON K1V 1C1
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Navan Curling Club Phone: | (613)835-2736 | 1305 Fair Green Av, ON
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Ottawa Curling Club Phone: | (613)235-3662 | 440 O'Connor, Ottawa, ON K2P 1W4
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R C M P Curling Club Phone: | (613)749-7086 | 115 St Laurent Bl, Ottawa, ON K1K 2Y2
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R C N Curling Club (Ottawa) Phone: | (613)236-5103 | Dows Lake, Ottawa, ON K1V 8G2
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RA Curling Club Phone: | (613)733-5100 | 2451 Riverside Dr, Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7
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Rideau Curling Club Phone: | (613)232-9665 | 715 Cooper, Ottawa, ON K1R 5J5
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Almonte Curling Rink Phone: | (613)256-1712 | 182 Bridge, Almonte, ON K0A 1A0
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Carleton Place Curling Club Phone: | (613)257-1944 | 120 Patterson Cr, Carleton Place ON
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Cumberland Curling Club Phone: | (613)833-2774 | 935 Cameron, Cumberland, ON K4C 1C6
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Huntley Curling Club Phone: | (613)839-3177 | 199 Langstaff Dr, Carp, ON K0A 1L0
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Manotick Curling Centre Phone: | (613)692-1489 | 5519 South River Dr, Mntk, ON K4M 1J4
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Metcalfe Curling Club Phone: | (613)821-2335 | Metcalfe, Metcalfe, ON K0A 2P0
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Russell Curling Club Phone: | (613)445-2829 | 1076 Concession, Russell, ON K4R 1C8
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