Winter sports and curling, which are still little known, often provoke some reactions. “But what is this sport? What are the rules?” If these are difficult to understand, here are some tips to help you understand them better.

Originally from Flanders in Belgium, curling was developed mainly in Scotland in the 18th century. While this sport is still relatively unknown in France, an event provides an opportunity to get up close and personal with “Petanque on Ice”: Winter Olympics. The 2022 Olympics will be held in Beijing from February 4 to 20, 2022. Great opportunity to review the rules of this discipline.

What are the curling rules?

In curling, two teams of four players compete in ten sets. Each team throws eight stones at each end. To win the game, you must score as many points as you can at the end of these ten innings. “But how do you record points?”

To get the point, you need to throw a granite stone, slide it on the ice and bring it as close as possible to the target drawn on the ice ring. Nothing too complicated yet, however, it is not so simple. When a player throws a stone at a target, one stands to lead his teammates to the other end of the track, and the other two are responsible for influencing the path at the thrower’s command. The sweep slightly increases the speed of the stone and strengthens its path. The opposing team also has the potential to sweep the stone non-stop. At the end of the rounds, points are calculated based on the number of stones closer to the center than the opponents.

Where do curling stones come from?

Traditionally, curling stones were made of granite. A material available worldwide. But there is no substitute for the granite mined on the Aylesa Craig, a Scottish island located between Scotland and Ireland. It is used by curlers because it is tough and clean, resistant to moisture, ice freezing and impact. “But how can this Scottish island provide such pure granite?” Ailesa Craig was formed by a series of volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. As the magma cooled, it formed the smooth granite found on the surface of the island.

Which are the favorite countries for the 2022 Olympics?

Curling first appeared in the first edition of the 1924 Chamonix Winter Olympics. Disappearing until 1988, curling appeared as a demonstration until the 1998 Olympiad in Nagano, and then again curling became an Olympic discipline. In the men’s category, Canada has won the most gold medals with three gold medals, ahead of Great Britain, Switzerland, Norway and the United States. Sweden has three gold medals for women, ahead of Canada (two Olympic titles) and Great Britain (one gold medal).