The 2022 Winter Olympics debut this Friday! This Winter Olympic Sports Breakdown series will take a look at everything you need to know about some of the sports this winter including how they are scored, accounts you should follow for each sport, and who is expected to win!
First up, let’s take a look at the sport of Curling!
What It Is
Curling is a huge sport in the Winter Olympics and is usually highly competitive at the games. The sport originated in Scotland but is played widely across the globe now. The game takes place on a strip of ice with a large bullseye at the end which is known as the “house”. The goal of the game is to get the large stone from one end of the ice to the center of the large target on the other end. Each team has 4 players. One player slides the stone and the other two use sweepers called “curling brooms” to sweep the surface of the ice in front of the stone to control the direction and speed. Here is a video example of the game in action.
How It’s Scored
Now let’s talk about the scoring. Curling has 10 rounds which are known as “ends”. Each team will throw a stone 8 times each end. In one end only one team will score points. A point is scored for each stone touching the house that is closer than the opposing team’s stone. For example, if the yellow team has 3 stones touching the house that is 3 points. However, if the red team has 1 stone that is the closest to the center then the red team gets 1 point for the end and the yellow team gets 0. The team with the stones closest to the center of the house will be awarded points for that end. Whoever has the most points at the conclusion of all 10 ends, wins. If you are more of a visual learner, watch this video that further explains the scoring.
Curling Dictionary
House = the big bullseye at the end of the ice
Curling Brooms = the sweepers used to control the speed and direction
Ends = Rounds (there are 10 rounds in a curling match)
Who Will Win?
Great Britain, Sweden or Canada are the front runners in both the men’s and women’s groups. The men’s favorite for gold is Great Britain. The women’s favorite for gold is Canada.
Stay Up To Date
Follow these accounts to stay up to date on all things curling during the 2022 Winter Olympics.
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Make sure to stay tuned to the Olympics to find out who will take home the medals in Curling!
