Is stick Curling for you?

Thanks to the Penticton Western News for this article: Please Read On

By Kim Kirkham is the Penticton Curling Club’s spokesperson.

Stick curling is the newest addition to the curling family.

This sport continues to grow, and the association dedicated to the sport, wants to make it a fully sanctioned sport within Canada with hopes to someday bring the sport to Olympic status.

To do this they need to know how widespread the sport has become and to estimate the number of participants

You can help by registering your stick curling bonspiel on their website.

Stick curling leagues are being formed across Canada and internationally based on the two-person team rules.

Stick curling encourages active participation for people of all ages and capabilities while enhancing the fun and vibrancy of the game.

Stick curling allows people with physical disabilities such as knee, back, heart, shoulder, hip, ankle, or foot problems, or just simply advanced age to continue curling, long after the conventional methods become impossible.

The rocks are handled with a curling stick from a standing or sitting position (for example wheelchairs).

Rules

1. Each stone must be delivered with a curling stick.

2. Sweeping is allowed only from the hog line to the back of the house.

3. Each team is comprised of two curlers.

4. One member of each team stays at each end of the rink, and must not cross center ice

5. The two throwing curlers alternately deliver six stones each per end, while the teammate skips that end.

Then roles are reversed, and the partners throw the stones back.

6. All games are six ends. In case of a tie, an extra end is played; with each player throwing three stones (skips and throwers exchange ends at the midpoint of an extra end).

7. All stones must be released before reaching the hog line, and from within two feet of the centre line.

8. Other rules and etiquette of regular curling apply.

About the equipment

Using a curling stick — place a small piece of rug in the corner or behind the hack on to which the rock can be slid, and with a bit of rotation, this will achieve cleaning the bottom without having to turn the rock over and without having to bend down in the hack.

Cleaning the rock in this manner cannot be performed with all sticks.

About the sticks ­—There are two types of sticks available on the market.

The first type, a curling stick enables you to perform the delivery as well as enables you to perform all of the other physical activities required during the play of curling from an upright position.

The second type is a delivery stick which only enables the user to perform the delivery from an upright position.

The Penticton Curling Club has several members that use the stick in regular league play and, in the past couple of years it has gained popularity. Some of the stick curlers are trying to organize a stick curling bonspiel in Penticton.