The objective of wheelchair curling is to get the 19.1 kilogram stone as close to the centre ring as possible. Two co-ed teams play at a time, each having four members. A game consists of eight ends. During an end, teams alternate turns with each player “throwing,” in fact sliding, two rocks toward the rings. In wheelchair curling there is no sweeping, which means each throw has to be even more precise. The player’s wheelchair must be stationary during the throw and the stones can be thrown by hand or given an initial push with a cue.
After both teams have delivered eight rocks, the team with the rock closest to the centre is awarded one point for each of its own rocks that is closer than the opponent's closest rock. Rocks that are not in the house (further from the center than the outer edge of the 12-foot (3.7 m) ring) do not score even if no opponent's rock is closer. A rock is considered to be in the house if any portion of its edge is over any portion of the 12-foot (3.7 m) ring.
If the teams are tied at the completion of eight ends, an extra end is played to break the tie. If the match is still tied after the extra end, play continues for as many ends as may be required to break the tie. The winner is the team with the highest score after all ends have been completed.
Wheelchair curling is governed by and played according to the rules of the World Curling Federation (WCF), in which all of the same rules apply as able-bodied curling with only the following modifications:
- Each player releases their stones before the hog line
- No sweeping is permitted
- All players must deliver the stone from a stationary wheelchair, which is placed so that the stone is delivered from the centre line
- Each team must be comprised of mixed gender. At the start of the competition each team is composed of four players, each player playing two stones and playing each stone alternately with their opponent
- Where five players are registered, these five players have equal standing and may be used at any time, in accordance with the rules, at the discretion of the skip or coach. At least one member of the on-ice team must be of the opposite gender, unless there is a reason adjudged valid by the Chief Umpire
- Delivery of the stone may be undertaken by the conventional arm/hand release or by the use of a cue
The Canadian Curling Association is the National Sport Federation.
Classification
Wheelchair curling is generally open to individuals, both male and female, with significant impairments in lower leg/gait function, who usually require a wheelchair for daily mobility (i.e. spinal injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, or double leg amputation). More specifically, these are athletes who are non-ambulant or only able to walk short distances. Authorised international sports classifiers determine the minimum disability and appropriate classification.
History
Curling dates back to 16th century Scotland. First played in Europe in 1998, the sport later came to Canada in 2001.
A demonstration tournament was held during the 1932 Winter Olympic Games between four teams from Canada and four teams from the United States, with Canada winning 12 games to 4. Curling became an official Olympic sport during the 1998 Winter Olympics. Wheelchair Curling had its first Paralympic Games debut at the 2006 Torino Paralympic Games.
The sport of wheelchair curling is quickly gaining popularity and is currently being practiced by athletes in over 20 countries.
