According to the historical data, curling already existed in Scotland in the early 16th century. Evidence also point out to an inscribed date 1511, which is provided by one of the curling stone. Two paintings by Pieter Bruegel the Elder depicting the curling activity, also portrays the glory and the past of the game. According to some other sources, curling game was invented in late medieval Scotland having the first written reference to a contest using stones on ice. The word curling actually appeared in a print form in the year 1620 in Perth, in the prelude and the verses of a poem by Henry Adamson. The game of curling is also known as the “roaring game” because of the sound of the stones that is made due to the motion of the pebbles over the ice sheet. The sound is amazing and easily identifiable during the play.
Curling entered in the Winter Olympic Games since the year 1998 Winter Olympics, as one of the official sport. It was in the year 2006, International Olympic Committee decided to acknowledge curling competition from the 1924 Winter Olympics as the official Olympic events and no longer assumed a mere demonstration event only. The first Olympic medals in curling were awarded for the 1924 Winter Games.
According to the World Curling Federation standards, it is said that the curling sheet should cover an area of ice about 146 feet (45.5 m) in length by 14 feet 2 inches (4.318 m) to 16 feet 5 inches (5.0038 m) in width. The sheet preparation is very important and has to be constructed as per the level instructed or required during the play. The ice is artificially freezed by means of a refrigeration plant. The brine solution or the salt water combination is cooled by the ice plant, which runs along the length in numerous pipes under the curling sheet. One of the key ingredients for the groundwork of the playing surface is the spraying of water droplets onto the ice level. These water droplets are actually called pebble. It’s because of the friction between the stone and pebble; the stone turns to inside or outside, causing the stone to 'curl'. It is important to mention that the amount of the curl depends on how much the pebble wears off. The surface of the ice is maintained at a temperature near 23°F (-5°C).
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