The Local Weekly The heart and soul of our communities with news and information about the Sunshine Coast
Over the past few weeks we’ve all enjoyed watching the Olympics and all that this great coming together of nations and athletes brings every four years. We’ve watched sports that we seldom see, exotic sports foreign to our Canadian experience. Few have slid head- or feet-first down an icy hill at over 120 kilometers per hour. And few of us have ever skated on the extra long, straight knife-sharp edges that are speed skating blades.
The numbers indicate that the curling competitions have drawn more viewers than ever before, most of whom have never experienced the sport. It seems Canadians love to watch this game of precision and seemingly easy execution. But, many have questions and misunderstandings about this wonderful sport. How much does one of those curling rocks weigh? How much pressure does it take to push one down the ice? What do curlers wear on their feet that allows them to slide so easily? Why does everyone have to yell when they play the game of curling? How do those measuring devices work that we see every so often? What does sweeping do anyway? How do they make the rock curl one way or the other?
The Gibsons Curling Club wants to help Coast residents understand the game of curling in a very real, hands-on way. On Saturday, February 22, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. the doors will be open at the Gibsons Curling Club, with experienced curlers on hand to explain the sport and to allow everyone to touch the game in a very real way. Bring the whole family (it’s a free event and all ages are welcome to participate). Watch the demos, try throwing a rock. You’ve seen it on TV, now come on out and try it yourself.
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