Wheelchair Curling
Paralympic history
Wheelchair curling is a relatively new sport, making its Paralympic debut at the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games. The first World Wheelchair Curling Championships were held in Switzerland in 2002.
About
Wheelchair curling consists of a single tournament, with each team comprised of both male and female athletes.
Two teams play against each other, taking turns pushing stones down a sheet of ice towards a series of concentric rings or circles. The object is to get the stones as close to the centre of the rings as possible.
Two teams play against each other, taking turns pushing stones down a sheet of ice towards a series of concentric rings or circles. The object is to get the stones as close to the centre of the rings as possible.
The team with the most points — with more stones closer to the centre of the rings — at the conclusion of eight ends is the winner.
Equipment
- The stone is about 19.1 kg.
- A handle is attached to every stone to lift, deliver and release it.
- Players may use their hands to throw the stone or an extender cue that can be attached to the handle of the stone to push it along the ice.
Wheelchair curling in Sochi
The “Ice Cube” Curling Center is located in the coastal cluster.
The design of the “Ice Cube” Curling Center is based on a combination of smooth and well-rounded contours associated with the shape of the curling stone while the bright polished surfaces of its facades make these associations even stronger. This creates a laconic, immediately recognizable and memorable image of the building that demonstrates the democratic nature, accessibility and, at the same time, festivity so characteristic of the Paralympic Games.
The seating capacity of the facility is 3,000 spectators.
This facility is to be put into operation in 2012 for test competitions. After the Games, the Ice Cube” Curling Center in Sochi will be used for curling events and as a national training ground for this sport.