Curling sheet

The playing surface

Curling is played on a long, narrow strip of ice, the sheet. Under World Curling rules it is at most 45.72 metres long and 4.75 metres wide. In many rinks the sheets are slightly smaller; the rules allow some leeway. A curling rink usually has several sheets side by side, separated by wooden or foam dividers.

The lines

Several lines are marked on each sheet, mirrored at both ends:

• Hack line: this is where the hacks are, rubber blocks set into the ice that the player pushes off from when delivering.
• Back line: lies behind the house. Stones that cross it completely are out of play.
• Tee line: runs across the centre of the house. In front of it only the delivering team may sweep; behind it, one player from the opposing team may also sweep.
• Hog line: a stone must completely cross the far hog line, otherwise it is out of play. The player must also release the stone before the hog line at the near end.
• Centre line: runs lengthways down the middle of the sheet.

The free guard zone

Between the hog line and the tee line, outside the house, lies the free guard zone. Stones there may not be knocked out of play at the start of an end. More under guard.

The ice

Curling ice is different from ice hockey or skating ice. It is not kept glassy smooth but sprinkled with fine water droplets – pebbling. The stones glide and curl on this. Ice temperature and humidity in the rink must be precisely controlled. This work is done by specialised ice technicians.

Sheets in the rink

There are only a few dedicated curling rinks in Germany, for example in Füssen and a handful of other places. Curling is often played in ice rinks that temporarily set up their surface for curling. Lines and houses then have to be painted on or laid in as film, and the ice is specially prepared. Switzerland and Canada have many rinks with permanent sheets.

For beginners

Anyone standing on a sheet for the first time is usually surprised at how long it looks. Getting the stone from the hack into the house takes feel, not great strength. The lines help with orientation and are the basis for almost all the rules.