Ice Stock World Championships (IFI)

The competitive sport behind the folk sport

Many people know ice stock sport as a sociable winter game on the village pond. Alongside that, there is an organised competitive sport with clubs, leagues and international championships. The World Championships are organised by the International Federation Icestocksport (IFI).

Disciplines

Several competitions are held at an Ice Stock World Championship:

• Team game: Similar to curling, teams play towards a Daube, a target made of wood or plastic. Points are scored for stocks lying closer to the Daube than the opponent's.
• Target competition: Individual players must play stocks into set target areas or hit other stocks. Each task earns points.
• Distance competition: Whoever shoots the stock furthest wins. Remarkable distances are achieved on natural ice.

There are competitions for women, men, juniors and mixed teams.

Ice and summer

Ice stock sport isn't only played on ice. On summer lanes of asphalt or synthetic material, stocks with special running soles are used. The IFI therefore holds World Championships both on ice and on summer lanes, keeping the sport active all year round.

Strongholds

The strongest nations come from the Alpine region. Austria and Germany regularly win titles, and Italy, with South Tyrol, is strong too. The sport is also growing in Eastern Europe and other countries. In Germany, ice stock sport is most popular in Bavaria; the national federation is the German Ice Stock Federation (DESV).

Hosting

World Championships are held in changing countries, often in the Alpine region. European Championships are also part of the calendar. The tournaments are easily accessible for spectators, often with a folk-festival feel.

Olympics

Ice stock sport featured as a demonstration sport at the Olympic Winter Games in 1936 and 1964. It has not yet been included in the regular programme. The IFI continues to work on spreading the sport internationally.

Getting started

If you'd like to try ice stock sport, you'll find clubs and lanes in many Bavarian and Austrian towns. Rental stocks are often available on site. More on technique in the entry Ice stock sport.

Equipment

An ice stock consists of a body, a handle and an exchangeable running sole. Depending on ice conditions, players choose harder or softer soles. The stock's weight is limited by the rules.

The Moar

In traditional ice stock sport, the team captain is called the Moar. They decide where teammates should play their stocks, similar to the skip in curling. The term comes from the Bavarian dialect area and is still used in clubs in Bavaria and Austria today.

Running soles and ice

Anyone wanting to succeed at a World Championship must choose the right sole. Different soles are used on cold, fast ice than on soft, slow ice. Players carry several soles and change them depending on the lane. On summer lanes, dedicated soles for asphalt or synthetic surfaces are used.

Bavaria and Austria

Ice stock is an integral part of winter in many Bavarian and Austrian villages. Most national team players come from these clubs, and many world champions started out on village ponds.

Competitions for youth and seniors

Alongside the adult competitions, there are championships for young people and older players. Ice stock is a sport you can play well into old age.

Target competition in detail

In the target competition, the player must complete various tasks, such as placing a stock as close as possible to a marker or knocking another stock out of an area. Precision counts more than power here.