Curling, winter sport in which players slide heavy granite stones down a sheet of ice at a circular target area. As the stone slides, teammates can sweep the ice in its path with brooms or brushes. This warms the ice a little, reducing friction and causing the stone to slide farther and straighter. Curling appears to be a simple game, but to master it players must learn complex strategies.
Curling matches, called bonspiels, are played between two teams of four players each. The game is most popular in Canada, where more than 1 million people participate. In more than 30 other countries, an estimated total of 100,000 curlers play the sport.
The origin of the term curling is unclear, but some people believe that it derives from the Scottish term curr, which means ?to make a low or hoarse murmuring sound.? As the stone slides down the ice, it makes a rumbling sound. The name also may come from the fact that players release their throws so that the stones curl slightly to the right or left as they slide down the ice.
