How Much Does a Curling Stone Weigh? ( Things to Know)

How Much Does a Curling Stone Weigh? (Things to Know)

If you are wondering how much does a curling stone weigh, then you should read this article because the olympics are forth coming and you want to be well informed.

About Curling Stone

How Much Does a Curling Stone Weigh? ( Things to Know)

In the sport of curling, players move stones around an ice sheet toward a four-circle target area.

Shuffleboard, bowls, and boules are all related to this game. Two teams of four players slide large polished granite boulders, also known as stones over the ice curling sheet in the house’s direction, a defined circular target.

Each player throws two stones, and there are eight stones on each team.

The object of the game is to score as many points as you can; at the conclusion of each end, which is completed once both teams have thrown all of their stones, they granted points for stones that are closest to the center of the house. In a game, eight or ten ends are normal.

They held the inaugural Winter Olympics in Chamonix in 1924, and curling was on the program. However, the IOC would not acknowledge the results until 2006.

They finally incorporated the sport onto the official schedule for the Nagano Games in 1998. Until 2018, men’s and women’s events were held separately.  Every day of the games, from February 2 through February 20, will feature a curling competition.

For the sixth time, curling will be featured on the Olympic calendar. The men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles competitions will feature athletes from eleven different nations. 

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What are Curling Stones Made of?

How Much Does a Curling Stone Weigh? ( Things to Know)

They made the curling stone from granite. The only part of the stone that touches the ice is the running surface, which is a narrow, flat annulus or ring.

The granite for the stones comes from two sources: the Trefor Granite Quarry in Wales and the Scottish island of Ailsa Craig, which is off the coast of Ayrshire.

Ailsa Craig and Blue Hone The two types of granite produced by Ailsa Craig, the traditional supplier, are Common Green and Grey.  Due to Blue Hone’s poor water absorption rate, water that is constantly freezing cannot dissolve the stone.

Granite from Ailsa Craig’s Common Green quarry is of lower quality than granite from Blue Hone.

Most curling stones were once constructed of Blue Hone, but since they have designated the island a wildlife refuge, they do not permit blasting for environmental reasons.

A bolt that passes vertically through the stone’s central hole attaches the handle to the stone.

The handle enables holding and turning of the stone; on properly prepared ice, the rotation bends (curls) the stone’s path in the direction of the revolving front edge, especially as the stone slows.

Red and yellow are two of the most common colors used at major events to distinguish each team’s handles. 

How Much Does a Curling Stone Weigh?

How Much Does a Curling Stone Weigh? ( Things to Know)

Great Britain in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. (Image: Lintao Zhang via Getty) )

There is no set weight for a curling stone. Instead, it has a range of weights—a maximum and a minimum—within which it must fall.

The official USA Curling rule states that each curling stone cannot weigh more than 44 lbs (19.96 kg) or less than 38 lbs (17.24 kg).

The handle and bolt increases weight on top of the stone. Each stone shall have a circle no larger than 36 inches (91.44 cm) in diameter and a height no greater than 4.5 inches (11.43 cm).

That is it for how much does a curling stone weigh, the size doesn’t really matter to them professionals but for curiosity’s’s sake it is best you know so you get yourself informed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Brand new curling stones cost between $500 and $900 each. Refurbished stones cost about $450 each, and used stones cost between $200 and $350 each, depending on condition and type of granite.

The curling stone, or rock, is made of dense polished granite from Ailsa Craig, Scotland, and in the Olympics, each rock weighs 19.1 kg (44 lbs).

Each curling stone is equipped with a heat sensor that can sense if a player releases the stone too late – past the hogline – for a violation. So, stones have batteries to power the sensor.

The curling stone, or rock, is made of dense polished granite from Ailsa Craig, Scotland, and in the Olympics, each rock weighs 19.1 kg (44 lbs). The bottom of the stone is concave so that only the outside ring, called the running band, is in contact with the ice.

The salaries of Curlers in the US range from $18,780 to $49,960 , with a median salary of $27,950 . The middle 50% of Curlers makes $27,950, with the top 75% making $49,960.

When players tilt the stone up before throwing, they are activating the sensor. Teams did not bring their own stones to the Beijing Games; officials provided two sets of eight for each sheet. Each handcrafted stone has its own characteristics — slightly faster or slower, straighter or curvier.

Much of the yelling that goes on during a curling game is the skip and sweepers exchanging information about the stone’s line and weight and deciding whether to sweep. The skip evaluates the path of the stone and calls to the sweepers to sweep as necessary to maintain the intended track.

Curling stones, if taken care of properly, can last for more than ten years. One of the most common problems with curling stones is that they have trouble ‘gripping the ice’ as they age.

Curlers sweep the ice to help the stone travel farther and straighter. Sweeping in front of the stone reduces friction and helps the curlers control the amount of curl the stone undergoes. The sweeping quickly heats and melts the pebbles on the ice leaving a film of water.

By rotating the stone during the release, the stone can curl away from the line of delivery, allowing players to strategize on throwing stones to bump their opponents stones out of the way, or curl a stone behind another stone on the playing field, called the “sheet.”

A pair of curling shoes features one sneaker  known as the gripper, with a soft, rubbery sole that offers traction on the slick playing surface. The second shoe, the slider  boasts an underside covered in Teflon or stainless steel to enable the player to slide across the ice with ease.


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