Forget the Panthers and Hornets. Charlotte is all about the curling.
The Story
Olympic-level curlers are coming to Charlotte this weekend, part of the World Curling Federation’s “Olympic Celebration Tour.”
The Facts
– Did you know Charlotte has a new, state-of-the-art curling center?
Love the new facility #pjcurl Charlotte Curling Association. pic.twitter.com/FlF4tyIUrd
— Juan e boy (@juaneboy) January 16, 2015
– Located off Sunset Road, the 12,000-square foot facility has locker rooms, a lounge and viewing area.
– This weekend, you can meet Olympic gold medalist Jamie Korab from Canada and former Team Canada member Abbie Darnley. There will be clinics where you can learn the sport.
@annakooiman Can you believe we have a Curling center in #CLT now? Just curling. That’s it! I’m going this week, look: @CltCurling — Wilson (@WilsonsWorld) January 18, 2015
Is curling the game with the brooms?
Yes. According to Wikipedia’s entry on curling: “Two teams, each with four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called rocks, across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a circular target marked on the ice. Each team has eight stones. The purpose is to accumulate the highest score for a game.” It goes on to call the game highly strategic.
Laugh, but curling is serious stuff
Friendly reminder that Curling is an Olympic sport and Quidditch is not. — Proffessor Snape (@ProfSnapeSev) January 22, 2015
YOU PEOPLE CAN MOCK ME ALL YOU WANT BUT YOU SURE AS HELL CANNOT DEFLATE A CURLING STONE. — Joel Ingersoll (@FlyoverJoel) January 22, 2015
ICYMI Hurry hard, Mom! Saskatchewan daughters team up with their moms at #curling championship http://t.co/d6Zyh9rokg pic.twitter.com/QId2DYzHo2 — As It Happens (@cbcasithappens) January 22, 2015
Guys over at TSN 2 cheering for @TeamHoman? #curling @JoanneMCourtney pic.twitter.com/TwgiQeRB74 — The Curling News (@curling) January 17, 2015
I’m in a curling bonspiel all weekend, or as my wife likes to say, I’ll be spending the weekend “doing drunken housework on ice”. — Chocolate Moose (@moose_chocolate) January 16, 2015
C5’s Take
Random for the warm Carolinas, but we love sports diversity. Hurry hard! (That’s a curling cheer, btw.)
Photo: T. Ortega Gaines / Charlotte Observer
This story was originally published January 23, 2015 at 12:31 AM with the headline "Forget the Panthers and Hornets. Charlotte is all about the curling.."