ABOUT WHEELCHAIR CURLING
Wheelchair Curling is a game of strategy, precision, and teamwork, where competitors take turns sliding stones across the ice towards a target. This adaptive version of curling requires competitors to control both strength and accuracy as they aim to place their stones in scoring positions while knocking their opponents’ stones out of play. It will take place at the Hillcrest Recreation Centre on Sunday, February 9, 2025. It’s a sport that emphasizes focus, patience, and collaboration, demonstrating the incredible skill and tactical thinking of each participant.
WHAT ARE THE RULES?
Stones are thrown (pushed using a delivery stick) from a stationary wheelchair, no sweeping is permitted.
The draws for the pool stages (i.e. which teams will be in each pool) is based on a seeding process that takes place during the training day:
- Seeding is based on the draw to the button (the centre of the house, target at the end of the ice sheet where players aim to place their stones) results at training.
- Each team will do three throws (draws) to the button.
- If none of the rocks end up in the rings, they keep throwing until a rock can be measured.
- Each miss is approx. 198cm. And so the more tries it takes the larger the distance and lower the seeding position.
The format that will be used for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025 is called ‘Condensed Triples’:
- Each team can have a maximum of four competitors, with three on the field of play (FOP) at any one time (Lead, Middle & Skip) who rotate positions at each end.
- Each game consists of three ends (six stones per team, two per competitor). There are three competitors on a sheet (lane) at one time
for each team.
- The goal of each end is to have as many of a team’s rocks closer to the button than the closest opposition stone.
- Points are awarded only to the team who throws the closest stone(s). Teams are awarded various points for win/draw/loss, ends won, points scored.
- Teams are reseeded after each game which means they are ranked based on the current standings which determines which team they face next.
HOW ARE COMPETITORS CATEGORISED?
The categorisation process aims to ensure the best possible competitor experience at the Invictus Games. The Invictus Games is a unique competition which enables all participants to compete fairly across all sports, no matter their impairment type.
Each sport has a different categorisation system as the different injuries, illness and impairments affect competitors in different ways in each sport. Each competitor is allocated a category (e.g. IT1, IJ4) for each sport that they compete in. The categorisation system relies on integrity and honesty, and a collaborative relationship between all competitors, and all team staff.
HOW DID THE SPORT COME TO BE?
- Wheelchair Curling began in the late 1990s in Europe, with the first World Wheelchair Curling Championships taking place in Switzerland in 2002.
- Wheelchair Curling was first included in the Paralympic Games at the 2006 Winter Paralympics in Italy, where Canada won the Gold Medal.
HOW MANY TEAMS ARE THERE?
- There are a maximum of 24 teams.
- There are three to four competitors per team
.
HOW MANY COMPETITORS ON THE FIELD OF PLAY AT ONE TIME?
- There are two pools (Yellow & Black) during pool stages.
- During each draw (set of games played at the same time) during the pool stages, there will be six games in play at a time which is 12 teams on the ice.
- In any one team, there are three on the field-of-play at any one time (Lead, Middle & Skip) who rotate positions at each end.
HOW BIG IS THE SIZE OF THE PLAYING FIELD?
- 200 ft x 85 ft (NHL ice hockey field of play size).
- There are six sheets (lanes) in total.
- All six sheets will be used during pool play draws.
- Two sheets are used during semi-finals and finals.
HOW LONG IS A GAME OF CURLING?
- The matches should run for roughly 50-65 minutes.
IS THIS A NEW SPORT FOR THE INVICTUS GAMES?
- Yes! This is a brand-new sport for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025!
INTERESTING FACTS
- Competitors can use their manual or electric chairs but rocks must be delivered while stationary.
- Stones (rocks) are made of a special type of granite and weigh almost 20 kilos each - that’s equivalent to 10 average-sized bags of sugar!
- Curling stones are made of granite from only TWO quarries in the whole world — in Scotland and Wales. The Scottish island of Ailsa Craig was the original location where curling stones were made.
- Curling has been described as the ‘Roarin’ Game’, with the ‘roar’ coming from the noise of a granite stone as it travels over the ice and the skips yelling for sweeping!
- Adding bumps to the ice is known as pebbling. Ice technicians sprinkle two layers of water droplets on top of the ice that freeze to form two heights of bumps. The pebbles, just like the concavity in the bottom of the stone, minimize the surface area of the rock and therefore minimize the friction.
CEREMONIES
SPORT
invictus village
