Watching the Curlers at the Olympics I see them spend so many trips up and down the ice and so many throws. But the surface stays pebbly and nice, not melting with pools of water and channels that get ground down from the rocks being repeatedly thrown over the same area. How come there is no degradation? Is the surface a compound? Is there a chemical involved that moderates the ice?
In: 225
I recently wrote a very long comment on curling, apparently too long for Reddit to swallow, so it’s posted here [My take on curling basics](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y_1sTI13JDbFvOwEnFvB6TcwGmd_uih9EK2_HQDsuBw/edit?usp=sharing)
Several comments have suggested the sheet is re-pebbled during the game; it is not. The sheets are pebbled between draws (games), and after pebbling the icemaker will shave the top of the pebble to even it out, then use a big “mop” to clean the ice. During the mid-game break the mop is deployed again to clear debris, and the icemaker may pebble the hack areas to make the players more comfortable as flat ice is pretty dangerous for someone wearing a slider.
Latest Answers