Blog
Curling stones: taken for granite
Derek Leung is a Canadian graduate student at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. His research program in Geology is the study of curling stones; specifically the characteristics of a stone’s striking bands. He has sampled a large number of stones of different types, both from Ailsa Craig, Scotland and Trefor, Wales, and is analyzing the wear of each type of stone. His research program is highlighted in a recent issue of the magazine of the Edinburgh Geological Society: The background for his current work at Edinburgh is from his B.Sc. thesis in Geology from Laurentian University. In his thesis, Derek studied the four common types of granite found in curling stones (Ailsa Craig blue hone, Ailsa Craig common green, Trefor red, and Trefor blue) and looked at their geological makeup, specifically the amount of quartz present in the stone. Here is an excerpt from the introduction to his thesis (abbreviations have been removed to improve clarity): The World Curling Federation
How far can one carry a stone via brushing?
After questions regarding directional brushing, perhaps the second-most often asked question I receive is the question of how much distance brushing can add to the trajectory of a stone. While it is tempting to consider a cut-and-dried response, the issues involved in brushing are both complex and incompletely understood, since we are still researching the physics behind what makes a curling stone “curl” in the first place. Experienced players know that under some conditions it seems that brushing can carry a stone a significant additional distance, yet at other times it doesn’t seem to matter how hard one brushes, the impact upon the stone’s travel is minimal. Answering the question of brushing impact involves an analysis of three significant variables: the characteristics of the ice surface, and the corresponding environment within the arena; the characteristics of the curling stones themselves, and how they were thrown; and the abilities and techniques of the player(s) involved in brushing. Let’s look at these
Summer training plans for front-end players
As I write this, I am a mere four weeks from returning to the ice at the Curling Canada NextGen camp, to be held at the K-W Granite Club here in Waterloo. The OJCT Tour will begin Labour Day weekend – just six weeks away. With the competitive U21 season in Ontario so compressed – 12 weeks between Labour Day and U-21 qualifiers – the summer months are THE time to improve one’s fitness, enhance flexibility, and permit injuries to heal. Between the demands of post-secondary school and the competitive season, there will be little time to improve one’s fitness during the fall semester. Rather, the best one can hope for is to maintain the elevated fitness levels achieved during the summer months through the competitive season. Every competitive player should have a summer training plan designed by a qualified personal trainer or kinesiologist. While a “generic” training plan is slightly less costly, ideally a customized plan designed for you
CAO Trailblazer coaching award for 2018
In September, during National Coaches Week, I received the 2018 Trailblazer Coach of the Year award from the Coaches Association of Ontario at a ceremony held at the University of Toronto. Receiving this recognition from the Coaches Association of Ontario for my work in advancing the coaching of brushing in the sport is truly very special. At the same time, it is also very humbling to share the stage with the other outstanding 2018 award winners. All of the award recipients had short films made about them – you can find them on the CAO’s awards page – and each of them tells an inspirational story, the very best that amateur sport can offer. My warmest thanks to everyone who took the time to wish me congratulations. Along with the video, each coach had a large motion picture playbill made up for them, put together by Hiep Vu Photography. Each poster was unique, suited to each recipient and their coaching
Thanks to our season sponsors
This season we’ve spent a great deal of time practicing, as the team’s competitive schedule has been challenging to coordinate with all four of the players now in university. However, with Team Kiemele’s qualification to the Ontario U21 Provincial Championships at the Annandale Curling Club in late December, we can take a bit of a break, the team can catch up on some school work, and we can thank our sponsors for supporting our team through this season. Our sponsors this season are: En-Pro International, Oshawa BFG Enterprise Services Morris & Shannon LLP Barristers and Solicitors, Elora Elora Curling Club (our home club) Top-Line Pavement Marking, Elora Wall’s Piano Gallery, St. Jacobs Hybrid Hair & Detox Spa, St. Jacobs Thermo Seal (Kawartha Lakes), Lindsay Pizza On Earth, Dorset Portico Properties, Muskoka Ontario Curling Council In this post I’d like to highlight two of our season sponsors, Wall’s Piano Gallery in St. Jacobs, Ontario, and Hybrid Hair and Detox Spa, also
Information for asthmatics
I was diagnosed with severe asthma when I was but two years old, something of a rarity in 1962 but much more commonplace today. So I have a great deal of empathy for competitive athletes who try to excel at the highest levels of their sport despite the debilitating effects of this disease. For myself, today I have only 62% lung function and I feel that loss of ability each and every day. For competitive athletes with asthma it is particularly important to pay attention to the World Anti-Doping Agency and the current 2018 Prohibited List for drugs that are, and are not, permitted for use by an athlete both in- and out-of competition. The drug Salbutamol is routinely prescribed to asthma patients for help in opening bronchial passages during bouts of asthma – my own prescription for Teva-Salbutamol is a 100mcg dosage with DIN 02326450. For competitive athletes, Salbutamol is a prohibited, Beta-2 Agonist both in- and out-of competition.