curling – The Concordian

Mixed doubles curling is attracting a new generation of Canadians

Curling is an old sport with a long history in Canada. But a new form of the game is sweeping across the nation: mixed doubles.

Mixed doubles made its Olympic debut at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. Canadian pair Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris captured Canada’s attention en route to a gold medal.

The skip, the leader of a curling team, tells the thrower where to aim the rock. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Mixed doubles curling is a faster, new alternative to the traditional game. Curling normally has four players per team, and games last 10 ends (similar to innings in baseball) with each team throwing eight rocks (or stones) per end. Mixed doubles curling, as the name suggests, only has two players on a team, and each team throws five rocks per end, for eight ends.

Neil Gargul, the director of ice and property at the Pointe-Claire Curling Club, said mixed doubles is a great way for people to join curling without having to put together a four-person team.

“It’s a lot easier to make a team,” he said. “At the pro level, a [traditional] game would take two and a half hours, whereas the mixed doubles are done in an hour and a half. It’s a much faster game. There will be a lot of popularity in mixed doubles, and I know the pros are really eager to do mixed doubles, and dedicate themselves.”

The Canadian mixed doubles championship was held in Leduc, Alta., from March 28 to April 1, and saw some of the top curlers in the country form teams. Jennifer Jones, arguably the best Canadian curler of all time, paired up with her husband, Brent Laing, who competed in the 2018 Winter Games.

There are only two techniques to throw a rock: out-turn, which spins counterclockwise for a right-handed player, and an in-turn, which turns clockwise. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

Although mixed doubles curling could attract a new generation to curling, Gargul said a curler needs to be more “technically-gifted” to succeed in mixed doubles.

“You need to be a better curler to be good at mixed doubles than the team sport,” he said. “There are a lot more high-precision shots. The misses could turn into a lot of points, and that’s the exciting part; it’s high-scoring.”

A stereotype surrounding curling is that it’s a relaxed sport, and you don’t need to be in good physical shape to play. Mixed doubles curling challenges that notion, since a player throwing the rock also has to sweep, and they’re constantly moving around.

Even traditional team curling is starting to require more physical strength, Gargul said, whereas in the past, teams worried less about fitness.

“You need good flexibility, good balance and good strength,” Gargul said. “To be a good curler, you have to be in good shape.” He compared curling to golf, a sport in which athletes now focus more on their fitness.

The sweepers then do the hard work; they have to make sure the rock has enough speed to get down the rink. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

“That’s the new generation of curling, where they realize the physical fitness portion of it,” Gargul added. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t go out to curl and just have fun.”

Curling is a social sport at any level. At Gargul’s Pointe-Claire Curling Club, players from opposing teams sit down after their games for a beer.

“We have a great community at the club,” Gargul said. “Win or lose, the teams sit together after the game and you get to know all the different people in the club.”

Curling is unlike other team sports, where you might dislike your opponent during a game. Gargul said there are some rivalries in curling, but opponents at any level still congratulate each other on good shots.

“Because it’s a precision sport, you have to be in control of your emotions, and be calm when you’re throwing your rock,” said Gargul, who used to play high-intensity team sports like hockey, football and soccer. “Having a level of intensity doesn’t necessarily help you in curling.”

For university students looking to try the sport, Gargul said people can rent the ice and equipment at the Pointe-Claire Curling Club by visiting the club’s website or calling.

“Most clubs offer rentals. You could rent the ice, and a group of eight of you could go out,” Gargul said. “You will have a blast.”

Video by Kenneth Gibson.

A few years ago, watching a Stingers curling team was a possibility. For two straight years, Concordia fielded a women’s curling team that represented the school at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Curling Championships.
It all started in 2009 when four Concordia curlers got together and formed what would be the school’s curling team.
Skip Kristen Richard, second Sasha Beauchamp, third Brittany O’Rourke and lead Erin Ryan made up the foursome that was sent to represent Concordia at the nationals for two years running.
All four players had at least five years of experience when they formed the team back in 2009. Richard, Beauchamp and O’Rourke also each participated in the Canadian Junior Championships between 2007 and 2009.
Curling made its introduction at the CIS level in 2008. Concordia’s first participation in the national championships was in 2009 when Montreal was the host city of the event. The Stingers finished with two wins and three losses.
One year later, the same Concordia team went to Edmonton, Alberta for another shot at winning the tournament. The Stingers finished with the same 2-3 record.
“When we had the curling team, we had a big fundraiser at the Montreal West Curling Club,” said O’Rourke. “We invited a whole bunch of sports teams to come out and try it. It was a good fundraising event that got people involved in curling.”
Concordia has not fielded a team since the 2010 nationals and the prospect of recreating one could be in the works.
O’Rourke and Beauchamp are still avid curlers. Both players recently represented Team Quebec at last month’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Team Quebec finished in ninth place with three wins and eight losses.
“I wouldn’t mind helping them out,” said O’Rourke on the prospect of a new Concordia team. “There are a couple people I know [at Concordia] who are curlers. One of them is looking to put a team together. That’s all it takes, one person to get the ball rolling. For Concordia, why not have a team? You get to go right to nationals because there’s no other school in Quebec that competes.”
The sport itself seems a lot easier on television than it does in real life.
“It’s definitely hard to do at first,” said O’Rourke. “A lot of people think it’s easy, and they try and they feel it’s really awkward. It just takes time and persistence, and eventually you’ll get the technique down.”
Curling, like golf for example, is a sport that requires great mental ability. Once getting the technical skills in order, the rest comes down to strategies on where to place the rocks on the sheet.
“They call it chess on ice,” said O’Rourke. “No strategy can be successful if you don’t make the shots you’re calling. It’s definitely a mixture of both [technical and tactical]. If you have terrible strategy then even if you make the shot, it’s going to suck. If you have good strategy and don’t make the shots, it will still come out to the same thing.”
Whether or not Concordia will see another curling team depends on those interested in the sport. With a small team, minimum of four players, and a guaranteed spot in the nationals, this could be your way of finally becoming a Stingers athlete.