What Exactly is Pebbling the Ice in Curling?

As a figure skater I can tell you that there is nothing like getting out on the ice right after the Zamboni has cleaned the surface. There is nothing like fresh ice. However, when it comes to the sport of curling, I recently learned that a fresh sheet of ice is not what you want and that there is a lot of preparation that must take place before you can throw those stones.

On January 8th I had the pleasure of joining the Evergreen Curling Club in Portland, Oregon for my first curling lesson. I had been a fan of the sport since I was a child but had never had the opportunity to give it a try. I was excited and ready to learn.

When I first got there, people started bringing out these odd looking water tank backpacks with hoses attached. In all honestly they looked like the tanks that exterminators wear when you have a bug problem. I had no idea what they were for but I quickly learned.

When it comes to curling, the goal of the ice is to provide minimal friction to the stone. On a traditional flat ice surface, this would not work. So, in order to curl, the ice must be pebbled.

Pebbling occurs when water from these backpacks are sprinkled onto the surface, creating tiny droplets of water that then freeze on the ice. These little pebbles allow the stones to travel easier over the surface and also allow for the curling of the stone. This video shows exactly how the ice is pebbled.

So, before curlers take to the ice, they will get out there with these backpacks and sprinkle the ice. But, that does not complete the process. Once those pebbles are frozen, out comes the nipper. The nipper is a cutting tool designed to slice off the top of the pebble and create a flat pebble surface. This looks like a large farming tool that essentially comes out and cuts the ice, just like your lawnmower cuts the grass. This video shows the nipper at work.

Now, while these pebbles help make the stones move across the ice and curl, it is also these pebbles that the curlers sweep. Curlers do not use those brooms just to clean the ice (though they are good for that too). By sweeping the ice, a curler is able to melt the pebbles. This melting further reduces the friction and allows the stone to travel straighter and further.

So if you have ever heard the term pebbles when it comes to ice, it really has nothing to do with small rocks in the surface and you are more than likely talking to a curler.

Deborah Braconnier is a former athlete and avid sports and Olympics fan. She is learning the sport of curling and has already fallen in love. She now works as a freelance writer and Featured Contributor for the Olympics and NFL and brings her love of sports to her writing. To follow her curling experiences as they begin, follow her on Twitter @fwcdeborah.


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