Curling

The Special Olympics Canada (SOC) Official Sports Rules shall govern all SOC curling competitions. As a national sports program, Canadian Curling Association (CCA) rules for curling competitions and general play shall be employed except when they are in conflict with the SOC Official Sports Rules. In such cases, the following SOC official curling sport rules shall apply. 

SECTION A

Official Events

1.        Mixed Curling

SECTION B

Rules of Competition

1. A divisioning round shall be conducted to place teams in a division.

2. In the divisioning round, each team shall play a minimum of three (3) games of two (2) ends. Each team shall be required to play all curlers whose names appear on the final team roster in each game of the divisioning round. Curlers must play in the position (s) during the divisioning round that they shall play in during regulation play. If a curler plays more than one position they must play in each position during the divisioning round.  

3. Team formation is not subject to a given male/female ratio. A team may also consist of exclusively males or females.  

4. A final team roster is a complete list of all curlers and coaches registered with a team. The final team roster shall consist of two (2) coaches and a minimum of four (4) / maximum of five (5) curlers. All curlers whose names appear on the final team roster must play during each game of the competition. Curlers shall be exempt from playing only due to injury or illness.

1. Every team shall be composed of a minimum of four (4) curlers. In the case of injury or illness, the minimum number of curlers required to start or continue a game is three (3).
2. In the event a team is unable to complete a game as a result of dropping below the minimum number of curlers (3), the non-offending team shall be awarded the win.
3. Teams that drop below the minimum number of curlers for two consecutive games shall be declared ineligible to continue in the competition. For each scheduled game, the opponent of the ineligible team shall be awarded the win.

Ineligible teams would only be able to play in an exhibition division of the Games and would not qualify for awards or placement points in the competition, and therefore are ineligible to advance to a higher level competition.

5. One re-entry per player will be permitted to accommodate the requirement to utilize the alternate. Should any of the players on the ice be injured or become ill, the player sitting out may re-enter the games to play in the position vacated. In such cases, the player replaced may not re-enter the game.

For other than extenuating circumstances (e.g. injury, sickness) substitution is permitted only between ends. If the games umpire determines substitution is required, during an end of play, the substitute enters the delivery position of the player being substituted. Players may then re-order themselves to start the next end.

6. A regulation game shall consist of 8 ends plus any extra ends to break the tie if necessary (some competition format may not require to break a tie). No end shall be started after 1 hour and 50 minutes  playing time unless an extra end was required to break the tie.

7. Each team shall be permitted to call two (2) time outs per game and one (1) time out for each extra end. Each time out shall be ninety (90) seconds which includes travel time. Time outs may be called by either a coach (from behind the glass) or a curler (from the playing surface). The coach must not disrupt the curlers on the ice when calling a time out. During timeouts, only one coach or alternate may meet with their team.

8. A mandatory break of five (5) minutes shall take place after 4 ends or at the end of an hour of play whichever comes first.  The break shall only be taken in between ends. A maximum three (3) minute break, which excludes the time required for all stones to be moved to the far (visiting) end of the rink, may take place at the completion of the eighth end and the start of any extra ends.

9. During a game coaches are permitted in the playing area adjacent to or at the end of a sheet during timeouts, mid-game breaks and fair play time outs. Coaches are only permitted on the playing surface in the case of player injury and with the permission of the game umpire.

10. The game shall be called if, after six full ends of play, one team leads another by ten points or more.

11. In National competition one game umpire per sheet of ice per game shall be appointed.  This individual shall monitor the flow of play, record the official score, and measure rocks. A Chief Referee shall be designated for each draw.

SECTION C

Equipment, Attire and Safety Requirements

Individual curlers on the respective team must have matching on-ice apparel.  Such apparel may include matching pants, jacket and golf shirt.  Teams are not required to wear their provincial/territorial colours as noted in The Rules of Curling, Official Rule Book, of the Canadian Curling Association.

The use of a curling aid commonly referred to as a delivery stick which enables the player to deliver a stone without placing a hand on the handle is considered acceptable for Special Olympics Competition.