Time to Hit the Sheets (of Ice)
in Eau Claire, learning to curl is just a stone’s throw away
Curling doesn’t get much exposure. Sure, folks get intrigued by it when the Winter Olympics roll around. But it’s not a featured scholastic sport. It’s not a spectator sport. But is it a full body workout? Jeff Thompson of the Eau Claire Curling Club says yes: “The Canadian sweepers look like linebackers,” he says. From noon to 4pm on Sunday, Nov. 2, the Eau Claire Curling Club is hosting an open house. Put on some comfy layers and bring along some clean tennis shoes to hit the sheets (sheet of ice, aka the lane). Are you curious enough to spend 15 minutes learning the fundamentals? Then you will be curling. According to Thompson, delivery of the rock is about “balance and finesse.” Two sweepers sweep furiously in front of the rock all the way down the sheet. You’ll be winded and flushed by the time you arrive at the “house” – the 12-foot target circle. Using strategy and vocal cords, you can be the “skip” (captain), coaching those sweepers down the ice. If you’re eager to curl, try the club’s three-week week “Learn to Curl” series. Romantic curling – aka Couples’ League – is Friday nights.
Embrace the Ice: Curling Open House • Sunday, Nov. 2, noon-4pm • Eau Claire County Expo Center, 5530 Fairview Drive, Eau Claire • FREE • www.curlingclub.com
