Curling is a popular winter Olympic sport, regarded as "chess on ice" for its combination of physical and tactical gameplay. While you'll surely enjoy the thrill, do it carefully when you're in a foreign country. Any serious injuries will leave you needing expensive medical care. Curling travel insurance is the perfect solution. Having a good insurance policy will ensure you have a worry-free game full of ice, rocks, sweeping, and plenty of yelling.
Travel Insurance for Curling
If you are traveling abroad and plan to go curling, you will need specialized curling travel insurance to stay covered on the ice sheet. Choosing an insurance plan that covers participation in extreme sports will give you more benefits than a standard travel insurance policy. Be sure to purchase curling travel insurance, and enjoy a carefree vacation with rock-solid coverage.
Basics of Curling
Curling took some time to grow in popularity, but it is now widely enjoyed all over the world as both casual recreation and a competitive sport. The contest begins with two teams of four people who flip a coin to decide who goes first. The members of the team build accuracy scores based on their past performances. The match goes as follows:
- The game has 6 to 10 rounds called ends. Each team member is assigned two ends to throw rocks, which are 44-pound (20-kilogram) granite stones with a handle for the thrower to hold.
- The two teams take turns pushing a rock toward a target that looks like a bullseye. The Lead throws the first two rocks as the Second and Third sweep the ice ahead of it free of slush and other debris to ensure it slides as close as possible to the target.
- The Second takes on the third and fourth rocks, and the Third does the fifth and sixth rocks. This way, each member gets a turn to move the stone.
- The Skip, who is also the captain, throws the last two rocks, after which the team with the stones closest to the target is awarded a point.
- The granite rocks used in this sport have a predetermined rotation so they curve as they move across the ice, giving the sport its name.
- The sweepers are responsible for keeping their team's rock on track and pushing the opposing team's rock out of the target. They train hard to perfect their coordination as they sweep the ice in front of the moving rock.
After all the rounds, the team with more points wins. The game sounds simple, but the risk of injury is high. Comprehensive travel insurance for curling will keep you covered against medical care costs in a foreign country.
Risks of Competing in Curling
Curling has its own set of risks. Risks shouldn't stop you from enjoying curling on your vacation, but you should be mindful of them and account for them before you step out onto the ice. The following are some of the dangers inherent to a good curling match.
- Head injuries are the most common among new curlers, as maneuvering around the ice rink requires a good deal of balance. Many curlers are admitted to medical facilities with concussions.
- Sweepers are prone to upper-limb fractures, like fractures of the wrist and hand, usually sustained if they slip and fall face-first.
- The person pushing the rock does so in a lunging position, which can cause knee, shoulder, and lower back injuries.
- If you fall while curling and hit the ice directly without padding, it can cause hip injuries and torn ligaments.
Injuries are common in hazardous sports, but an accident in a foreign country could cause even more damage to your wallet than your body if you are not properly insured. The game is a fun activity that should not be missed just because your travel insurance policy excludes adventurous sports.