Wheelchair Curling
Paralympic wheelchair curling takes place between two teams of four or two athletes where each team is required to be comprised of both male and female athletes. Wheelchair curling is open to athletes with lower body impairments only.
The four following impairment groups are eligible for wheelchair curling. Only impairments affecting the lower body are eligible for wheelchair curling.
Coordination Impairments
Athletes with a Coordination Impairment have one or more of the following three movement disorders that adversely affects the ability to voluntarily produce a full range of skilled movement fluidly, rapidly, and accurately:
- Hypertonia/Spasticity: an increase in muscle tension that may be velocity-dependent and/or a reduced ability of a muscle to stretch.
- Motor Ataxia: limited precision in direction and velocity of voluntary movement.
- Dyskinesia (Athetosis, Dystonia, Chorea): involuntary movements that interfere with voluntary movements.
Examples of Underlying Health Conditions that can lead to coordination impairments include Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, and Multiple Sclerosis.
Impaired Muscle Power
Athletes with Impaired Muscle Power have a reduced (or no) ability to contract their muscles to generate force that is consistent with an Underlying Health Condition affecting the structure and function of the central or peripheral nervous system or the muscles.
Examples of Underlying Health Conditions leading to impaired muscle power include: spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, post-polio syndrome, and spina bifida.
Impaired Passive Range of Motion
Athletes with Impaired Passive Range of Movement have a reduced ability for a joint to be passively moved that is consistent with an Underlying Health Condition affecting a structure of bones, joints, connective tissue, or soft tissues.
Examples of Underlying Health Conditions leading to impaired passive range of motion include: arthrogryposis and contracture resulting from chronic joint immobilization or trauma affecting a joint.
Limb Deficiency
Athletes with Limb Deficiency have a total or partial absence of a limb or anatomically irregular limb dimensions that are consistent with an Underlying Health Condition resulting from trauma (traumatic amputation), illness (example: amputation due to bone cancer), or congenital causes affecting the bones and/or joints (example: dysmelia).
Entering the Pathway
Reach out to Staff, opens in a new tabAthletes interested in wheelchair curling are encouraged to reach out to the USA Curling Wheelchair Curling Director, Pete Annis to get connected with the appropriate resources.
Athletes area also encouraged reach out to a USA Curling club in their area and inquire about upcoming "Learn to Curl" camps.
Equipment
To begin training and competing in wheelchair curling, athletes will need at minimum the following equipment:
- Wheelchair - most athletes use their everyday wheelchair as opposed to a specialized wheelchair
- Delivery stick - an adaptive stick used to push and release the stone
Not all eligible athletes utilize or require a wheelchair in their daily life; however, all athletes will need a wheelchair for competition.
USA Curling does not currently offer national classification. See below for information on the process of international classification in wheelchair curling and the singular sport class in wheelchair curling.
International Classification
World Curling Federation, opens in a new tabThe international federation for the sport of curling, the World Curling Federation (WCF), is responsible for governing the process of international classification for wheelchair curling.
The process of international classification includes submitting all necessary medical documentation and an in-person evaluation at a WCF competition offering classification.
Annual classification opportunities are available at the World Wheelchair B Curling Championships and World Wheelchair Curling Championships. Additional opportunities will be posted on the WCF website.
Eligible or Not Eligible
Unlike other Paralympic sports, wheelchair curling currently only has one sport class, and athletes are either "eligible" or "not eligible". All eligible athletes must meet one of the following minimum impairment criteria:
- Bilateral below knee transtibial amputations, unilateral amputation up to the hip, significant loss of range of movement across 2 or more of the large joints (hip, knee, ankle) in each leg, or an equivalent loss of function in both lower limbs through a coordination impairment or impaired muscle power.
Timing and Rules
- All games are scheduled for eight ends, and a minimum of six ends must be completed.
- Each team receives 36 minutes of "thinking time", which is the allotted amount of time that teams have to discuss strategy and plan their shots.
- If a match goes to extra ends, teams will be allotted an extra six minutes of "thinking time" per extra end.
- In wheelchair curling, there is no "sweeping" and stones are thrown from a stationary position.
Scoring
- The game is decided by having a score greater than your opponent at the completion of eight ends, when a team concedes victory to its opponent, or when one team is mathematically eliminated.
- At the completion of an end, a team scores one point for each of its own stones located in or touching the house that are closer to the tee (center of the house) than any stone of the opposition.
- If the score is tied at the completion of eight ends, play continues with extra end(s) and the team that scores first wins the game.
Disciplines
Paralympic wheelchair curling competitions can be in two formats:
- Mixed Team - Each team consists of four athletes which must include both male and female athletes where teams throw eight stones per end.
- Mixed Doubles - Each team consists of two athletes, one male and one female, where teams throw five stones per end.
USA Curling Club Locator
USA Curling Club Locator, opens in a new tabJoin a USA curling club in your area and start your journey!
Wheelchair Doubles National Championships
Wheelchair Mixed Doubles Championship, opens in a new tabVisit the USA Curling webpage to learn more about the Mixed Doubles Wheelchair National Championships including how to qualify.
National Team Selection
National Wheelchair Team Selection, opens in a new tabContinue practicing, competing, and progressing towards national team selection standards.