FROM PAST TO PRESENT THE MOST MYSTERIOUS OLYMPIC SPORT: A REVIEW OF CURLING SPORT

The popularity of curling, a target sport played on ice with rocks, has been steadily increasing. The number of World Curling Federation member countries has doubled in the last two decades. Shortly after taking part in the Olympics in 1998, curling became one of the most popular winter sports on TV. The reflections of the interest in the society have found a response in the world of science and an increase has been observed in the number of scientific studies on curling. However, despite the increase in studies, there is currently no comprehensive literature review that provides fundamental information about the sport of curling. The aim of this review is to provide general information about the sport of curling and its rules by filling the gap in the literature examining the scientific studies in this field. In this review the history, organization management, rules, strategy, ice properties, materials used and scientific research on the sport of curling are mentioned. While previous studies, particularly in the field of engineering, have explored aspects such as the structure of ice, sweeping techniques, and the movement of stones on ice, many mysteries still remain to be unraveled.