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General Play
The Ottawa Curling Club subscribes to the Canadian Curling Association’s Rules of Curling for General Play.
5 rock rule
The Ottawa Curling Club will follow the rules for competitive curling, as sanctioned by Curling Canada, with the goal of increasing in equality of free guards, increasing offence, decreasing in blank ends, and improving ability to come back from a deficit. All leagues will adhere to this rule.
Slow play
It is important that all games start on time. Please ensure that the coin has been tossed, the lead is ready to throw first rock, and your team is on the ice and ready to curl by your start time.
The Match Committee has set time limits to ensure the late draw gets off the ice at a reasonable time. The on-ice clock is to be used as the official clock.
Monday Ladder, Tuesday Ladies, and Thursday Men: To ensure that the late draw starts on time; as of 8:05 p.m., the early draw teams will be allowed to finish the end they are in and play one more.
Wednesday Ca$h League: 8 end games, ties decided by skip’s rocks only for advancement in the following week, ca$h will be split equally.
Friday Mixed League: To ensure that the late draw starts on time; as of 8:35 p.m. the early draw teams will be allowed to finish the end they are in and play one more.
Saturday Open League: To ensure that all draw starts on time; as of 10:40 a.m. and 12:55 p.m. teams will be allowed to finish the end they are in and play one more.
Skips should be aware of a potential time problem and discuss it so that, if necessary, they can play the 7th end as if it were the 8th. Teams should not play slowly to ensure victory - this scenario will be addressed by the Match Committee.
Breaking ties
All leagues (except Saturday Open) will throw skip’s rocks; throwing team may sweep their stone; the opposing team may not sweep behind the tee line.
Equipment
On September 28, 2016, the OCC Match Committee decided to adopt Part Two (Recreational & Club Play) of Curling Canada's Sweeping Moratorium on Brush Head Technology as an interim measure for all leagues except Wednesday Cash, where teams may adopt either Part One or Part Two.
NEW RULE FOR CASH LEAGUE: Since each game is worth cash, all players and spares will be required to have sweeping equipment conforming to WCF specifications be used as a condition of competition - compliant WCF fabric, no plates or inserts (including WCF certified). This rule was decided on June 3, 2022 with input from the 2022-23 registered Cash League members.
The practical effect of Part Two is that there is no moratorium for recreational play and you can keep using your current broom pad, regardless if it is now banned from elite competition (where Curling Canada CTRS points are available). However, we ask you to do so in the spirit of fair play. We think the following 2 excerpts from Part Two capture the situation best:
- "In keeping with the ‘Spirit of Curling’, individuals who are elite competitors or very proficient sweepers should consider whether it is ‘fair’ that they use non-conforming equipment (broom pads) in a recreational competition even if the rules allow it", and
- “We would also encourage everyone to consider the true spirit of the sport of curling, and regardless of the brush head in use, all players should revert to the sweeping techniques/styles in play prior to the 2015-16 season”.
Note that the convenors are not umpires or referees; any dispute about sweeping should be settled amicably between skips.
Burnt rocks
"displaced stationary" or "touched moving" rocks
Displaced Stationary Stones (Rules of Curling for General Play – Rule 10):
- No effect on outcome: the non-offending team replaces it to their satisfaction
- Would have had an effect: all rocks must come to rest and non-offending team decides:
- Replace everything as it was before the violation and remove the thrown stone, or
- Leave everything as is, where they came to rest, or
- Place everything as they believe it would have happened had a stone not been displaced.
Touched Moving Stones (Rules of Curling for General Play – Rule 9):
- Before the second Hog line: the offending team must remove the rock immediately
- After the second Hog line: all rocks must come to rest and non-offending team decides:
- Replace everything as it was before the violation and remove the thrown stone, or
- Leave everything as is, where they came to rest, or
- Place everything as they believe it would have happened had a stone not been touched.
