USA CURLING ADOPTS WCF RULES OF CURLING AND RULES OF COMPETITION
Photo: Bob Weder Photography
[EAGAN, MN, September 25, 2023] — In the 2023-24 curling season and beyond, USA Curling will follow the World Curling Federation (WCF) Rules of Curling and Rules of Competition at national championship events.
The 2023-24 Championship Qualifying Procedures, a document that is not part of the Rules of Curling and Rules of Competition, is posted on our website. Please refer to it to learn how to qualify for our national championships or earn a place on the National Wheelchair Curling Team.
By adopting the WCF Rules of Curling and Rules of Competition across all our championships, we will have a rule book that is tested at hundreds of events around the world and reviewed annually by the WCF Competitions staff. This should eliminate confusion about playoff qualification processes, tiebreakers, draw formats, coach interaction, and more.
It also means that competing in events that lead to representation at world championships will be fully accustomed to the rules of play if they win and earn the right to be Team USA on the global stage.
“While the annual USA Curling Rules of Curling did not stray far from the WCF Rules of Curling and Rules of Competition, there were enough subtle differences that had the potential to create confusion at our championships,” noted Dean Gemmell, CEO of USA Curling. “By adopting the WCF rules in full, and separating our qualifying procedures from the rule book, we will create more clarity for athletes and officials.”
Recently, USA Curling Chief Umpire Susie Czarnetzki and a group of certified USA Curling officials completed training from the World Academy of Sport as part of a WCF effort to improve the education process. USA Curling plans to offer more training sessions for people interested in officiating, and following the WCF standards will make that process more productive, as well.
About USA Curling
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, IHG, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.
