The sport of curling keeps reinventing itself with new ways to enjoy the “roaring game”. Doubles curling came into prominance in the last couple of years, with Islanders Robert Campbell and Rebecca Jean MacDonald taking part in the World Mixed Doubles competition in St. Paul Minnesota last spring, and Emily Gray playing the sport as part of the Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck Austria in January.

Cornwall Curling Club members decided to give this new curling variant a try, taking part in the Club’s first-ever Doubles curling bonspiel on Saturday.

Photo:  Opponent Mark MacDonald watches the house as Tracy MacDonald throws and Bob Fowler sweeps her rock in Doubles curling action Saturday at Cornwall (Photo by Karen Currie)

Doubles curling has two curlers per team instead of four, with two rocks pre-positioned on the sheet at the start of each end, and five stones instead of eight thrown per end. Player 1 delivers the first and last stones per end, while player 2 delivers rocks 2-4. No stone, in or out of the house, may be removed before three rocks are played. Both the thrower and the curler holding the broom may sweep each rock. Games are normally eight ends.

Click for demonstration video.

Curlers at Cornwall thought it was a lot of fun and a great way to sharpen their curling skills.

For the record, the team of Angus Kennedy and Myrna Sanderson came first in the competition, followed by Steven and Karen Montgomery, with Bob Fowler and Tracy MacDonald coming in third.