Warning ! This delivery calls for the foot slider to be on the opposite foot as called for in the standard delivery. Therefore experienced curlers that try it will find it uncomfortable if not dangerous since the slider is on the opposite foot. It would be wise to show it to new curlers only.
The standard curling delivery involves two means of support on one side of the body and nothing on the other. This is the reason that it is difficult and awkward for all but the nimble to master. Big people in particular have trouble contorting their leg under them. People with poor balance have trouble too. The right hander has his left leg and left arm for support on the left side and nothing on the right side. The left hander is similarily handicapped.
The reason for this is that until recently the ice was slow and the shooter had to swing the rock up and backwards to get enough force. If they tried to slide on the right foot they would had to have put their left leg in the left hack. But then the swinging rock would have hit their right leg.
That's history. Thanks in part to deionized water we now have fast ice. The No-Lift delivery is now possible. The overweight arthritic fifty year old has struggled long enough. We now have a modern delivery that allows one means of support on each side of the body. This delivery is called The
Fast Ice delivery which evolved naturally from The Utica Knee Slide.
This delivery capitalizes on this fast ice in that the rock no longer has to be swung. The following is a brief summary and assumes that the reader is familiar with the game.
The right hander puts the slider on the right foot and places the left foot in the left hack for the case of dual hacks or in the single hack if there is only one hack.
The left arm is outside the left leg, and, as before, on a stabilizer or preferably a broom.The right foot is on the top right side the hack foot. The body weight is centered over the hack foot and the rock is directly in front of the left foot. As in the standard delivery the hips are raised prior to push-off for extra power. As the rock is pushed off, the left leg straighens, the right foot comes forward, and the left arm adds support. The curler slides out with weight on the right foot, left arm, and trailing toes.
The slide will not veer off line as long as the body stays centered over the hack foot at push-off. This slide loads the forward leg with only about 45% of the person's weight compared with 60% on the standard delivery. The difference is taken up by the arm. The young lady demonstrting it uses a stablizer which nessitates the elbow being slightly bent in order for her shoulders to be on a level, It is better to use a broom flat on the ice but with the same teflon as is used on the sliding foot or else there will be a torque component. A straight arm can support alot more weight than is needed for this delivery.
Experienced curlers will find it a quite awkward and even dangerous because they have the slider on the other foot. New prospects will take to it more easily than the standard delivery. Big bodied curlers will find it especially easy.
See another blog on this topic at
curldelivery.blogspot.com
The
Fast Ice slide meets the letter, the spirit, and intent of the delivery rule. It renders no unfair advantage.
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