With the beijing winter olympics, curling has once again become the focus of attention. The curling used at the Beijing Winter Olympics all came from an uninhabited island in Scotland. The unique granite of this small island provides the best equipment for curling.
In the ancient town of Mauchline, Ayrshire, Scotland, there is a handmade curling workshop, Kays Curling. In this workshop, granite from Ailsa Craig, a small island in Ayrshire, was made into curling for competitions.
Today, the curling produced by this company is the only product designated for use in all competitions of the World Curling Association.
Founded in 1851, Case Company has been providing curling for the Winter Olympics since the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix Games, France, in 1924.
Jimmy Wyllie
Jimmy Wyllie, 72-year-old general manager of Case Curling, has been with the company for 57 years since he was 15 years old.
Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Regional Radio programme, he said: "History books tell us that curling from stone from Elsa Craig Island could have been at least 200 years old. ”
"The island produces two kinds of stone, and previously it was possible to make two kinds of curling from two kinds of granite."
Today, curling is made from a combination of these two granites. Ordinary green Elsa Craig granite is used to make the main body of the Winter Olympic curling, and blue millstone granite is added.
In the workshop, the workers make a curling pot every hour, and the weekly curling output is 38. Each must undergo a rigorous check of shape and balance to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Olympic Games.
The small island of Ailsa Craig, about 10 miles from mainland Scotland, is uninhabited
The granite produced on the island is very unique and not found anywhere else
The hardness of the island's granite makes it the ideal stone for making curling
A boulder from the island in the Keith Curling Workshop in mauchline, Ayrshire
The keys curling workshop has a variety of tools hanging on the walls
It takes an hour for workers to hand-polish a stone for curling
Granite being cut into the shape of a curling
Founded in the mid-19th century, case curling has a history of 170 years
All curling used at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will be produced by Case Curling
The curling process generates a lot of dust and noise, and workers must do a good job of dust and noise protection
Curling is basically formed and still needs to be processed
Image source: Taken by Andrew Buchanan