Beijing, 14 Feb (Xinhua) -- In the curling competition of the Beijing Winter Olympics, it is often seen that after the athletes throw the pot, several other team members follow the pot forward, sometimes one person gently wipes the ice surface, sometimes two or three people work together to wipe the ice, and even breathes out of breath after wiping. Wiping ice is actually to reduce the friction between the Xiaoice pot and the ice surface, thereby affecting the curling distance and trajectory.
Han Yu (second from right) from China directs his teammates to wipe ice during the match. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Lan Hongguang
The curling track is completely different from the ice surface of other ice sports. Looking down, the curling track's ice surface is not smooth, but full of "pyranks" – "pony", which are "tailor-made" by professional icemakers for curling events.
Between curling competitions at the Winter Olympics, icemakers sometimes carry water tanks and hold "showers" in their hands, spraying small water droplets evenly on the ice. The water droplets condense in cold, forming "pony pony", which increases the friction between the curling and the ice surface.
This is the National Aquatics Center "Ice Cube" curling track, and the ice surface is covered with "pedant spots". Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ma Sijia
If the pitcher wants to throw the pot into the specified position, the force and rotation angle must be very precise. However, factors such as temperature and humidity on the field may cause changes in the ice surface, which is difficult for athletes to grasp in real time, and the success rate of throwing is not fully guaranteed. At this time, it is necessary to give full play to the advantages of team combat, and other team members will wipe the ice to help achieve the goal of throwing pots.
First, wiping the ice can affect the curling speed. When the ice brush rubs against the ice surface, it will melt the "pyestal spots" and form a water film, which reduces the travel resistance of the Xiaoice pot and increases the sliding distance. The captain at the end of the base camp sometimes shouts "Hurry" or "Ha", that is, he finds that the pot is not strong enough, and reminds the ice wiping team members to increase the ice rubbing force and let the pot slide farther.
South Korea's Kim Eun-jeong directed his teammates to wipe the ice during the match. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Jingyan
In addition, wiping the ice can also change the direction of curling. Sometimes the command team members will shout "down the line", which means that the curling trajectory is too straight to reach the specified position, and it is necessary to make the curling curve larger by wiping the ice; the relative "upper line" is to hope that the curling trajectory will be straighter by wiping the ice.
Seemingly simple ice rubbing, there are high requirements for athletes' physical strength, judgment and attention. In some cases, ice skaters can have a heart rate of up to 180 beats per minute.
Therefore, in the curling competition, to defeat the opponent, the commander, the thrower, and the ice wiper cannot "drop the chain".
Editors: Ma Sijia, Ji Jiadong, Huang Xuguo