The sport of curling dates back at 
least four centuries to Scotland, but
its origins beyond that are obscure.
While it was played at the first 
Winter Olympics in 1924, it was 
dropped as a regular event.  
Curling has been a demonstration 
sport at seven Olympics, and in 
1998, it is being reintroduced as an
official Olympic event in Nagano, 
Japan. 

Scottish immigrants brought the 
sport with them to Canada, where 
it is enjoyed today by at least a half
a million active players.  The object 
of the game is to slide a 42-44 
pound granite stone across the ice 
towards fixed targets.  It is a team 
sport, with four members on each 
team.  While one team member 
slides the stone, others use 
brooms to smooth the ice and help 
direct the stones to the "tee" or 
fixed target.  The object of the 
game is to place more stones at the
 "tee" than the opponent.