The doodle is part of Google’s “Doodle Snow Games” signifying the ongoing PyeongChang Winter Olympics. (Source: Google screenshot)
Google doodle continues its celebration of the Winter Olympics in its ‘Doodles Snow Games.’ This time, the doodle features a tortoise sliding towards the centre of four concentric circles. The doodle is a representation of the sport called ‘Curling’ which involves athletes sliding polished rounded stones on a sheet of ice towards a target which is represented by the four concentric circles.
It is played between two teams of four players each and the stones are polished granites and also referred to as rocks. The surface is an ice curling sheet and the target is also called the house. Each team has eight stones with them and points are scored according to how close to the middle of the central circle the stone gets. The thrower is the man who releases the stone while two sweepers manipulate the path for the stone to the house. The skills of the curlers determine to a large extend as to where the rock ends up and thus the sport has earned the nickname “chess on ice.”
Curling was made part of the Winter Olympics in 1998. (Source: Reuters)
Curling has been part of the Winter Olympics since 1998. This year features the first time that a curling mixed doubles event will feature in the Games. Canada are the dominant team, with the men’s team winning gold in 2006, 2010 and 2014 and silver in 1998 and 2002. The women’s team have won gold in 1998 and 2014 and silver in 2002 and 2006.