Ice bowling
Encyclopedia
Ice
bowling
is a variant of traditional 10 pin bowling
in that it is played on ice
, usually outdoors.
and Canada
, ice bowling is slowly growing into a more established sport in areas with hibernal climates. For instance, in February 2009, the World Ice Bowling Championships took place in Anchorage, Alaska
as part of the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous. Such events attest to the rising significance of the fledgling sport.
by drizzling with water and allowing the field to freeze solid in due course, a process similar to creating an improvised ice skating
rink
. Scoring, game format, and general rules and regulations parallel 10 pin bowling
quite closely. However, similar to bumper bowling, hay
or straw
bails are often used in place of gutters, allowing the bowling ball
to ricochet its way down the bowling lane. Another notable divergence from modern 10 pin bowling is the lack of automatic ball return mechanisms, necessitating a human lane attendant at the end of the ice lane in order to reset the bowling pins after the bowling ball
is put into play, and additionally to return the ball to the hurler. A lane attendant is also responsible for grooming the ice between games in order to ensure a uniform surface free of shavings or impediments. Since the game is often played in inhospitable conditions, with snow
, sleet
, and hail
not unheard of during day-to-day game play, several layers of winter outerwear, including parkas, gloves, scarves, ushanka
, and mukluks would be common for players to attire themselves in while engaging in the sport.
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
is a variant of traditional 10 pin bowling
10 Pin Bowling
10 Pin Bowling is a bowling sports game, developed by Morning Star Multimedia and published by Majesco Sales. The game was released in North America and Europe in 1999 for the Game Boy Color.-Reception:The game received negative reviews...
in that it is played on ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
, usually outdoors.
History
Once considered a winter novelty associated with winter festivals throughout the northern United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, ice bowling is slowly growing into a more established sport in areas with hibernal climates. For instance, in February 2009, the World Ice Bowling Championships took place in Anchorage, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
as part of the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous. Such events attest to the rising significance of the fledgling sport.
Game Play
Ice bowling is strictly an amateur sport and no professional sport association exists for the game as of yet. Ice bowling lanes are often cleared from natural bodies of ice such as lakes, rivers, or streams, or are created from a field of compacted snowSnow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
by drizzling with water and allowing the field to freeze solid in due course, a process similar to creating an improvised ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...
rink
Rink
Rink may refer to:* Ice rink, used for ice skating* Ice hockey rink*Curling rink, used to refer to both a curling team and the playing surface*a roller rink, used for roller skating or roller hockey...
. Scoring, game format, and general rules and regulations parallel 10 pin bowling
10 Pin Bowling
10 Pin Bowling is a bowling sports game, developed by Morning Star Multimedia and published by Majesco Sales. The game was released in North America and Europe in 1999 for the Game Boy Color.-Reception:The game received negative reviews...
quite closely. However, similar to bumper bowling, hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
or straw
Straw
Straw is an agricultural by-product, the dry stalks of cereal plants, after the grain and chaff have been removed. Straw makes up about half of the yield of cereal crops such as barley, oats, rice, rye and wheat. It has many uses, including fuel, livestock bedding and fodder, thatching and...
bails are often used in place of gutters, allowing the bowling ball
Bowling ball
A bowling ball is a spherical ball made from plastic, reactive resin, urethane or a combination of these materials which is used in the sport of bowling. Ten-pin bowling balls generally have a set of three holes drilled in them, one each for the ring and middle finger, and one for the thumb;...
to ricochet its way down the bowling lane. Another notable divergence from modern 10 pin bowling is the lack of automatic ball return mechanisms, necessitating a human lane attendant at the end of the ice lane in order to reset the bowling pins after the bowling ball
Bowling ball
A bowling ball is a spherical ball made from plastic, reactive resin, urethane or a combination of these materials which is used in the sport of bowling. Ten-pin bowling balls generally have a set of three holes drilled in them, one each for the ring and middle finger, and one for the thumb;...
is put into play, and additionally to return the ball to the hurler. A lane attendant is also responsible for grooming the ice between games in order to ensure a uniform surface free of shavings or impediments. Since the game is often played in inhospitable conditions, with snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
, sleet
Ice storm
An ice storm is a type of winter storm characterized by freezing rain, also known as a glaze event or in some parts of the United States as a silver thaw. The U.S. National Weather Service defines an ice storm as a storm which results in the accumulation of at least of ice on exposed surfaces...
, and hail
Hail
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is referred to as a hail stone. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between and in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms...
not unheard of during day-to-day game play, several layers of winter outerwear, including parkas, gloves, scarves, ushanka
Ushanka
An ushanka , also known as a trooper, is a Russian fur cap with ear flaps that can be tied up to the crown of the cap, or tied at the chin to protect the ears, jaw and lower chin from the cold. The thick dense fur also offers some protection against blunt impacts to the head...
, and mukluks would be common for players to attire themselves in while engaging in the sport.