Annual cast iron skillet curling competition to heat up the ice at Chattanooga Choo Choo

January 21, 2020 at 10:54 a.m. | Updated January 22, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.

by Staff Report

Slippery When Frozen team member Alvaro Victoria prepares to throw a skillet during the Iron Skillet Curling tournament at Ice on the Landing in the Chattanooga Choo Choo Gardens on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 in Chattanooga, Tenn. The tournament, played more like bocce ball than curling, was contested by sixteen teams. The 4-person teams competed in the single-elimination tournament with the winning team taking home a custom trophy made by Lodge Cast Iron and each member getting a Lodge Cast Iron pan and pound of bacon from Main Street Meats. Staff Photo by C.B. Schmelter.
Slippery When Frozen team member Alvaro Victoria prepares to throw a skillet during the Iron Skillet Curling tournament at Ice on the Landing in the Chattanooga Choo Choo Gardens on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 in Chattanooga, Tenn. The tournament, played more like bocce ball than curling, was contested by sixteen teams. The 4-person teams competed in the single-elimination tournament with the winning team taking home a custom trophy made by Lodge Cast Iron and each member getting a Lodge Cast Iron pan and pound of bacon from Main Street Meats. Staff Photo by C.B. Schmelter.

Ice on the Landing is hosting its annual cast iron skillet curling championship Tuesday evening.

Four teams will compete for bragging rights from 6-11 p.m. at the Chattanooga Choo Choo.

For those new to curling, here's how the game works:

- Teams consist of four players with four skillets.

- The "jack" (as in bocce) or the "daube" is served by a bacon press.

- Two teams (Red vs. Blue) each place two players at each end of the rink (like cornhole). All skillets and jack go to one side.

- A coin toss determines the jack slider team to begin.

- First team Red slides the jack from behind the curved corners, and must pass mid-rink (the hog line) but go no further than far side curves to establish the target. Should the jack fail to stop within bounds, Blue team is given the opportunity.

- The same team that sets the jack follows up by sliding the first skillet to establish the point to beat. The slide is ideally produced by pushing the skillet from the handle, basin forward, underhanded with the base first contacting the ice. If Red sets the point, Blue teammates alternate sliding skillets until they stop one of their skillets closer to the jack. Distance is determined by comparing the closest points of the skillets to the closest point of the jack. At this point, turn reverts to the Red team to accomplish the same. This alternates until each teammate slides all four skillets. A total of eight skillets will be scattered.

- Should Red team have the closest skillet, Red gets one point plus an additional point for each Red skillet closer than the Blue opponent's closest. It is possible to score up to four points. If both teams conclude with a skillet touching and/or hovering any part above the press, no points are scored. Wherever the jack winds up is the ultimate target, even if pushed up against walls.

- The scoring team's other members then slide the jack to restart play back toward the starting side to complete the round. Play can either continue for an agreed number of rounds (minimum of three), or 21 points, or a set time.

For more information, visit iceonthelanding.com.

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