Royal Curling Meckelnburgh
 | |
| Formerly | Curling League of Meckelnburgh |
|---|---|
| Sport |
 Curling Icestock sport |
| Founded | 2021 CE |
| Headquarters |
Alexandretta Fríða (icestock) Alexandrople (Branniboria) Fenixtune (Iselande) |
| Director | Dame Anne Marlow |
| No. of teams |
331 clubs 58 icestock clubs 35 collegiate teams |
| Nation(s) |
 Meckelnburgh Branniboria Salem Iselande |
| Venue(s) |
Percy National Curling Center Prince Valoro Curling & Icestock Center Alexandrople Municipal Arena Lake Hellistelli Arena |
| TV partner(s) | MB-TV, RMBC, TV Lunden |
| Sponsor(s) | Ministry of Culture & Sport |
| Related competitions | Meckelnburgh national curling team |
| Domestic cup(s) |
Mixed Superspiel Mixed Doubles Superspiel Collegiate Superspiel U-18 Superspiel Wheelchair Superspiel Icestock Superspiel |
| Official website | curling.mb |
The Royal Meckelnburgh Curling Association (RMCA; Alexandrian: Association Meckelmbourgeoise royale de curling; Aspiranto: Reĝa Mekelnburga Glitŝtonludo-Asocio), branded as Royal Curling Meckelnburgh (CurlingMB), is the sanctioning body for the sports of curling and icestock in the United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh. The goal of the RMCA is to grow the popularity and sportsmanship of the curling sports in Meckelnburgh, and win medals in international competitions through its Team Meckelnburgh. All curling events in Meckelnburgh are mixed curling; the positions on a team must alternate between members of different genders.
History
Curling is the most popular sport in Meckelnburgh, and Royal Curling Meckelnburgh is the oldest sports body in the nation. Its direct predecessor, the Curling League of Meckelnburgh, was founded in 2020 CE to organize the first bonspiels. In 2021 CE, the league established the Superspiels, the Meckelnburgh national championships. The same year, King Georgo V bestowed the title "royal" on the league, acknowledging its dedication to the sport.
Royal Curling Meckelnbrugh has continued to expand. Team icestock, a variation of curling popular in the province of Hergilsey, was added to the league in 2021 CE, making the RMCA the first sanctioning body for icestock on Micras. In 2022 CE, the RMCA incorporated the collegiate intermural leagues of curling, taking the sport at colleges and universities under its wing. Cashspiels were prohibited within the league that same year, over fears of the growing commercialization of the sport. The constituent countries of Branniboria and Iselande were incorporated into the league in 2024 CE.
In 2021 CE, Royal Curling Meckelnburgh entered the Micras world stage, forming the first Team Meckelnburgh for participation in the 2021 CE Curling World Championship.
Association administration
Management and funding
Royal Curling Meckelnburgh is home to 331 curling clubs and 35 collegiate teams throughout Meckelnburgh, Branniboria, Salem and Iselande, totaling over 13,500 curlers. It is headquartered in Alexandretta, with regional offices in Fríða, Alexandrople and Fenixtune. The RMCA is directed by a seven-person commission, appointed by the Ministry of Culture & Sport. A director is then hired to manage the day-to-day operations. The current director of the RMCA is Dame Anne Marlow, since 2021 CE.
Curling in Meckelnburgh is heavily subsidized by the national government, through the Ministry of Culture & Sport. Grants are available to establish new clubs, and existing clubs receive an annual per capita grant to afford facilities, equipment and outreach. Most clubs rent space in larger ice sports arenas, but a significant minority own their independent curling clubhouses. Dedicated sheets are common even within rented arenas.
Rules of the game
In absence of a Micras-wide governing body for the curling sports, Royal Curling Meckelnburgh follows its own rules of the game, including:
Area and tools of play. The sheet must be 44.5 to 45.5 m long and 4.35 to 4.75 m wide. The house is drawn from three circles of 3.66 m, 2.44 m and 1.22 m in diameter, with a button 0.30 m in diameter. The stones must weigh 17.5 to 20.0 kg, be at least 11 cm high, and be circular, with a circumference of no more than 91 cm. Delivery sticks are not allowed in regular play, except for the elderly or for whom equity requires.
Five rock rule. Within the free-guard zone, any stationary stones belonging to the opposing team may not be removed by the delivering team prior to the delivery of the sixth stone of the end. If removed from play, the the opposition's stone must be replaced, and the delivered stone removed.
Wheelchair curling. Stones may be released from the hand or a delivery stick; the wheels of the chair must contact the ice, but not the delivering player's feet. Delivery must occur between two lines 45.7 cm on each side of the center line. A stone that does not reach the opposing hog line may be redelivered.
Mixed genders. "Genders" in Meckelnish play are (1) both genders of men, (2) both genders of women and (3) nonbinary people. Teams may thus have up to three genders of curlers, though must have two; any combination so long as no gender delivers consecutively.
Media partners
Curling events are aired on the public Royal Meckelnburgh Broadcasting Corporation (RMBC) channels 3, 7 (Meckelnish) and 9 (Alexandrian). The kingdom's largest private station, MB-TV, carries curling on its sports broadcasts and online streams. TV Lunden also carries curling, airing the sport for sportsbetters in Meckelnburgh. As well, the RMBC carries Royal Curling Meckelnburgh on all public radio nationwide.
Regional associations
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This article or section is a work in progress. The information below may be incomplete, outdated, or subject to change. |
The RMCA is made up of nine regional associations, of which each club is a member. The regional associations help organize clubs at the local level, and manage travel between club facilities (especially in the Northern Sea region). They also host regional bonspiels year-round for competition, allowing teams to earn points to attend the Superspiels.
| Association | Province(s) | Headquarters | Clubs | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandretta | Alexandretta | 49 | 3 | |
| Norman Valley | Siegrwangria | Liubz | 27 | 2 |
| Crowsilver Sea | Victoria | 52 | 3 | |
| Ashland | Cumberland | Tuft | 36 | 2 |
| East Cumberland | St. Cloud | 32 | 2 | |
| The Clanlands | Sanktago | 35 | 2 | |
| Northern Sea | Hergilsey Brittnay Salem |
Fríða | 38 | 2 |
| Branniboria | Alexandrople | 45 | 3 | |
| Iselande | Fenixtune | 17 | 1 | |
Collegiate curling
One specialty association in Royal Curling Meckelnburgh serves the sport at colleges and universities. These 35 teams, unlike the amateur association overall, receive nominal compensation for serving their institutions. Collegiate teams are the only ones that follow a set season, held throughout the academic year. The program is headquartered in Alexandretta at the University of Meckelnburgh.
Icestock
Throughout the United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh, icestock is managed by a subsidiary association. Most icestock clubs are also standard curling clubs in the RMCA, though there are much fewer. The association manages the same functions as the regional associations of curling, but in two regions, also hosting icestock bonspiels year-round for competition. The most popular places for icestock in Meckelnburgh are Hergilsey, with 13 clubs, and Iselande, with 10 clubs. Fewer icestock competitions are held annually due to a smaller participant pool and vast distances between regional clubs.
| Region | Province(s) | Headquarters | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern | Hergilsey Brittnay Salem Iselande |
Fríða | 31 |
| Southern | Alexandretta Siegrwangria The Clanlands Cumberland Branniboria |
Alexandretta | 27 |
Major facilities
Percy National Curling Center
The Percy National Curling Center is the premier curling arena in Meckelnburgh, and one of the largest dedicated curling venues in Micras. The center is located just northeast of downtown Alexandretta, near Thomas Memorial Field and other key sports venues. It was built in 2020 CE and named after Sir Clyde Percy, Bt., the first president of the Curling League of Meckelnburgh. It hosts most events in the annual Superspiel series, as well as regional bonspiels for the Alexandretta region.
In Superspiel mode, the Percy National Curling Center has an attendance capacity of 5,850, with four sheets on the main floor. Up to eight sheets can be set on the main floor when placed into smaller capacity modes. In 2021 CE, the center underwent a retrofit, expanding its seating capacity, to make hosting bids for future world championships.
Prince Valoro Curling & Icestock Center
The Prince Valoro Curling & Icestock Center is the second largest curling arena in Meckelnburgh, and the largest for icestock. The center is located in downtown Fríða. It has a capacity of up to 3,150, allowing six to four sheets at a time on the main floor. The center hosts some rounds of the Superspiel series, including the Icestock Superspiel, as well as regional bonspiels for the Northern Sea region.
Notable clubhouses
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This article or section is a work in progress. The information below may be incomplete, outdated, or subject to change. |
For clubs that do own their own facilities, many sizable clubhouses are able to host hundreds of attendees, often serving as venues for local and regional bonspiels.
| Club | Location | Association | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Skallefei CC | Alexandretta | Alexandretta | 1,250 |
| Victoria City CC | Victoria | Crowsilver Sea | 1,050 |
| Lunden CC | Lunden | Crowsilver Sea | 1,000 |
| Lake Benton CC | St. Cloud | East Cumberland | 850 |
| West Sanktago CC | Sanktago | The Clanlands | 700 |
| Iceberg Bay CC | Tuft | Ashland | 650 |
| Petra CC | Petra | Norman Valley | 550 |
| Highgrew CC | Highgrew | East Cumberland | 500 |
| St. Elmo Point CC | Tatara | Crowsilver Sea | 500 |
| East Boulonne C&EC | Boulonne | Northern Sea | 500 |
| Truckie CC | Truckie | Ashland | 500 |
Superspiel championships
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This article or section is a work in progress. The information below may be incomplete, outdated, or subject to change. |
The Superspiels are the national curling championships in Meckelnburgh, held in October. The winners represent Meckelnburgh at the World Curling Championships. Any club formally organized in the United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh is eligible to play for the Superspiels. Many clubs also front teams for multiple formats.
The mixed and mixed doubles Superspiels are contested by 20 clubs each, with clubs from each regional association. One club from each association and a wildcard runner-up, 10 clubs in all, participate in the U-18 and wheelchair competitions. Eight clubs nationwide are also selected for the Icestock Superspiel, four from each region.
In the Collegiate Superspiel, four teams play, decided by a nationwide qualification.
Qualification
Because clubs in Royal Curling Meckelnburgh are amateur, the year is decentralized for accessibility; no single regional championship qualifies a club to the Superspiels. Instead, clubs are awarded points throughout the playing year (January through September) for placements in local and regional bonspiels. Points are weighed on size of event.
In the Collegiate Superspiel, qualifying is determined by the teams' comparative performances throughout the regular season.
Top finishers table
| Association | Mixed | Mixed Doubles |
U-18 | Wheelchair |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandretta | ||||
| Ashland | ||||
| Branniboria | ||||
| Crowsilver Sea | ||||
| East Cumberland | ||||
| Iselande | ||||
| Norman Valley | ||||
| Northern Sea | ||||
| The Clanlands |
