Scottish goldminers first brought the sport to Central Otago and the traditions live on as farmers sweep stones and catch up on the ice
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n a July evening in Alexandra, a small town in New Zealand’s South Island, the temperature is a chilly 3C. While most of the town is in quiet darkness, at Ice Inline Molyneux Park, the lights are on and the banter is abundant. It’s a social curling night, and the shouts of “sweeeep!” can be heard from the car park. Players from teams with names such as the “Plonkers”, “Too Dam Cold” and “Doome and Broom” gather on the outdoor ice rink, sweeping furiously as 11kg curling stones move across the ice.
L-R: A collection of enamel badges from curling competitions and tournaments. Curling stones ready to be put away after a Thursday night social curling game in Alexandra.
Crampit, or outdoor curling, is a sport that dates back to the 1500s in Scotland, where it was traditionally played on frozen lochs. Curling was brought to Central Otago in New Zealand by Scottish goldminers, and was a way to pass the time when the water was frozen and they couldn’t work. The first reported curling game in the region was held in 1878.
