Curl San Diego

About Curl San Diego

Curl San Diego: Bringing “Chess on Ice” to Southern California

Curl San Diego proves curling needs no snow outside the door. The volunteer-run nonprofit was founded after the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, initially by Canadians living in San Diego who wanted somewhere to play, and has since grown into the region’s home for the sport.

The club curls on arena ice at IceTown Carlsbad in North County, with its regular sessions on Saturday nights. Five sheets are laid out on the hockey surface, and members describe the game to newcomers as “chess on ice,” where an eighth of an inch can make or break a shot.

The year is organized around leagues, including spring leagues and a May mini-league, plus open pickup curling as ice time allows. Learn-to-curl sessions are the main entry point, and they swell in Olympic years, when the club has welcomed some 200 people to a single learn-to-curl event.