April 22, 2007:
Ice Cup: System of play, draw times and game timing

We will be using the Schenkel system with all 18 teams competing in the same group. All teams play at least 5 games and after that top four teams will be playing the medal games on Sunday afternoon.

We will be making the draw for round 1 at the opening party.

Draw times
Friday: 8:30 & 11:00 am, 2:00 and 4:30 pm
Saturday: 8:30 & 11:00 am, 2:00 and 4:30 pm
Sunday: 8:30 & 11:00 am, medal games at 2:00 pm

System of play
Two points will be awarded for a win and one for a tie. After each round the teams will be ranked according to points (then ends, then stones scored). In each round, a team will then play against a team next to it on the ranking list, unless they have played before. We will be trying to avoid back to back games (11 am & 2 pm) but we can't make a promise that we'll succeed entirely.

All teams will be playing two games on Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday morning. Then, top two teams will play for the gold and teams in 3rd and 4th place will play for the bronze. Medal games will be 8 ends and start at 2 pm.

Rules of competition are in full length in an excel-spread sheet here, together with all results as they happen and list of teams and players.

Game timing
At the start of each round we will be setting the clock at the ice rink to 85 minutes. When the whisle blows (it is a little loud) teams will finish the ongoing end and play one end in addition to that. In that respect we consider a new end to have started when the last stone of the preceeding end is in motion. In the final games for gold, silver and bronze we will not be using the clock but play full 8 end games.