What's Crokicurl? New Sport Makes Debut In Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The majority of the U.S. Olympic Curling team is from Minnesota competing in Beijing. Back at home, a new version of the sport is making its debut.

At Wonders of Winter in Maple Grove, people got an introduction to Crokicurl.

The sport is part curling and part the board game Crokinole. From those two, it was born in Winnipeg in 2016.

It was played first stateside last year in Wisconsin and now Tanya Huntley, who's Canadian herself, has brought it to Minnesota for its inaugural initiation.

"We decided, well, maybe we can try it out," said Maple Grove Parks and Recreation Special Events Coordinator Tanya Huntley.

The game has painted ice, similar in appearance to a curling facility. A difference, there is a shallow hole in the center of the target where the first throw of a game is aimed. Outdoor ice and no brooms are other differences from Crokicurl's older cousin.

"They're not the expensive granite curling rocks. So it's a lot more accessible for anyone to try," Huntley said.

The pathway seems smooth for this young sport to take hold.

"I really think it could be like a backyard game. Kind of like bags tournaments and stuff like that. So I'm hoping it will turn into something like that, but in the winter," Huntley said.