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		Summary of MCA Rule Changes for 2003-2004 For more information on these or other rules, contact the Manitoba Curling Association's Technical Director by Email at mca@curlmanitoba.org OR by telephone at (204) 925-5723. A. RULES OF PLAY For the 2003-2004 season the following rules changes in the CCA General Rules of Play are the more significant changes. THE TEAMS RULE (RULE 5:2E) has been amended to include: • A substitute player who joins a team between ends may deliver stones in any position of the delivery rotation of his/her team. Players may move up or down the delivery rotation only as required to position the substitute player and the team shall re-declare (their delivery rotation at this time. Keypoint: this rule is clarified on the point that the team members may move up or down ONLY to accommodate the sub. THE HOGLINE RULE (RULE 8:3) has been amended and now reads: • In the delivery of a stone, the stone shall be released before the stone has reached the nearer hog line. Keypoint: release before the front edge of the stone reaches the hog line NOT before it completely crosses the hog line as in prior years. THE TOUCHED DELIVERED STONE OR STONE(S) SET IN MOTION RULE (RULE 9:1) has been amended to remove the interpretation to the rule that allowed for a stone to be released and retouched as a part of the players regular delivery. Double-clutching or brushing the back of the stone at the time of release is NO LONGER ALLOWED THE FREE GUARD ZONE RULES have been amended and now read: • (RULE 12:2) Any stationary stone(s) belonging to the opposition that is located within the free guard zone shall not be removed from play prior to the delivery of the fifth stone of an end. Keypoints: The rule is now a "four-rock free guard zone" rule. Previously the first three stones of an end were protected from removal from play. Now the first four stones of an end are affected by the rule. However, a team may now remove their own free-guard stone from play but not an opposition stone. THE MEASURING RULE (RULE 14:4) has been amended and now reads: • A skip may conduct a measurement when a stone is located on the back line in proximity to the centre line to confirm if the stone is in or out of play. The 6 foot (1.83 metres) measuring stick shall be used. Keypoint: because the backline has been moved toward the centre of the rings such that the back line overlaps the rings it is possible that it may be difficult to determine by sight if a stone is in play when positioned near the centre line. B. COMPETITION RULES For the 2003-2004 season the Manitoba Curling Association has made the following rule changes that will impact various levels of competition. PROVINCIAL JUNIOR Championships rule - Coaching and Timeouts (Rule 5) has been amended to include: • At Provincial Championships, coaches must be in the facility when their team is playing. Failure to have a coach present at any game will mean the team loses time-out privileges for that entire game. PROVINCIAL SENIOR MEN'S eligibility rule has been amended and now reads: • All four (4) competitors registered on a team must be members of the same Winnipeg club or a club within the same rural zone Keypoint: In prior years, Winnipeg was divided into five groups of clubs or 'zones' for the purposes of entry and team personnel could be members of any club within that group. PROVINCIAL GENERAL Zone playdown. Berth Bonspiel and Provincial Championship rules have been amended to include Rule 18 - Dress Code at Provincial Championships. • The rule now allows for conditional and limited team sponsor cresting opportunities at all provincial championships. Keypoint: Exact cresting guidelines are published in the MCA Rulebook PROVINCIAL GENERAL Zone playdown, Berth Bonspiel and Provincial Championship rules have been amended to include: • The use of a curling aid commonly referred to as a "delivery stick" which enables the player to deliver a stone without placing a hand on the handle is not considered acceptable at the junior, men, women, senior or mixed zone playdowns, berth bonspiels or provincial championships. Teams participating in other competitions providing berths into Provincial Championships will be ineligible for the berth if one or more members compete using the delivery stick. A team may not make themselves eligible by replacing such a member.
Last modified: Sep 24, 2003, 11 am