Ground ice curling made its debut at the 14th Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Meeting on May 23.

At 180,000 yuan ($28,160), the high cost of producing an ice curling course has hampered the development of the sport.

Ground ice curling is a newly-developed alternative to traditional ice curling, with lower manufacturing costs and field maintenance fees.

A ground ice curling stick is made of granite, has high tenacity, smoothness, and is capable of delivering a powerful strike.

Meanwhile, the track for the sport is made up of high molecular materials, which can achieve the same effect as ice when covered with a lubricant.

The surface lasts longer and does not need as many repairs, claimed the director of the ground ice curling site construction project.

The ground track is a shrunken version of the ice track, measuring 20.5 meters long and 3.6 meters wide.

A ground ice curling competition, part of the 14th Heilongjiang Provincial Sports Meeting, is held at Harbin Engineering University on May 23. [Photo/Chinanews.com]