Asperity-based pivot–slide model of curling stone motion

In the absence of a generally accepted cause and effect of curling stone motion, we propose a hypothesis, which ascribes the motion of the stone to the interactions between asperities of a curling stone’s running band with the ice pebbles below. The new model extends the pivot–slide model of Shegelski and Lozowski. We conducted experiments to provide supporting evidence for the new model and we analyzed experimental raw data provided by Maw. We offer representative equations and results of experiments as strong circumstantial evidence for the new model. The model also provides guidance on optimal brushing techniques to alter curling stone trajectories.