Well, Yeah

Provoked once again by my blogging partner, let me say, clearly, that women are 'different' curlers from/than/to (depending on your upbringing) men.

And I think he hit on two key reasons.

One is that men are on average bigger and stronger. This creates many options for them compared to women in choosing shots. In fact, Dave Nedohin, joining us for commentary on the game we broadcast from the Scott, at one point identified a shot available to Kelly Scott were she able to throw the needed weight (and she was not).

The other likely is commitment. Go look at the World Curling Tournament revenues. Neither the men nor the women can make the money needed for a fully professional career in the sport, but the men can get a significantly greater reward. And discussions on TSN about practice during the coverage so far have indicated that the men's teams respond to this incentive with a lot more practice.

I suspect the strength/weight is the most decisive factor.

I recall a recent comment somewhere on curling asking why there are not simply mixed teams, since it was obvious to the commentor that men had no advantage. I think he/she was confusing curling with shuffleboard.

I like watching both men's and women's competitions. But I know watching the women not to expect to see some of the wonderfully insane hit combinations that teams like Kevin Martin's make part of their basic artillery.