Swedish skip says testing viability of 'no-tick' rule at women's worlds 'very, very wrong'

Not all curlers at the women's world championship are thrilled about experimenting with a new rule. Other changes to the game to make it more viewer-friendly are afoot.

The World Curling Federation's test of a "no-tick" rule at this week's women's championship in Prince George, B.C., and next month's men's world championship in Las Vegas is to see if it makes curling less predictable, and thus keeps eyeballs on a 10-end game for its duration.

The tick shot as a strategy emerged from the free-guard zone. Stones in front of the rings, or guards, can't be removed from play until five rocks are thrown.

A well-executed tick shot pushes those guards to the wings but keeps them in play while opening access to the house.

But a guard on the centre line in Prince George can't be touched until five rocks are delivered, which injects new wrinkles into strategy.

2018 Olympic champion Anna Hasselborg of Sweden isn't against a "no-tick" trial but says a world championship isn't the laboratory for it.

"It's a total lack of the respect of the players to try a no-tick," the Swedish skip declared. "It's such a big rule change at the world championships. I think it's very, very wrong."

Canadians were more diplomatic with third Val Sweeting calling it an "interesting event choice" for the trial.

"It's definitely a challenge having a new rule in place for something like the world championships, where we obviously want to succeed," second Shannon Birchard said.

Skip Kerri Einarson feels her team is adjusting to the no-tick, but also questioned whether a world championship was the place to workshop it.

"I would say not at worlds, you don't test something like that," she said.

Men's and women's teams tried the no-tick in a pair of Grand Slams