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Splits.

A dream and an alluring vision:

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Freshly laid out curling lanes with themed target fields and sharply defined colored circles centered around the tee. Everywhere clean, temperatures between five and nine degrees Celsius with relative humidity up to 50%. Black rubber bounce blocks beckon the first slide. Carefully aligned, in two rows of four, are eight curling stones whose glistening handles point in the same direction. A distinctive striking band of lighter shade is visible on the colourful sets of stones. Tables behind the lanes, club brooms, small brushes, plastic cones and other essentials are ready for use. A brand new pebble is on the bright white ice surface, and frozen droplets with cut-off tips reflect light from the LEDs suspended above the lanes as if they were jeweled slides. Above the dressing room corridor, behind a glass wall, a club restaurant with two rows of spectator seating shines unobtrusively into the entire playing area. Carafes of water sit on set tables, and small stands, shaped like curling stones, await visitors with an up-to-date selection of refreshments. It's the kind of place I like to come back to again and again."

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August 2023, Prague:

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An outdoor temperature of 32 degrees and high humidity. In addition, the curling ice should be of sufficient quality to perform the prescribed training units. And also to prevent injuries to the players caused by the ice surface freezing or the surface disappearing to ensure optimal slip resistance of the curling shoes and brooms. There are time-tested procedures to ensure a high probability of successful installation of the ice surface at the start of the new season, as well as forms of ice maintenance at times when the quality of the ice could be affected by external factors.

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First and foremost is the quality of the building or sports facility and matching basic operational standards to the desired purpose. I have seen a number of successful installations of ice surfaces in gymnasiums, shopping centres and buildings designed for other purposes, for example before the Universiade in Granada, Spain. The main roles have always been played by an icemaker - an expert, working technology, cooling, heating, air conditioning and often purchased or borrowed added equipment, usually cabinet dehumidifiers. The key is an experienced person with a sufficient mandate who knows what to do in different situations and how to deal with possible crisis moments. Meeting the above prerequisites gives assurance to coaches, implementation teams and most importantly athletes that they can rely on their training plans and their achievability.

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It is a closed circle that from functioning sports facilities, to the work of experienced coaches, to setting dates and calendars, to meeting budgets and having enough motivated athletes, to understanding, sensible and qualified management, leads to successes that bring interest from the public, youth and media. And there is a new beginning to the cycle and a circle from which it is unwise to step out by ignoring the obvious. Or wasting time on ostracizing mannerisms when innocent criticism with humorous undertones is heard.

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The 2021 and 2022 seasons were accompanied by some embarrassment and a search for solutions to the technical and personnel problems at the start of the seasons. The year 2023 should already be different as there are lessons to be learned.