Bavarian curling or Icestock sport (from the German: "Eisstocksport", sometimes separated in English, i.e., "Ice stock sport") is a winter sport, somewhat similar to curling. In German, it is more commonly known as Eisstockschießen or simply Stockschießen among many other names. Although the sport is traditionally played on an ice surface, events are also held on tarmac in the summer. In such a case, it is often simply referred to as Stocksport.
Competitors slide ice stocks over an ice surface, aiming for a target, or to cover the longest distance. Ice stocks have a gliding surface, to which a stick (ca 30 cm) is attached. The sport is mostly practised in southern Germany, Austria and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol in Italy.
Ice stock has been demonstrated at the Winter Olympic Games on two occasions. Ice stock is also an event in India's Khelo India Winter Games program. The most recent world championship for Ice stock has been the 2022 Ice stock sport World Championships for Women and Men, held on February 22–27 February 2022 in Ritten, Italy in the central village of Klobenstein (Collalbo). It was the 14th time the event has taken place.
History
thumb|Detail from Brueghel's 1565 [[The Hunters in the Snow, showing Eisstock being played]]
The first written mention of ice stock sport came shortly before Christmas in 1192; messengers arrived to bring news of the capture of Richard the Lionheart to Leopold V, Duke of Austria, who was playing ice stock on the frozen river Danube at Vienna. The sport was probably also played in Scandinavia by the 13th century. The first paintings showing ice stock sport being played stem from the 16th century from the Alpine region and the Low Countries, with Brueghel's The Hunters in the Snow from 1565 being an example.
During the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Tokyo in 2021, the IOC approved full recognition of International Federation Icestocksport.