Four Canadian teams will be among the 12 here for the ninth edition of the World Financial Group Continental Cup.
In a press release issued early this week, the curling tournament will feature six teams from North America and the world.
North America is to be represented by Canadians Glenn Howard, Kevin Martin, Heather Nedohin and Jennifer Jones, along with Americans Heath McCormick and Allison Pottinger.
Kelley Law, a 2002 Olympic bronze medallist will captain the North America team. Rick Lang, a two-time world champion will coach. Howard, a four-time Brier and world champion, qualified by winning last years Tim Horton’s Brier in Saskatoon, while Martin earned his berth after winning the 2011 Capital One Canada Cup in Cranbrook.
Representing the world as skips will be Sweden’s Niklas Edin, Scotland’s Tom Brewster, Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud, Sweden’s Margaretha Sigfridsson, Switzerland’s Mirjam Ott and Scotland’s Eve Muirhead. Captaining the world’s team will be Scotland’s former world champion David Hay, while Sweden’s Peja Lindholm, a three-time world champion, will coach.
Brewster earned silvers during the last two world championships losing to Canada’s Jeff Stoughton in Regina in 2011 and Howard in 2012, while Edin won bronze both years. Ulsrud took silver in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics after losing to Martin. He placed fourth at the last two world championships. Ott is a two-time Olympic silver medallist and current world champion, while Muirhead is a 2010 silver medallist and the reigning European champion.
“We have some of the best curlers in the world coming to Penticton,” said host committee chair Kim Kirkham. “This event is sure to be a great economic boost for Penticton. The City of Penticton and our local curling communities are in for a really great show.”
A new points system will also be in place for the WFG Continental Cup. A total of 60 points is now available. The side that earns more than 30 points will be declared the champion. For the six mixed doubles and six singles matches, one point will be given for each victory, one--half point if tied). There will now be 18 team games (nine men’s and nine women’s) played, instead of the previous 12, each worth one.
The winning teams receive $52,000 Canadian, while the losing team receives $26,000. The side which generates the highest points total from the six Skins games will receive an additional $13,000 ($500 per player, plus captain and coach).
Since the inaugural championship, the two teams have each won four times.
TSN will provide exclusive television coverage of the championship.
For ticket and other event information, visit www.curling.ca/championships/continentalcup.