MEDICINE HAT, December 16….North America won the fifth edition of the Continental Cup, presented by Monsanto, by the largest margin in the history of the event.

After the conclusion of the two 55-point women’s and men’s Skins games on Sunday, the final tally read North America 290, Europe 110.

Unfortunately, today’s games were a mere formality, since the hosts had clinched the Cup Saturday night by scooping most of the points from three 30-point Skins games to reach 210 points, nine more than necessary to claim the trophy.

The women’s Skins game today matched reigning world women’s champion Kelly Scott from Kelowna, British Columbia, against last season's world bronze medallist and recent European championship runner-up Kelly Wood of Scotland.

It was the third time they had met during the week, after splitting matches earlier in regular Team games.  Wood had won the first encounter, 8-6, while Scott took the rematch, 5-4.

However, Skins is a different kettle of fish, with each end worth a pre-designated number of points.  Teams score points by either stealing or counting at least two with hammer.

Entering the eighth end, Wood held a slim 22-21 lead, but Scott was able to make a soft tap for a deuce with her last stone, taking the 12-point skin in the process to make the final score 33-22.

The men’s final Skins game featured Ontario’s Glenn Howard, the reigning Ford world men’s champion, against 2006 world and recent European champion David Murdoch of Scotland.

This one was no contest.  Although Murdoch jumped out to an 8-0 lead after taking a carryover skin in the second end, it was all Howard from there, as the three-time world champion took the remaining six skins in running up a 47-8 final score.

The Continental Cup involves four disciplines within the sport, each worth a designated number of points - Team Games (72 points), Mixed Doubles (36 points), Singles (32 points) and Skins Games (260 points).   The first side to score 201 points is declared the winner. Each member of the winning side receives $2,000, while the losing side members get $1,400 each from the $88,400 total purse.

The overall results showed North America netting 199 out of 260 available points in Skins (Men’s, Women’s and the new Mixed), 28 out of 32 points in Singles, 27 out of 36 points in Mixed Doubles and 36 of 72 points in Team games.

Prior to this week, both sides were knotted at two wins apiece.   North America took the inaugural ‘Cup’ in Regina in 2002 by a score of 207-193, a competition which came down to the last rock in the last end of the men’s Skins games.   Europe prevailed in 2003 in Thunder Bay, winning 208-179, while North America rebounded in 2004 in Medicine Hat, when an attendance record of 42,317 was set, notching a 228-172 victory.

Last November in Chilliwack, it was Europe’s turn to even the score, winning 229-171, as all of the curling medallists from the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy participated.

The four-day attendance at The Arena for the 2007 Continental Cup was 26,810.

Next year’s Continental Cup will be staged in Camrose, Alberta, December 18-21 at the new 2,500-seat Edgeworth Centre.

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