MEDICINE HAT, ALBERTA, January 30, 2007 …The city of Medicine Hat will once again host the Continental Cup of Curling, it was confirmed today by the World Curling Federation (WCF) and the Canadian Curling Association (CCA).
The 2007 Continental Cup will be held December 13-16 at the 3,800-seat Arena, the same venue which was virtually sold out for the 2004 renewal of the ‘Cup’, by far the most successful of the four editions to date.
The unique event, patterned after golf’s Ryder Cup, features Team North America versus Team Europe in a four-day competition involving 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.
Team North America and Team Europe are knotted at two wins apiece. North America won the inaugural event in Regina in 2002 and the 2004 edition in ‘The Hat’. Europe took the 2003 renewal in Thunder Bay and most recently emerged victorious at the 2006 Continental Cup in Chilliwack, British Columbia, last November.
“Medicine Hat has proven itself to be a world class host for an international curling event,” said Des Grant, who will be the Host Committee chairman again, as he was in 2004. “We look forward to showcasing our city and all of our volunteers and we thank the Canadian Curling Association, the World Curling Federation and the United States Curling Association for giving us the opportunity again to spotlight curling in south east Alberta.”
Event ticket packages are expected to go on sale on February 1.
Team North America will be composed of four teams from Canada and two from the United States. The Canadian representatives will be the winners of the upcoming Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Lethbridge (February 17-25), Tim Hortons Brier in Hamilton (March 3-11) and the Strauss Canada Cup in Kamloops (March 13-18).
The United States Curling Association will pick the U.S. teams for Team North America, normally its reigning champions, while Team Europe will be selected by the World Curling Federation, taking into account recent performances in International Competitions.
CBC-TV owns the television rights for the Continental Cup, but specific details about coverage for the 2007 event have yet to be finalized. Also, the prize money for the 2007 Cup has not yet been confirmed. Last year’s purse was $120,000, of which $75,000 went to the winning side, $45,000 to the losing side.
The ‘Continental Divide’, the entertainment centre for the event, will be located in the Medicine Hat Curling Club.
Some of the world’s best-known teams have competed in the Continental Cup in its four editions so far…ones skipped by Canada’s Kevin Martin, Randy Ferbey, Kelley Law and Colleen Jones, Norway’s Pål Trulsen and Dordi Nordby, Sweden’s Elisabet Gustafson, Anette Norberg and Peja Lindholm, Scotland’s Rhona Martin, Jackie Lockhart, Hammy McMillan and David Murdoch, Germany’s Andrea Schöpp and Debbie McCormick of the United States.
In 2002, Team North America edged Team World in the inaugural ‘Cup’, 207-193, decided by a thrilling men’s final Skins game between Kevin Martin and Peja Lindholm, which went down to the last rock.
In 2003, Team Europe turned the tables, winning 208-179 in Thunder Bay while in 2004, Team North America recaptured the title by a 228-172 score at the tremendously successful event in Medicine Hat, before a record four-day crowd of 42,317.
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, took part, including gold medallists Anette Norberg and Brad Gushue, representing Europe and North America, respectively.
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