MONCTON, January 20, 2009... Premier Shawn Graham, Province of New Brunswick, Jim Lockyer, Chair of the organizing committee of the 2009 Ford World Men's Curling Championship (50th Anniversary Edition), Monique Imbeault, Imvescor Inc., and Wes Armour, President and CEO of Armour Transportation Systems hosted a reception and briefing this evening for the Greater Moncton Business Community on the 2009 Ford World Men's Curling Championship.

The 2009 Ford World Men's Curling Championship is less then 3 months away and will be held at the Moncton Coliseum from April 3rd to 12th, 2009. At this reception and briefing, the hosts took the opportunity to personally thank the business community for their support and to inform them as to all aspects of the planning of the Championship, including the opening ceremonies.

Eleven of the twelve countries have already qualified for the event. The Canadian flag has been joined in front of Moncton City Hall by flags from China, Japan, Scotland, Norway, Germany. Switzerland, Denmark, France, the Check Republic, and Finland. The last qualifier will be determined at the end of January in a playoff between the United States and Brazil. The World Championship in Moncton will be the final event to qualify for the Vancouver Olympics in 2010.

Ticket sales are going well and fans are encouraged to buy now to avoid disappointment.

It takes a special place to celebrate a 50th anniversary and Moncton has been chosen by the World Curling Federation (WCF) and the Canadian Curling Association (CCA) to be that place. We are also very pleased that for this celebration the WCF will be bringing in many of it's past champions.