June 13, 2007

Who will represent Europe at the Continental Cup?

The fifth Continental Cup, presented by Monsanto, and promoted by the Canadian Curling Association and the World Curling Federation, will be held December 13-16 at the Medicine Hat Arena, the week following the Le Gruyère European Championships in Füssen, Germany, which finish December 8.

The line-up for Team North America (four Canadian teams and two teams from the United States) has been confirmed for some time. Team Europe has not been officially announced, but it is known that two Scottish teams have been invited to participate (see below).

North America will be represented by four Canadian sides: the World Women's champions skipped by Kelly Scott of Kelowna, Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones, Edmonton’s Randy Ferbey and Coldwater’s Glenn Howard, the current World Men's Champion. Scott has played in the Continental Cup before, in 2006, while Ferbey played in the first three Cups. Two teams from the USA - Todd Birr from Mankato, Minnesota (third at the Worlds last season), and Debbie McCormick of Madison, Wisconsin (2003 World Women's champions) - complete the North American lineup. Debbie has played in two previous Continental Cups.

It's not official yet, but expect the European teams to be skipped by David Murdoch (Scotland), Andy Kapp (Germany), Andy Schwaller (Switzerland), Kelly Wood (Scotland), Madeleine Dupont (Denmark) and Ludmila Privivkova (Russia)..... with Rhona Martin and Roger Schmidt as team captains!

Patterned after golf’s Ryder Cup, the Continental Cup brings together six teams representing North America and six teams representing Europe in a four-day competition involving Team Games (72 points), Mixed Doubles (36 points), Singles (32 points) and Skins (260 points). The first side to score 201 points is the winner. Europe is the defending champion.

The Con Cup website is here.

Hugh Stewart's photo of Ludmila Privivkova's delivery is from the final of the 2006 European Championship in Basel, won by Team Russia.

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