The 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling was held from January 8 to 11 at the Markin MacPhail Centre International Arena in Calgary, Alberta. The Continental Cup featured team events, mixed doubles events, singles competitions, and skins competitions, and the brunt of the points were in the skins competitions. TSN broadcast the event, as it has in previous years.
The total attendance for the event was 22,606. Team Canada collected CAD$52,000 winners cheque and CAD$13,000 skins bonus. Team Europe collected CAD$26,000 losers cheque.
Competition background In their 2013-2014 Annual Review, the World Curling Federation reported that they can no longer justify further involvement in the Continental Cup, and that the Canadian Curling Association will operate the event starting in 2015.
This edition of the Continental Cup would be the first in which the new system of competing teams would be implemented. It was intended that in this and future editions of the Continental Cup, Team North America would be replaced by an all-Canadian team entry, where team Canada would compete alternatively against Team Europe in odd years and Team World, made up of teams from the United States and non-European curling nations, in even years. However, this format would only last for the 2015 event. In this edition of the Continental Cup, six teams from Canada competed against six teams from Europe.
The same competition format as that of the previous year was used. Out of the sixty total points available, a majority of points would be needed to win the cup. The mixed doubles, singles, and team games were worth one point each, and ties were worth one half point each to both teams. The skins games were worth a total of five points. Six mixed doubles and six singles games were played, along with eighteen team games and six skins games.
Teams The teams will be selected from the top teams in each region. Six teams from each region will compete against each other in the competition. The teams from Canada earn the right to represent Team Canada by virtue of winning certain events, namely the Canada Cup of Curling and the Canadian National Championships (the Brier and the Tournament of Hearts). The final two teams are the teams who represented Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
For Team Europe, the teams participating include Olympic bronze medallist Eve Muirhead, Olympic silver medallist Margaretha Sigfridsson, world bronze medallist Anna Sidorova, Olympic bronze medallist Niklas Edin, two-time world champion David Murdoch, and two-time European champion Thomas Ulsrud.
Team Skip Third Second Lead Locale Team Canada Rachel Homan Emma Miskew Joanne Courtney Lisa Weagle Ottawa, Ontario Jennifer Jones Kaitlyn Lawes Jill Officer Dawn McEwen Winnipeg, Manitoba Val Sweeting Lori Olson-Johns Dana Ferguson Rachelle Brown Edmonton, Alberta Brad Jacobs Ryan Fry E. J. Harnden Ryan Harnden Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario John Morris Pat Simmons Carter Rycroft Nolan Thiessen Calgary, Alberta Mike McEwen B. J. Neufeld Matt Wozniak Ben Hebert Winnipeg, Manitoba Coach: Rick Lang, Captain: Randy Ferbey Team Europe Eve Muirhead Anna Sloan Vicki Adams Sarah Reid Stirling Anna Sidorova Margarita Fomina Alexandra Saitova Ekaterina Galkina Moscow Maria Prytz (fourth) Christina Bertrup Maria Wennerström Margaretha Sigfridsson (skip) Umeå Niklas Edin Oskar Eriksson Kristian Lindström Christoffer Sundgren Karlstad David Murdoch Greg Drummond Scott Andrews Michael Goodfellow Stirling Thomas Ulsrud Torger Nergård Christoffer Svae Håvard Vad Petersson Oslo Coach: David Hay, Captain: Peja Lindholm
Events All times listed are in Mountain Standard Time (UTC−7). The draws for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were released on Wednesday night, and the draws for Sunday were released on Saturday afternoon.
Thursday, January 8 Draw 1 Team 8:30 am
Draw 2 Mixed doubles 1:30 pm
Draw 3 Team 6:30 pm
Friday, January 9 Draw 4 Team 8:30 am
Draw 5 Singles 1:30 pm
Draw 6 Team 6:30 pm
Saturday, January 10 Draw 7 Mixed doubles 10:00 am
Draw 8 Team 2:00 pm
Draw 9 Team 6:30 pm
Sunday, January 11 Draw 10 Skins 11:30 am
Draw 11 Skins 6:30 pm
Statistics The statistics for team play, including team skins play, are listed below. The percentages are calculated for each player by rating their shots in each game. Each shot the player attempts is scored out of four based on how well the shot is made.
Player percentages
Men Leads % Michael Goodfellow 88 Ryan Harnden 86 Christoffer Sundgren 85 Ben Hebert 85 Nolan Thiessen 83 Håvard Vad Petersson 76 Seconds % E. J. Harnden 87 Matt Wozniak 86 Carter Rycroft 83 Christoffer Svae 81 Scott Andrews 83 Kristian Lindström 78 Thirds % B. J. Neufeld 85 Oskar Eriksson 85 Greg Drummond 84 Ryan Fry 83 Pat Simmons 81 Torger Nergård 75 Skips % Mike McEwen 84 John Morris 82 Thomas Ulsrud 80 Brad Jacobs 78 David Murdoch 67 Niklas Edin 66
Women Leads % Dawn McEwen 90 Ekaterina Galkina 85 Rachelle Brown 81 Sarah Reid 80 Lisa Weagle 77 Margaretha Sigfridsson 75 Seconds % Joanne Courtney 88 Alexandra Saitova 83 Dana Ferguson 77 Vicki Adams 76 Jill Officer 74 Maria Wennerström 68 Thirds % Margarita Fomina 83 Emma Miskew 83 Lori Olson-Johns 80 Christina Bertrup 79 Kaitlyn Lawes 75 Anna Sloan 71 Skips % Jennifer Jones 82 Rachel Homan 80 Val Sweeting 80 Anna Sidorova 77 Maria Prytz 76 Eve Muirhead 70
Team percentages
Men Team % Mike McEwen 85 Brad Jacobs 84 John Morris 82 David Murdoch 85 Niklas Edin 78 Thomas Ulsrud 78
Women Team % Rachel Homan 82 Anna Sidorova 81 Jennifer Jones 80 Val Sweeting 79 Margaretha Sigfridsson 78 Eve Muirhead 74
References
External links