The final match see’s Team World (skip Thomas Ulsrud) take on their counter-parts Team North America (skip Jeff Stoughton) with the World holding the hammer.
The ceremonies kicked-off at 5 pm Pacific time at the Langley Event’s Centre with spectators coming from various parts of the lower mainland.
This does not include the volunteers with numbered over 225. Pending the outcome of the 55-point Men’s Skins game both sides could wind up tied with 200 points.
The total prize money is $91,000 with the winning side being guaranteed 52,000. There are four disciplines in the sport of curling each worth a number of points.
They are team games (72 points), mixed doubles (36 points), singles (32 points) and the skins game (260 points).
The first side to reach 201 of the possible 400 points is the winner.
Each end is referred to or called a “skin”. To count a skin when a team has last stone, it must count (minimum) two points. When a team does not have last stone, it must steal at least one point to count a skin.
If a team scores only one point when it has last stone, it not only loses the hammer but the end goes into a “carry-over”, which means the points at stake are carried over to the next end.
Also, if an end is blanked, a carry-over takes place and the team that blanked the end forfeits last stone to its opponent.
The overall event was exceptional for those who attended, but the size did dismay or simply shock many.
While the final event was televised “live’ on TSN, it was something that more should have attended in person.
One spectator told me “quite possibly it’s due to the Canucks playing the Ducks at home”, which could be a true statement in itself.
Team World won the event in the third end, given the number of points they managed to accumulate, being over the required 201 needed.
This event is held annually, with the exception of a qualifying year of the Olympics.
So this event will be held again in 2014 and I am told it will be held in Penticton. While the ice was re-surfaced it did appear that they were getting more out of the “inside” turns rather than outside, which both teams were taking advantage of.
Locally in North Delta the Thistle Curling Club is in it 39th year while in Tsawwassen the Tunnel Town Curling Club is in it’s 50th and both are going strong. Both clubs also cater to the BC School Curling program in hopes of growing the sport and teaching today’s youth about the sport loved by the senior’s.
In hopes of making fun for everyone attending, a couple of curlers actually tried “trick” shots somewhat like we have seen in hockey and/or basketball.
All in the hopes of making or attracting more fans to the game.
In conversation with several curlers, they found the ice conditions fast but the final draw they were better to their liking.
This was probably due to the weather conditions outside – snow and cold.
The curlers had fun and did a great job in promoting the sport to the world and overall it was 235 to 165 for the most ever points scored by a Team in this Championship event.
Many “thanks” to those behind the scenes for all the hard work and numerous hours in making this event a success.
The 2013 World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by Monsanto, will be played at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, British Columbia from January 10-13th.
Let’s look forward to 2013!!
