Two new ticket packages for the 2011 World Financial Group Continental Cup are now on sale for the Jan. 13 to 16 international curling spectacle at Servus Credit Union Place.
The Half Cup mini pack gives fans the opportunity to soak up the excitement on Saturday and Sunday when the competition really heats up the ice. The Half Cup is priced at $165.
Single-day passes for Thursday and Friday are now available at $69 per day.
Both ticket packages (includes service charges and GST) can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 780-451-8000 or online at seasonofchampions.ca.
Every draw pass includes complimentary admission to Keith’s Patch, where fans and competitors gather for food, refreshments and live entertainment. The social centre of the Continental Cup features performances by The Classics (Jan. 12), Hey Romeo (Jan. 13), Karac Hendriks and The Chevelles (Jan. 14) and Tera Lee and Souled Out (Jan. 15).
The Continental Cup brings together the best of the best in a unique challenge format. Team North America plays Team World in four different disciplines. Six teams on each side — three men’s and three women’s — square-off in team games, mixed doubles, singles and skins competitions. Points are awarded for the outcome of each match, with a total of 400 on the line. The first team to reach 201 wins the title, so every single shot carries championship implications.
Team North America consists of four teams from Canada. They are skipped by 2010 Olympic gold medalist Kevin Martin (2008 world champion and Brier winner in 2008 and 2009 with John Morris at third, Marc Kennedy of St. Albert at second and Ben Hebert at lead), Kevin Koe (last year’s Brier and world champion curls with St. Albert resident Blake MacDonald and St. Albert Curling Club men’s champion Jamie King is the team’s fifth man), Calgary’s Cheryl Bernard (2010 Olympic silver medalist) and Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones (four-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts winner and 2008 world champion).
Also participating are current United States champions Pete Fenson (2006 Olympic bronze medallist from Bemidji, Minn.) and Erika Brown (lives in Oakville, Ont., but is from Madison, Wis.).
Team World is led by rinks skipped by Scotland’s David Murdoch (two-time world champion will be in charge of an international team, a Continental Cup first, with two Swiss and a German in the line-up), Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud (lost the Olympic gold medal final to Martin), Sweden’s Niklas Edin (fourth place at the 2010 Olympics), China’s Bingyu Wang (2010 Olympic bronze medallist and 2009 world champion), Germany’s Andrea Schopp (2010 world champion) and Switzerland’s Mirjam Ott (fourth place at 2010 Olympics).
“This is the seventh edition of the Continental Cup and right now the series is tied up at three a side. What we’ll be seeing is the equivalent of the seventh game showdown, the most exciting scenario in sports,” said Mike Howes, host committee chair.
TSN will provide live coverage of the Continental Cup as part of the Canadian Curling Association’s Season of Champions.
The event website is www.curling.ca/championships/continentalcup/.
