First two days of matchups set at 2019 World Financial Group Continental Cup

Matchups for the first 18 games are now set at the 2019 World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by Boyd Gaming. Team North America and World coaches and captains finalized the lineups at today’s coaches and captains meeting.

From left, Team World assistant coach Christoffer Svae, coach Fredrik Lindberg, captain David Murdoch and Team North America captain Pete Fenson, assistant coach Jill Officer and coach Jeff Stoughton set up the matchups for the first two days of the 2019 World Financial Group Continental Cup on Wednesday. (Photo, Curling Canada/Michael Burns)

Defending world women’s champion Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg) takes on Eve Muirhead (Scotland) during Thursday’s evening draw at 6:30 p.m. (all times PST) at the Orleans Arena, while Canada’s women’s representative at the 2018 Olympic Games – Rachel Homan of Ottawa – takes on Olympic gold-medallist Anna Hasselborg of Sweden.

Friday evening’s draw is headlined by the men, with back-to-back Tim Hortons Brier champion Brad Gushue (St. John’s, N.L.) playing 2018 world bronze-medallist Bruce Mouat of Scotland. Calgary’s Kevin Koe plays 2018 Olympic bronze-medallist Peter de Cruz of Switzerland.

The captains and coaches for both teams – Coach Jeff Stoughton, assistant coach Jill Officer and captain Pete Fenson for Team North America; Coach Fredrik Lindberg, assistant coach Christoffer Svae and captain David Murdoch – determined lineups on Wednesday for the first two days of competition in curling’s version of the Ryder Cup. The two days feature two full draws of Mixed Doubles (8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) with a women’s Team Play draw on Thursday evening and men’s Team Play draw on Friday (both draws at 6:30 p.m.).

Saturday’s action features the the women’s Team Scramble, men’s Team Scramble and Mixed Team Play draws and Sunday will close with two Skins draws. Lineups for the Saturday portion of the competition will be set on Friday and Sunday’s lineups will be determined on Saturday.

Each game at the World Financial Group Continental Cup is played for points. A total of 60 points is available throughout the competition with the first team to 30.5 points claiming the championship.

Traditional Team Play, Mixed Doubles and Team Scramble games are worth one point each, or half-point for a tie. Mixed Team Play games are worth two points each and skins games has five points up for grabs.

All games are eight ends and there are no extra ends.

The winning team receives $85,000 CDN and the losing side will earn $45,000 (both prizes shared among 24 players, two coaches and captain).

TSN/TSN2 and RDS2 will provide complete coverage of the World Financial Group Continental Cup. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule. The event is also livestreamed in the United States on ESPN3.

For ticket information, as well as team lineups and the full event draw for the 2019 World Financial Group Continental Cup, go to https://www.curling.ca/2019continentalcup/

This story will be posted in French as soon as possible at: https://www.curling.ca/?lang=fr

MATCHUPS

Thursday, January 17 8:30 a.m. Mixed Doubles Sheet A – Lisa Weagle/Brad Gushue (North America) vs. Esther Neuenschwander/Peter de Cruz (World) Sheet B –  Rachel Homan/Kevin Koe (North America) vs. Jennifer Dodds/Bruce Mouat (World) Sheet C –  Jocelyn Peterman/Brett Gallant (North America) vs. Vicki Chalmers/Hammy McMillan (World)

1:30 p.m. Mixed Doubles Sheet A – Jennifer Jones/Mark Nichols (North America) vs. Alina Pätz/Sven Michel (World) Sheet B – Monica Walker/John Shuster (North America) vs. Anna Hasselborg/Oskar Eriksson (World) Sheet C – Kaitlyn Lawes/Geoff Walker (North America) vs.  Agnes Knochenhauer/Rasmus Wranä  (World)

6:30 p.m. Women’s Team Play Sheet A – Team Jones (North America) vs. Team Muirhead (World) Sheet B – Team Homan (North America) vs. Team Hasselborg (World) Sheet C – Team Sinclair (North America) vs. Team Tirinzoni (World)

Friday, January 18 8:30 a.m. Mixed Doubles Sheet A – Joanne Courtney/Denni Neufeld (North America) vs. Silvana Tirinzoni/Benoit Schwarz (Team World) Sheet B – Sarah Anderson/John Landsteiner (North America) vs. Eve Muirhead/Bobby Lammie (Team World) Sheet C – Dawn McEwen/Ben Hebert (North America) vs. Sofia Mabergs/Christoffer Sundgren (Team World)

1:30 p.m. Mixed Doubles Sheet A – Emma Miskew/Matt Hamilton (North America) vs. Lauren Gray/Grant Hardie (World) Sheet B – Jamie Sinclair/Chris Plys (North America) vs. Sara McManus/Niklas Edin (World) Sheet C – Taylor Anderson/Colton Flasch (North America) vs. Melanie Barbezat/Valentin Tanner (World)

6:30 p.m. Men’s Team Play Sheet A – Team Koe (North America) vs. Team de Cruz (World) Sheet B – Team Shuster (North America) vs. Team Edin (World) Sheet C – Team Gushue (North America) vs. Team Mouat (Mouat)