Sports

PENTICTON, B.C. — Team North America continues to build momentum at the World Financial Group Continental Cup.

The home team recorded a clean sweep of the three mixed doubles games on Saturday morning at the South Okanagan Events Centre in curling’s version of the Ryder Cup to take a 16-8 lead in the overall standings. The first team to claim 30.5 points out of the 60 available will win the WFG Continental Cup.

Setting the tone on Saturday was the long-awaited debut of the North American pair of Jennifer Jones (skip, St. Vital CC, Winnipeg, Man.) and Brent Laing (second for Glenn Howard, Coldwater & District CC, Coldwater, Ont.). Jones and Laing had their first baby, daughter Isabella, in November, and in their first time playing together, they defeated Team World’s Torger Nergård (third for Thomas Ulsrud, Snarøen CC, Oslo, Norway) and Carmen Küng (second for Mirjam Ott, CC Davos, Davos, Switzerland) 7-5.

 

Teams throw five rocks per end, with one player throwing the first and fifth rocks of the end, while the teammate delivers the second, third and fourth rocks. For Team North America, Jones delivered the last rock, and there was never a doubt she would, said Laing with a smile.

“Nope,” he said. “When you have somebody like Jen who’s made so many last shots, you might as well let her throw them. I haven’t thrown a last shot probably since I was 15, so I tried to avoid that.”

“Brent and I practise a lot together so we knew what to expect,” added Jones. “He’s obviously super smart so he was really helping me out; he played outstanding. Absolutely, he took directions well. Like I told you, he’s smart.”

In other morning play, Team North America’s Howard teamed with Natalie Nicholson (second for Allison Pottinger, St. Paul CC, St. Paul, Minn.) for a 9-4 triumph over Team World’s Greg Drummond (third for Tom Brewster, Curl Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland) and Anna Sloan (third for Eve Muirhead, Dunkeld CC, Dunkeld, Scotland), stealing deuces in the seventh and eighth ends.

“It was a blast,” said Howard, the reigning world men’s champion. “It’s only the second (mixed doubles) game I’ve ever played; you’re sweeping, you’re jumping up and calling (after throwing the rock), you’re running around with your head cut off, but it’s a lot of fun. Nat was a great partner and I’d love to do this again.”

The sweep was completed by the Team North America duo of Heath McCormick (skip, Ardsley CC, Ardsley-on-Hudson, N.Y.) and Jessica Mair (second for Heather Nedohin, Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton, Alta.), who cruised to a 9-3 win over Team World’s Sebastian Kraupp (third for Niklas Edin, Karlstads CK, Karlstad, Sweden) and Maria Prytz (third for Margaretha Sigfridsson, Skellefteå CK, Skellefteå, Sweden).

“Fortunately it went our way right from the start and we kept the pressure on them,” said McCormick. “In the middle with Jessica’s three shots, she was making them all and it makes it pretty easy on me.”

Action at the WFG Continental Cup continues this afternoon with the final women’s team draw of the competition, with Team World trying to muster up some energy despite being ravaged by a stomach bug that is taking its toll on the team.

SATURDAY, Jan. 12

9 a.m. PST

Mixed Doubles

Sheet A: Team North America/Natalie Nicholson (St. Paul CC, St. Paul, Minn.) and Glenn Howard (Coldwater & District CC, Coldwater, Ont.) vs. Team World/Anna Sloan (Dunkeld CC, Dunkeld, Scotland) and Greg Drummond (Club Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland)

Sheet B: Team North America/Jennifer Jones (St. Vital CC, Winnipeg, Man.) and Brent Laing (Coldwater & District CC, Coldwater, Ont.) vs. Team World/Carmen Kung (CC Davos, Davos, Switzerland) and Torger Nergård (Snarōen CC, Oslo, Norway)

Sheet C: Team North America/Jessica Mair (Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton, Alta.) and Heath McCormick (Ardsley CC, Ardsley-on-Hudson, N.Y.) vs. Team World/Maria Prytz (Skellefteå CK, Skellefteå, Sweden) and Sebastian Kraupp (Karlstads CK, Karlstad, Sweden)

1:30 p.m. PST

Women's Team

Sheet A: Team North America/Jennifer Jones (St. Vital CC, Winnipeg, Man.) vs. Team World/Eve Muirhead (Dunkeld CC, Dunkeld, Scotland)

Sheet B: Team North America/Allison Pottinger (St. Paul CC, St. Paul, Minn.) vs. Team World/Margaretha Sigfridsson (Skellefteå CK, Skellefteå, Sweden)

Sheet C: Team North America/Heather Nedohin (Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton, Alta.) vs. Team World/Mirjam Ott (CC Davos, Davos, Switzerland)

6:30 p.m.

Men's Team

Sheet A: Team North America/Kevin Martin (Saville Sports Centre, Edmonton, Alta.) vs. Team World/Thomas Ulsrud (Snarøen CC, Oslo, Norway)

Sheet B: Team North America/Heath McCormick (Ardsley CC, Ardsley-on-Hudson, N.Y.) vs. Team World/Tom Brewster (Club Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland)

Sheet C: Team North America/Glenn Howard (Coldwater & District CC, Coldwater, Ont.) vs. Team World/Niklas Edin (Karlstads CK, Karlstad, Sweden)