Issue 1 – Wednesday, November 30, 2011 • An Official Publication of the Canadian Curling Association. Kissin’ in Kootenays Defending Brier champ Jeff Stoughton of Winnipeg gets good luck smooches from defending Canada Cup queen Stefanie Lawton (left) of Saskatoon and Canadian champion Amber Holland of Kronau, Sask. after practice sessions Tuesday at the RecPlex. The first draw of the Capital One Canada Cup hits the ice at 9 a.m. today. • Fearless Predictions • Canada Cup rosters • Canada Cup trivia ... Page 5 ... Pages 12-13 ... Page 11 Wednesday A great stocking stuffer. Just 1.855.532.8497 January 12-15 • Langley Events Centre ANETTE NORBERG WILL Page 2 Wednesday, November 30, 2011 Take Your Getaway to New Heights Nestled between the Purcell and of the history and mythology of their just 5 minutes from the Canadian Rocky Mountains near Kimberley people. 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The Ktunaxa Nation Council operates an interpretive centre within the Resort which displays artifacts and details Nestled between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains near Kimberley and Cranbrook BC, the St.Eugene Golf Resort Casino is a magnificent resort that offers gourmet dining, world-class golf, elegant guest rooms, and casino nightlife, all at one breath-taking location. 2011 Capital One Canada Cup – Morning Cup Page 3 Canada Cup renaissance BY LARRY WOOD Edmonton whose team of John Morning Cup Editor Mike McEwen Morris, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert won the gold medals at Welcome to the new-look, the Vancouver Olympics in Feb- revamped, rejuvenated, Capital ruary of 2010. One Canada Cup of Curling, Then, too, there is four-time edition No. 9. Canadian distaff champion The Canadian Curling Asso- Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg ciation’s initial venture into the who missed making it five by a realm of cash bonspiels began in couple of inches last year at the 2003 at Kamloops. The first six Scotties in Charlottetown. That events were staged there before bauble went to Amber Holland moving to Yorkton in 2009 and of Kronau, near Regina, whose on to Medicine Hat a year ago. world silver medal winner is in But additional stature has been the lists along with Saskatch- granted the competition this sea- ewan rival Stefanie Lawton of son. In addition to reducing the Saskatoon, the Canada Cup de- field to seven men’s and seven fender and two-time champ. women’s teams qualifying by “You don’t think about Olym- way of last season’s exploits, the pic trials,” said Jones. “That’s winners will, for the first time, so far away. It’s obviously some- become the initial qualifiers for thing you’d like to get out the the 2013 Tim Hortons Roar Of way but I don’t think it mat- the Rings Canadian Olympic ters whether you get it now or trials slated for Winnipeg two you get it later. The timing of it years hence. doesn’t really matter. Total prize money for this “We’re playing because we shindig at the RecPlex has been like to play. We’re having fun. reduced by $10,000 to $140,000. Obviously we’d like to go to the But six less teams will be in the Olympics. I think every team money hunt. Winners will col- playing the game would like lect $26,000, runners-up $16,000, to go to the Olympics. But if third-place finishers $10,000 and, we don’t . we’ll still have fun for the other eight teams, each along the way.” win will be worth $2,000. The event’s only other two- Three of the seven following time women’s champ, Calgary’s each round robin of six draws Shannon Kleibrink, joins the will advance to playoffs. Second chase. Her crosstown rival and third finishers will collide in skipped by Cheryl Bernard, the semi-finals with the round-robin Olympic silver-medallist at Van- This is the first chance and if we leader. leaders installed directly in the couver, is one of the few consid- can pull it off here then we don’t “It would bode well for pro- championship finals slated for ered powerhouse units missing have to worry about it for the motional purposes. And, defi- Sunday in action. Bernard fell one berth next two years. Sure, if you don’t nitely it would be a nice feature How important is a victory in short of qualifying through last win, you’ve got seven other for the team to win this one. We this affair? Just about as impor- season’s CTRS rankings. chances, but it’d sure be nice to don’t want to leave anything tant as it gets . at this stage of The action starts today at 9 get it out of the way and enjoy up in the air, we want to qualify the races to become Team Can- a.m., with Lawton facing Heath- the next couple of winters.” straight in and as soon as pos- ada in each gender at the Sochi er Nedohin of Edmonton and Following this event, the only sible. Olympics. Ottawa’s Rachel Homan testing routes to the trials proper will “We don’t want to see our- For the also-rans, it will mean Chelsea Carey of Winnipeg on be next year’s Canada Cup at selves in a pre-trials, all-or- noth- dropping back into the rigorous the women’s side, Howard tack- Moose Jaw, a selection of points ing situation again. We put a lot races for Canadian Team Rank- ling northern rival Brad Jacobs standings — this season, next of emphasis on that.” ing System points. There’ll be of Sault Ste. Marie and McEwen season and a combination of the That, in fact, is what happened as much point-hunting as buck- against 2010 Brier winner Kevin two, and a last-ditch pre-trials to McEwen in 2009 at Prince hunting over the next two win- Koe of Edmonton. event in November, 2013 that George when he lost a last-gasp ters. World tour money-winning will declare the final four teams, qualifier to fellow Winnipegger “It’s massive,” said defending leader last year and again this two men and two women, for Jason Gunnlaugson. men’s champion Glenn Howard season, McEwen, coincidentally, the eight-team Sochi show- With few exceptions, the of Coldwater, Ont., on Tuesday. also entered last year’s Canada downs. game’s top dogs are on hand at “I can’t deny it. Obviously the Cup gauntlet with three early “It would be a nice bonus to the Cranbrook icehouse. Many long-term goal is to get to the Tour victories under his belt. be the first team into Winnipeg,” are fierce rivals including How- Olympic trials and you don’t said Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen, ard and three-time Canada want to give up any chances. Continued on 4 the current World Tour money Cup champion Kevin Martin of Page 4 Wednesday, November 30, 2011 From Page 3 so, yeah, there’s a little bit of be played Saturday at 8 a.m. (154), 5. Chelsea Carey, Morden (149), added pressure there.” followed by the TSN-televised 6. Stefanie Lawton, Saskatoon (146), Martin was of mixed minds women’s semi-final at 1 p.m. 7. Rachel Homan, Ottawa (117), 8. CRANBROOK: Tuesday. and the men’s televised semi at Cheryl Bernard, Calgary (105), 9. Cathy “There’s two ways to look at 6 p.m. Overton-Clapham, Winnipeg (96), 10. winning that trials berth this On Sunday, the women’s tele- Jessie Kaufman, Edmonton (80), 11. A new look early. Yeah, well take it if we win vised final goes at 9 a.m. while Desiree Owen, Grande Prairie (71), Koe, who this season is aligned it, but that leaves you with two the men’s televised final starts at 12. Sherry Middaugh, Coldwater (70), with Moose Jaw smoothie Pat long seasons of trying to get up 1:30 p.m. 13, Kelly Scott, Kelowna (70), 14. Jill Simmons at third, never has for a lot of other events and to The event is presented by the Thurston, Winnipeg (63), 15. Krista Mc- missed a Canada Cup renewal. maintain your momentum head- St.