Canadian Olympic athletes and members of the Grey Cup champion
Transcription
Canadian Olympic athletes and members of the Grey Cup champion
Issue 1 – Thursday, January 8, 2015 • An Official Publication of the Canadian Curling Association. Ready to R CK Canadian Olympic athletes and members of the Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders were on hand Wednesday to help kick off the World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by SecurTek Monitoring Solutions, at the Markin MacPhail Centre. Page 2 Thursday, January 8, 2015 On behalf of World Financial Group Canada Inc., I wish to extend a warm welcome to the 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup. As part of an organization that offers people from all walks of life an opportunity to build their own legacy by becoming a financial entrepreneur, it is equally remarkable to athletes of such high caliber champion a legacy of their own. With the Season of Champions underway, World Financial Group of Canada Inc. is honored to welcome all the curling participants and remains a proud title sponsor of the Continental Cup. Our congratulations go out to all the competitors who’ve worked tirelessly to mark themselves as some of the best curlers, not just in Canada – but also around the world. On behalf of our associates, staff and families, I wish every participant the best of luck during what promises to be an incredible season of curling! At WFG, our mission is to help every Canadian have a better financial future. To learn more about how one of our independent financial professionals can make a difference for your family, contact your local WFG office today. Richard Williams President Proud to be the Presenting Sponsor SecurTek Monitoring Solutions I would like to congratulate the Canadian Curling Association and Host Committee for the tremendous effort and hard work put forth to bring this unique international event to one of the most well developed sporting venues for athletes and spectators alike – the Markin MacPhail Centre. The venue itself sets the tone for what is sure to be an action packed and memorable four days that includes both on and off-ice activities. Thank you to the dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers who have offered their time and talents to ensure that from opening draw to last rock fans both here, and watching from home, experience the essence of this spirited competition. Good luck, good sportsmanship, and good curling. Darrell Jones President and CEO SecurTek Monitoring Solutions Security Video Monitoring Medical Alert Smart Automation Access Control WorldFinancialGroup.com securtek.com 1-877-777-7590 World Financial Group Canada Inc. (WFG) is a financial services marketing company whose affiliates offer a broad array of financial products and services. ©2014 World Financial Group, Inc. 2915CN/12.14 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling - Morning Cup Page 3 The Continents Collide in Calgary The most unique event in the curling world gets underway today at the Markin MacPhail Centre in Winsport’s Canada Olympic Park, with a new look that will appeal to Canadian fans. The 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by SecurTek Monitoring Solutions, features 12 of the top teams in the game, competing in a format fashioned after golf’s legendary Ryder Cup. And fans will see six Canadian teams on the ice - three men’s and three women’s - for the first time in the history of the event. The inception of the Continental Cup came in 2002 in Regina, when Team North America took on Team Europe in the inaugural edition of the international curling classic. The North American side has traditionally included four Canadian teams and two from the United States, with three of each gender taking part. The new all Canadian twist for 2015 has players and fans alike looking forward to four great days of action. Rachel Homan, two-time defending Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion. Team Canada and Team Europe face off in a series of disciplines: traditional games, skins matches, mixed doubles and a skills competition. A total of 60 points are on the line and the first team to pass 30 grabs all the glory. The pride of playing for your country has special meaning for every athlete in the sporting world, and two of Canada’s elite curlers readily attest to that fact. “I think it’s really exciting that we’ll be there as Team Canada this time,” said John Morris, who leads his Calgary-based foursome on home ice. “We’ve played with some really good American teams in the past, but let’s face it, Canada leads the way when it comes to competitive curling.” “It’s always something special when you’re part of Team Canada,” said Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones, who most recently revelled in the experience at the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, where she won the gold medal. “Another great thing about the Continental Cup is you’re teammates with players you always compete against… that’s really a fun experience.” As dominant as Canada may be in the sport, Morris acknowledges the home side will be up against stiff competition. “There’s some really good teams out there, right around the world, and it gets tougher every year. The fans are going to see some great curling.” Team Canada also includes 2014 Olympic gold medallist Brad Jacobs, two-time defending Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion Rachel Homan, and the Mike McEwen and Val Sweeting teams that qualified through the 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup, presented by Meridian Manufacturing. Team Europe, led by newly crowned European champion Niklas Edin of Sweden, features Thomas Ulsrud (Norway), David Murdoch (Scotland), Margaretha Sigfriddson (Sweden), Eve Muirhead (Scotland) and Anna Sidorova (Russia), Every ticket to the event includes complimentary admission to the Patch, located right next door in the Joan Snyder Arena, complete with live entertainment, food and beverages, and interactive fun for the entire family. It’s also the setting for a Team Autograph session and Up Close and Personal interviews, where fans have the opportunity to meet with the top curlers in the world. Social media will have a greatly expanded presence at the event. “In an effort to increase the fan experience, both in venue and at home across the country, we are working hard to develop creative activities around the curling itself,” said Chris Dornan, Community Marketing, Game Day and Social Marketing manager for the Canadian Curling Association. The new initiatives will change the way fans interact with the sport, including the opportunity to take part in an array of entertaining contests. And curling fans are going to love it! “Live it Live” at the World Financial Group Continental Cup. Tickets, starting at just $25, are available online at curling.ca/ tickets. Thomas Ulsrud of Norway, 2014 world men’s curling champion. Page 4 Thursday, January 8, 2015 McEwen Hot! Alberta curling fans are in for a treat this week at the World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by SecurTek Monitoring Solutions, because they will get to enjoy watching some of the best curling teams in the world, all under one roof. But as a bonus, they are also going to watch one of the hottest teams. We’re talking blazing hot. Volcanic hot. What Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen has accomplished this season on the cashspiel circuit has been absolutely mind-boggling. He has been up against the best teams in the world, event after event, and has basically blown them away. So how hot has McEwen and his Winnipeg foursome (third B.J. Neufeld, second Matt Wozniak and lead Denni Neufeld) been this season? Well, the Fort Rouge Curling Club unit has played in eight events, won six of them, and finished second in another. They are 48-8 over that stretch, and have won a whopping $114,000. The team currently leads both the men’s money list and the Canadian Team Ranking System. In short, there has never been a better start to a curling season, at least not one that has been recorded. And in the midst of all that winning has been one of the most spectacular shots in recent memory, pulled off by McEwen. He made an eye-popping double-raise, in-off double to score four in a game at the Grand Slam Masters in Selkirk, Man. in November that has had more than 100,000 views on YouTube. Ironically, it came in one of his few losses this season. So how have they done it? McEwen says his team, which has always been a force on the cashspiel circuit but has crashed and burned trying to reach the Tim Hortons Brier, has hit the “reset button” and started over this year. “We’ve made some base level changes about how we approach the game,” he says. “Except for the four players on the ice, we’ve almost had to remake our team from the inside. We’ve pretty much ripped everything else apart.” McEwen says the lack of mental toughness was apparent in the Manitoba provincials where his team hit the wall just when those Purple Hearts were within reach. The team lost the Manitoba provincial final four times in five years, and the burden of not winning in the crunch was beginning to show with some mental scar tissue. “We’re one of the most consistent teams in the world for the past four or five years,” he says, “but the provincial environment, that all-or-nothingsituation, highlighted some of our weaknesses that may go unnoticed in the cashspiel season. There was something missing at crunch time. “It’s an animal we’ve been trying to tame.” The team has no coach at the moment but does have other supports. Kyle Paquette, a psychologist who is available on an at-large basis through the Canadian Curling Association, and trainer Adrian Honish of Effectus Athlete, have both been working with the team. McEwen says in some ways the team has been reborn under their guidance. “He (Paquette) will challenge your thinking process on everything, like why do we do things the way we do things, and challenge you to get better and not just within the sport but outside the sport, in all aspects of life. “I think we’ve improved with his help and our trainer’s help, physically and mentally.” An obvious change has been the team’s demeanor on the ice. “I think we were a little too outcome-oriented before. I think we’ve learned to handle defeat better, a little more graciously,” McEwen says. “We’re much more mentally tougher.” So what does all this do for the World Financial Group Continental Cup? Well, for one thing, it’s an event McEwen’s team is pumped up to play. They only qualified for the event after winning the Home Hardware Canada Cup in Camrose, Alta., and the berth into the international event was the real prize, not the points or money. “I’ll be perfectly honest. Today felt like the final for us,” McEwen said after his semifinal win in Camrose, which qualified his team for the World Financial Group Continental Cup. “Today felt like the most was on the line. We really wanted that berth).” So given McEwen’s track record so far this season, and his pure joy just to be in Calgary to play, it looks like the Europeans ought to look out for the dynamos from Winnipeg this week. Mike McEwen, 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup Champion. 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling - Morning Cup Page 5 Welcome to a Winter Sports Wonderland It’s going to be an entirely new experience for curling fans during the World Financial Group Continental Cup at Winsport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. The multi-faceted facility is the focal point for athletic excellence in Western Canada, and right across the country. The complex sits on the site of the premiere venue during the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, where fans cheered on the ski jump, bobsleigh and luge events. Today, it continues to function as a multi-purpose competition, training and recreation area designed for year-round use by both high performance athletes and the general public. In the winter months, it hosts almost 300,000 ski and snowboard enthusiasts each year. In the summer, the park is alive with zipliners, summer campers and mountain bikers. In its capacity as a high-performance training centre, the facility represents a ‘home away from home’ for a number of the best athletes in the country. There’s a good chance you’ll see some of the biggest stars from world and Olympic competition going about their daily routines. The 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup marks the first time championship curling has been contested at Canada Olympic Park. And one of the best curlers in the game is excited to be part of the action when curling is introduced to the historic sporting centre. “It’s so cool that we’ll be playing there,” said Calgary’s John Morris, who skips one of the six Canadian teams competin against Team Europe in a Ryder Cup-style format on pebbled ice. “It’s one of the best training facilities in Canada, and around the world. And there’s so much sports history that comes with it.” The competition takes place in the Markin MacPhail Centre’s international size hockey arena. The state-of-the-art complex also includes three more ice surfaces and one of them, the Joan Snyder Arena, is home to the party in the Patch. Right next door, you’ll find the Canada Sports Hall of Fame, honouring 540 of our country’s inducted sports heroes. The award-winning 40,000 sq. ft. facility features 12 galleries with more than 50 interactive exhibits and a collection of 95,000 treasured sports artifacts. 660News CURLING 5x5.indd 1 14-10-29 9:32 AM Page 6 Thursday, January 8, 2015 Team Brad Jacobs Brad Jacobs, Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden, Ryan Harnden M008183_ADS_WFGContinentalCup_Sponsorship_OC14_v01_BLEED.indd 1 2014-10-20 11:01:07 AM Brad Jacobs lived every athlete’s dream last February, standing atop the podium for the gold medal presentation at the Sochi Olympic Games. The 29-year-old skip from Sault Ste. Marie had a breakthrough season in 2013 with a victory at the Tim Hortons Brier. The Canadian title qualified the Jacobs team for the 2013 Road to the Roar Pre-trials where they advanced to the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings and earned the right to represent Canada at the Olympics. Team Jennifer Jones EVERYWHERE. EVERY DAY. PRINT. MOBILE. DIGITAL. Jennifer Jones, Kaitlyn Lawes, Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen In a remarkable career on the competitive curling scene, Jennifer Jones has captured virtually every major championship the game has to offer. The Winnipeg skip has made 10 appearances at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, winning the national title four times, along with a gold medal at the 2008 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship. But the biggest win of all was last season’s gold medal at the 2014 Olympic Games. 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling - Morning Cup Team Canada Page 7 Team John Morris Team Mike McEwen Carter Rycroft, John Morris, Nolan Thiessen, Pat Simmons Mike McEwen, B.J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak, Denni Neufeld Calgary’s John Morris lost the final of the 2014 Tim Hortons Brier to Kevin Koe, calling the shots for the British Columbia team that had Jim Cotter throwing fourth stones. When the season came to a close, Koe left the championship team and Morris was recruited to take over at the helm. This year, he’ll lead the firstever men’s Team Canada when the 2015 Tim Hortons Brier, presented by SecurTek Monitoring Solutions, comes to Calgary. Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen comes into the World Financial Group Continental Cup as the leader of one of the hottest teams in the game. A victory over Brad Jacobs in the final of the 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup at the beginning of December – qualifying the team for the World Financial Group Continental – marked the sixth championship celebration in their first seven starts of this season. Team Rachel Homan Team Val Sweeting Rachel Homan, Emma Miskew, Joanne Courtney, Lisa Weagle Val Sweeting, Lori Olson-Johns, Dana Ferguson, Rachelle Brown Rachel Homan will add one more jersey bearing the Maple Leaf to her curling wardrobe when she takes to the ice at the World Financial Group Continental Cup. The 25-year-old skip already has Team Canada uniforms as twotime defending Scotties Tournament of Hearts champion, as well as the accompanying trips to the world women’s championship. She also represented Canada at the 2010 World Junior Women’s Curling Championship in Flims, Switzerland. Val Sweeting had a breakthrough season last year, even though it ended with a loss to Rachel Homan in the championship final of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. The Edmonton skip bounced back to defeat Homan in the final of the 2014 Home Hardware Canada Cup, presented by Meridian Manufacturing, to earn a spot on Team Canada for the World Financial Group Continental Cup. Live Entertainment Thursday night: Trevor Panczak & Rough Stock Trevor Panczak is steadily gaining a reputation as one of the hottest acts on Canada’s country music scene. He’ll be on hand to kick off the party in the Patch, with the support of the Rough Stock Band. It’s the same ensemble that opened for Tim McGraw at Edmonton’s Rexall Place in July. Friday night: The Chevelles The Chevelles are a longtime favourite of Canadian curling fans. And they’re back to perform at another Season of Champions event, taking the crowd on a high-speed ride covering the classic rock sounds of the past several decades. With a repertoire of more than 200 hits, you know you’re going to hear all your favourites! Saturday afternoon: (between draws) Trevor Panczak Trevor Panczak returns to the Patch for a solo performance, showcasing his smooth country sounds and natural ability to make every audience feel right at home. Born and raised in southern Alberta, the personable musician knows exactly what entertainment’s all about. The Chevelles Right next door to all the excitement of world championship curling, the Joan Snyder Arena is the home of the PATCH…a place that’s all about great music and great fun, including a chance to meet the athletes during an autograph session and up close and personal interviews. Every same day draw ticket is your personal pass to all the fun! Saturday night: Suite 33 The festivities in the Patch hit a high note Saturday night with a performance by Suite 33. Get up and dance to the sounds of these five highly gifted musicians who have been perfecting their act over the course of hundreds of performances in venues ranging from Western Canada to Las Vegas. Sunday afternoon: (between draws) DJ K-MAN You’ll have one last chance to dance when K-MAN pumps out the tunes to close out a great four days of entertainment. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the break between the final two draws of the World Financial Group Continental Cup! Cool Shots Get in the game for a championship of your own during the daily Cool Shots competition. You have the chance to shoot for cash prizes, and bragging rights among your friends, in the small-scale version of the roaring game. Sign up for free in the Patch and you might just wind up with the Cool Shots crown! Team Autograph Sessions Twelve of the best teams in the world, all in one place, and they’ll be waiting to sign autographs for the fans. Bring out your programs, shirts and jerseys… or anything else you’d like to take home as a special memory of the 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup. Saturday – 4:30 p.m. All Teams Social Media Stay in touch with all the excitement of the World Financial Group Continental Cup – whether it’s on the ice at the Markin MacPhail Centre, or at the party in the Patch. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in all kinds of interactive activities all week. Curling Selfie Contest Show your curling spirit and tweet your curling selfie to @CCAcurling using the hashtag #curlingselfie for a chance at some great prizes. Ask the Expert Up Close and Personal Interviews Have a question? Tonight a member of Team Canada will answering questions from you - the fans! Tweet @CCAcurling with the hashtag #asktheexpert during the evening draw. Tomorrow a member of Team Europe will be ready for your questions. Show your Canadian Spirit Tweet us a photo of the best dressed Canadian! Best photos of the week will win a great prize. #canadianspirit You’ve watched the greatest curlers in the world from the stands in the arena, or sitting on your couch in front of the television. But have you ever had the opportunity to actually talk with them? Here’s your chance at the Up Close and Personal interviews where you get to ask the questions! facebook.com/ccacurling @CCAcurling & #ConCup Thursday – 4:00 p.m. Friday – 4:30 p.m. Saturday – 1:00 p.m. Saturday – 4:30 p.m. Women’s Team Skips Men’s Team Skips Mike and Dawn McEwen Captains and Coaches Page 10 Team Thomas Ulsrud Thursday, January 8, 2015 Team Europe Team Niklas Edin Thomas Ulsrud, Torger Nergård, Christoffer Svae, Håvard Vad Petersson Niklas Edin, Oskar Eriksson, Kristian Lindström, Christoffer Sundgren In a curling season where so many of the top teams in the world have made lineup changes on the heels of the 2014 Olympics, Thomas Ulsrud stands out as a model of consistency. The Norwegian skip will be leading a team at the World Financial Group Continental Cup that has played together since 2007, capturing the gold medal at the 2014 world championship. Although the team finished out of the medal standings at last year’s Olympics, they won silver at the 2010 Games. Niklas Edin will be leading a new team for the 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling… and so far everything seems to be working out just fine. The Swedes are coming off a recent victory at the 2014 European Curling Championships. Edin, the bronze medallist at the 2014 Olympics, won the gold medal at the 2013 Ford World Men’s Curling Championship in Victoria. He also has a pair of prior gold medals from the European championships. Team Margaretha Sigfriddson Team Eve Muirhead Margaretha Sigfridsson, Maria Prytz, Christina Bertrup, Maria Wennerström Eve Muirhead, Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams, Sarah Reid Margaretha Sigfriddson fell to Canada’s Jennifer Jones in the gold-medal game of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. It represented one of a number of silver medals the Swedish skip has earned in her competitive career, including four at the world women’s curling championship. Sigfriddson won a pair of gold medals at the 2010 and 2013 European Curling Championships. Eve Muirhead skipped Great Britain to the bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics at just 23 years of age. Muirhead was part of four gold-medal teams at the world junior women’s curling championship between 2007 and 2011. She has also skipped for Scotland at five world women’s curling championships, winning gold in 2013, and has a gold and three silver medals from the European Curling Championships. 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling - Morning Cup Page 11 Team David Murdoch David Murdoch, Greg Drummond, Scott Andrews, Michael Goodfellow Over the past decade, David Murdoch has become the most recognizable face of men’s curling in Scotland, the ancestral home of the roaring game. He skipped the silver medallists at the 2014 Olympics, losing to Canada’s Brad Jacobs in the final match. A six-time competitor at the world men’s curling championship, Murdoch has won a medal every time, including two each of gold, silver and bronze. Team Anna Sidorova This is the moment you see sport legends come alive. Anna Sidorova, Margarita Fomina, Aleksandra Saitova, E katerina Galkina Anna Sidorova represented Russia four consecutive years at the world junior women’s curling championship, winning the bronze medal in 2011 and 2012. She had the honour of competing for the host country at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, and later at the 2014 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship, winning the bronze with a victory over South Korea. It marked the first-ever medal for Russia at the world women’s championship. They could find you at any time, those unforgettable moments. This is a city alive with energy and filled with exciting things to do. This is Calgary, and right here is exactly where you need to be. /tourismcalgary #capturecalgary Learn more at visitcalgary.com #17 – New York Times Top 52 Places To Go in 2014 in the World Page 12 Thursday, January 8, 2015 How the Cup Will be Won Three men’s and three women’s teams for each side compete in four disciplines, with a total of 60 points up for grabs. It means the outcome of each competition, and possibly even a single shot at any time, could mean the difference in deciding the eventual champions. Here’s how the points tally up on the road to the World Financial Group Continental Cup crown: Brad Jacobs, gold medallist at the 2014 Olympic Games. ONE STOP, ONE SOURCE 403.252. 3232 WestkeyGraphics.com #2, 8241 - 30th Street SE Calgary, AB, T2C 1H7 [email protected] . . . . . VANCOUVER CALGARY EDMONTON GRANDE PRAIRIE KAMLOOPS KELOWNA 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling - Morning Cup Page 13 • Mixed Doubles – (6 points) Six matches will be played, with one point awarded for a win and a half-point going to each side for ties. A male and female player from each side will play five rocks in an eight-end game. One curler throws first and fifth stones and their teammate delivers two through four. Teams have the option of changing up the throwing order during the course of the match. • Singles – (6 points) All 48 athletes take part in this skills competition featuring six team matchups worth one point for a win and a half-point for a tie. Every shooter will face five of the most challenging shots in the game: The Run Through, Draw the Button, Draw the Port, The Raise, Hit and Roll and Double Takeout. • Team Competition – (18 points) This is where the athletes face off in traditional curling games. The three men’s and women’s teams for both sides will play in eight-end games. Winners earn one point, with a half-point awarded to each team for a tie. • Skins – (30 points) Eve Muirhead, 2013 world women’s curling champion. This is where the big points are on the line and the championship will be decided. Teams play eight-end games in the skins competition, scoring points by counting two or more with last rock, or one point or more without. We wish the best of luck to all competitors on both Game on! We wish the best of luck to all competitors on both the Canadian and World Teams at this year’s the World Canadian andGroup WorldContinental Teams at this Financial Cup.year’s We wish the best of luck to all competitors on Cup. both World Financial Group Continental the Canadian and World Teams at this year’s Amica at Aspen Woods is proudGroup to support the 2015 World Financial Continental Cup. World Financial GroupisContinental Cup in Calgary. Amica at Aspen Woods proud to support the 2015 Amica at Aspen Woods is proud to support the World FinancialAll-Inclusive Group Continental Cup• www.amica.ca in 2015 Calgary. Retirement Living World Financial Group Continental Cup in Calgary. All-Inclusive Retirement Living • www.amica.ca Retirement Living • www.amica.ca AmicaAll-Inclusive at Aspen Woods 10 Aspenshire Drive SW, Calgary, AB 403.240.4404 Amica at Aspen Amica at AspenWoods Woods 10 Aspenshire Drive SW,Calgary, Calgary, AB 10 Aspenshire Drive SW, AB 403.240.4404 403.240.4404 KINGKADE AND Game on! Game on! BREAKENRIDGE Calgary’s Breaking News & Conversation Station Tune In To Roger and Rob Weekday Mornings from 9:00 AM to Noon NewsTalk770.com Page 14 Thursday, January 8, 2015 Official POINTS TRACKER Each day in the Morning Cup, this space is yours to keep track of points scored on a match-by-match Basis. Tomorrow’s edition will be updated and ready for you to start all over again. Thursday, January 8 Draw Sheet 1 A 1 B 1 C Draw Sheet 2 A 2 B 2 C Draw Sheet 3 A 3 B 3 C Women’s Team Competition (3 points) Team Canada Points 1 Team Europe Team Canada 1 Team Europe Team Canada 1 Team Europe 1 Team Europe Team Canada 1 Team Europe Team Canada 1 Team Europe Men’s Team Competition (3 points) Team Canada 1 Team Europe Team Canada 1 Team Europe Team Canada 1 Team Europe MAVERICKS • CALGARY THE BIG FOUR BUILDING IN SUPPORT OF Mixed Doubles Competition (3 points) Team Canada MARCH 5TH, 2015 Friday, January 9 Draw 4 Women’s Team Competition 3 Draw 5 Singles 6 Draw 6 Men’s Team Competition 3 Saturday, January 10 Draw 7 Mixed Doubles 3 Draw 8 Women’s Team Competition 3 Draw 9 Men’s Team Competition 3 Sunday, January 11 Draw 10 Skins 15 Draw 11 Skins 15 Rocks & Rings and Little Rock bursaries for children across Canada • Bid on amazing items and once in lifetime curling experiences! FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFO VISIT… www.greatcanadianauction.ca 2015 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling - Morning Cup In honour of a lightweight, highstrength aluminum alloy body. In honour of uncompromising fuel-effective performance. In honour of towing and hauling weight of extraordinary measures. In honour of surviving extreme temperature tests over 16,000,000 km. In honour of improved protection from rust and corrosion. Military-grade aluminium alloy makes the grade. The all-new 2015 F-150. To earn these medals, we utilized a new metal: high-strength aluminium alloy. Seven hundred pounds lighter than its predecessor, the 2015 F-150 is more capable than ever. Best-in-class payload and towing open up a world of possibilities. While four engine choices maintain the legendary power you’ve come to expect. Simply put, it’s the Future of Tough. Vehicle may be shown with optional features. U.S. model shown. *EPA Curb Weight, versus predecessor model. ‡When properly equipped. Max. towing of 12,200 lbs with 3.5L EcoBoost V6 4x2 Max. payloads of 3,300 lbs/3,270 lbs with 5.0L Ti-VCT V8/3.5L V6 EcoBoost 4x2 engines. Class is Full-Size Pickups under 8,500 lbs GVWR vs. 2014 competitors. © 2014 Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. Page 15 ford.ca Your Calgary Ford Dealers Official vehicle suppliers INSPIRING GREATNESS albertasport.ca $25 PACKS A LOT OF PUNCH. To purchase tickets, and for complete details, visit: 1-888-676-7661 Page 16 Thursday, January 8, 2015 Seven reasons why Canada will win the Continental Cup Picking the winner of any World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by SecurTek Monitoring Solutions, shouldn’t be so difficult, since there are only two teams playing. It’s an even-money bet. You could, in fact, flip a coin and be close to picking a winner. But it’s tougher than that. These two teams have been evenly matched over the years, with the North Americans (Canada this year) holding a 6-4 series edge. But some of those matches could have gone either way. Invariably, it’s too close to call with any certainty. And this one looks like it will be just as competitive. So some thought is required. Or, instead, seven top-of-the-head reasons why Canada should win one of the most eagerly anticipated matches at the Markin MacPhail Centre. Here goes. Why Canada will win 1. Canada has the reigning Olympic men’s and women’s champions in the field. Those are pretty potent weapons to have. 2. The event is played in Canada. The Calgary crowd will be cheering very long and very loudly for the home side. Hey, we need a break from all that holiday stuff. 3. The Europeans will have to adjust to the time zone in a hurry. That’s an edge. Not a big edge, but an edge nonetheless. 4. Six teams in the top 10 of the Order of Merit (men and women) will be wearing Canadian colours this week. The Europeans counter with five. 5. The hottest team in the world right now — Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen — is playing for Canada. 6. The North Americans have won the last two events. They have the momentum. 7. The Morning Cup says they will, so there. Your Life. Protected. SecurTek Monitoring Solutions • Home and business solutions that are monitored 24/7 • Customized packages and high quality equipment that complement the activities that occur in and around your premise • Affordable services that enhance your lifestyle and provide peace of mind • Installation and service provided by our network of local Authorized Dealers and their experienced staff • Save up to 25% on your home insurance Proud Sponsor of the 2015 WFG Continental Cup of Curling securtek.com • 1-877-777-7590