Morning

Issue 2 – Friday, January 17, 2014 • An Of!cial Publication of the World Financial Group Continental Cup.

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Today at the Cup Friday, January 17

Team CompetitionSinglesMen’s Teams “Up Close and Personal”Women’s Teams Autograph SigningTeam CompetitionLive at the Patch: Nitro

8:30 am1:00 pm4:30 pm4:30 pm7:00 pm

10:00 pm

Draw 1Draw 2

Draw 3

Today in

WINTERLAND

DAY ONE IS DONE!North America scores a Triple in Draw 3.

Pictured (L-R): Team North America’s Brad Jacobs, Rachel Homan and John Shuster.

A timely double takeout from Sochi-bound Brad Jacobs played a huge role in giving Team North America the lead at the conclusion of opening day. Jacobs made the double to blank the seventh end in his traditional team-play showdown against Team World’s Niklas Edin on Thursday night. And in the eighth, Jacobs, of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., made an open hit to score one for a 4-3 victory in a rematch of last year’s Ford World Men’s Championship gold-medal game in Victoria, which was won by Edin. That result, combined with two other Team North America victories on Thursday evening, was part of a clean sweep of Thursday night’s games, giving Team North America a 6-3 lead on Team World in the overall standings heading into Day 2. “That feels great,” said Jacobs, who will skip Team Canada at WKH�:LQWHU�2O\PSLFV�LQ�6RFKL��³7KDW�ZDV�P\�¿UVW�JDPH�HYHU��DOO�RI�RXU��KLV�WHDPPDWHV��¿UVW�JDPHV��DW�WKH�&RQWLQHQWDO�&XS�DQG�that was a blast. I can’t believe how many fans were out there. It was awesome — a clean sweep, we’re up 6-3. Perfect.” A total of 60 points are available in curling’s version of the 5\GHU�&XS��WKH�¿UVW�WHDP�WR�UHDFK������SRLQWV�ZLOO�ZLQ�WKH�HYHQW� In other action, Team North America’s Rachel Homan (Ottawa) was a 6-4 winner over Team World’s Margaretha Sigfridsson. Homan’s team stole a deuce in the sixth end to turn the game around when Sigfridsson’s last-rock thrower, Maria Prytz, couldn’t execute a hit-and-roll to score. “Just barely,” said a laughing Homan about the victory. “But that was good. My whole team played well and so did Sigfridsson’s. Pretty excited about the three-team sweep tonight.” In the other evening game, Team North America’s John 6KXVWHU� �'XOXWK�� 0LQQ��� KXQJ� RQ� IRU� D� ���� ZLQ� RYHU� 7HDP�World’s David Murdoch. Shuster, who will skip the United States in Sochi, scored two in the fourth end and never looked back.“Any time you can go out there and get a win it feels great,” said Shuster. “It’s amazing how different it feels when you’re winning for a whole team of 24 instead of just for a team of four.”

Page 2 Friday, January 17, 2014

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Draw 1 It was Team World who got off to the early lead with victories in two of the opening three match-ups, courtesy of reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland and Thomas Ulsrud of Norway in the traditional team games. Muirhead’s team got off to a fast start against Team North America’s Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg) in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Muirhead stole three in the fourth end DQG�WZR�PRUH�LQ�¿IWK�HQ�URXWH�WR�D������WULXPSK�WR�HDUQ�WKH�IXOO�SRLQW�LQ�WKH�WHDP�VWDQGLQJV�� “It was a great start, we played really well and the ice conditions are fantastic,” said Muirhead. “We KDG�D�UHDOO\�VROLG�JDPH�RXW�WKHUH�DQG�WR�JHW�WKH�¿UVW�SRLQWV�RQ�WKH�ERDUG�IRU�7HDP�:RUOG�ZDV�JRRG�´ “You forget that Sochi is only a couple of weeks away and Jennifer’s going to be there but it doesn’t really cross your mind,” said Muirhead. “We play Jennifer a lot during the season and every game is just as tough. Ulsrud, meanwhile, picked up a three in the fourth end and cruised home with a 7-4 triumph over Team North America’s Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg) to add another point to the Team World account. Stoughton’s team could manage just single points against Ulsrud, who’ll be representing Norway at the Winter Olympics. “I think we played pretty solid out there,” said Ulsrud, the silver-medallist at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. “This is a big event for us. We get to play the Canadian Olympic (Brad Jacobs) team and the U.S. Olympic team (John Shuster), so we’re looking forward to that, it will be good practice. Hopefully we can send a message to them; I just hope they don’t crush us!” The U.S. Olympic women’s team managed to stop the bleeding for Team North America in the ¿QDO�JDPH�RQ�WKH�LFH��(ULND�%URZQ��2DNYLOOH��2QW��0DGLVRQ��:LVF���PDGH�D�FOXWFK�GUDZ�WR�EDFNLQJ�LQ�WKH�IRXU�IRRW�ZLWK�KHU�¿QDO�GHOLYHU\�RI�WKH�JDPH�WR�HDUQ�D�����YLFWRU\�RYHU�7HDP�:RUOG¶V�6DWVXNL�Fujisawa.����³,W�ZDV�D�JUHDW�ELJ�ZLQ��,W¶V�IXQ�WR�SOD\�LQ�IURQW�RI���������SHRSOH�DQG�WR�SOD\�ZHOO�´�%URZQ�VDLG��noting that she was aware of the fates of the other two North American teams on the ice. “I think that’s the nature of this event. You’re keeping an eye on everyone and looking around and want to win for your team. I could sense that things weren’t going so well on the other sheets so I’m happy we got a point today [for North America].

It didn’t take long for Team North America to turn the tables.After Team World won two of three traditional team games in the Thursday morning draw, Team North America did the same in the afternoon mixed doubles slate. The Winnipeg duo of Jennifer Jones and Mark Nichols set the tone, racking up a 9-2 Team North America victory over the Swedish partnership of Niklas Edin and Christina Bertrup. Jones and Nichols stole one in the first, two more in the second and two more in the third. The Swedes opted in the fourth end to give the hammer to Team North America in an attempt to reverse the momentum, and it didn’t work; Jones and Nichols scored three more and the result was never in doubt from there. “He (Nichols) was amazing,” said Jones. “We had so much fun out there – he made my job easy. Mixed doubles is a ton of fun to play Another all-Winnipeg pairing — Jeff Stoughton and Kaitlyn Lawes — had to work harder for its victory. Lawes had to draw to the full eight-foot with the last rock of the game for an 8-7 Team North America win over Team World’s Swedish duo of Sebastin Kraupp and Maria Prytz. “That encouragement (from the spectators) really made me sweep,” said Lawes after the game. “That was a pretty exciting finish to our game. The exciting thing is that at the Continental Cup last year we started off with two losses and a tie in the first round, so I said to our team: ‘We’re actually in a better position than last year,’ so things are looking good.” Team World managed to salvage one point out of the draw thanks to the combination of Christoffer Svae (Norway) and Satsuki Fujisawa (Japan). Svae and Fujisawa took three in the first end and three more in the third and sailed to a 13-1 win over Team North America’s Jeff Isaacson and Debbie McCormick. “I enjoy playing mixed doubles, especially at this event because it’s more about fun and entertaining,” said Svae. “The game itself is challenging, more so than normal curling, especially with someone you have never played with before and when there’s not much sweeping going on EHFDXVH�WKH�LFH�JHWV�WUDFN\��6R�IRU�SHRSOH�DW�KRPH��GRQ¶W�H[SHFW�XV�WR�VKRRW�������SHU�FHQW�ZKLFK�ZH� VRPHWLPHV� GR� GXULQJ� QRUPDO� JDPHV�� ,W¶V� D� JUHDW� JDPH� LI� \RX� VKRRW� ��� SHU� FHQW� �LQ� PL[HG�doubles), so that’s the challenge.”

Draw 2In Hindsight...

Official POINTS TRACKEREach 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 16

Points Team Competition • Team World

3 Draw 1 • Team North America

Mixed Doubles • Team World 3

Draw 2 • Team North America

Team Competition • Team World 3Draw 3 • Team North America

Friday, January 17 Draw Sheet Team Competition (3 points) Points

4 A • Team Rachel Homan 1 • Team Satsaki Fujisawa

4 B • Team John Shuster 1 • Team Niklas Edin

4 C • Team Jennifer Jones 1 • Team Margaretha Sigfridsson

Draw Sheet Singles (6 points) Points

5 A • Team Jennifer Jones 2 • Team Eve Muirhead

5 B • Team Rachel Homan 2 • Team Margaretha Sigfridsson

5 C • Team Erika Brown 2

• Team Satsuki Fujisawa

Draw Sheet Team Competition (3 points) Points

6 A • Team Jeff Stoughton 1 • Team David Murdoch

6 B • Team Erika Brown 1 • Team Eve Muirhead

6 C • Team Brad Jacobs 1 • Team Thomas Ulsrud

Saturday, January 18 Draw 7 Mixed Doubles 3 Draw 8 Team Competition (2 women’s + 1 men’s games) 3 Draw 9 Team Competition (1 women’s + 2 men’s games) 3

Sunday, January 19 Draw 10 Skins 15 Draw 11 Skins 15

Page 32014 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling - Morning Cup

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AT“THE PATCH”

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23 year-old Reigning World Women’s Champion, Eve Muirhead is loving every minute of the WFG Continental Cup in Las Vegas.

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Page 4 Friday, January 17, 2014

Fans & Fun I’ve lived in Las Vegas for 20 years. At 8:30 a.m. on a Thursday, people are usually heading to work or trying to sleep off a long night. On this particular Thursday, though, for a few thousand curling fans, it was time to rev up for a big four days of competition in the World Financial Group Continental Cup at The Orleans Arena.,W�ZDV�GH¿QLWHO\�D�GLIIHUHQW�IHHO��DQG�QRW�MXVW�IRU�WKH�IDQV��EXW�WKH�DWKOHWHV�DV�ZHOO� “It’s wicked,” said Jon Mead, a Canadian playing for Team North America in the event. Note to self: Wicked means really good.����³7R�SOD\�ZLWK�WKDW�PDQ\�SHRSOH�KHUH�IRU�WKH�¿UVW�GUDZ��DW������LQ�WKH�PRUQLQJ�LQ�9HJDV"�,�GRQ¶W�know if people got up or just stayed up all night,” Mead said, only half-jokingly, knowing this town’s reputation. Tex and Nola Bergman of Langley, British Columbia, and Tex’s sister Deanna Harper of Lanigan, Saskatchewan, did not stay out all night ahead of the opening draw, so they were in full-throated form. Harper was just thrilled about the dramatic change in the weather.�����³:KHQ�,�OHIW�0RQGD\��LW�ZDV�PLQXV����GHJUHHV�´�+DUSHU�VDLG��

�����2.��DW�WKDW�SRLQW��,�WKLQN�\RX�MXVW�VWRS�FRXQWLQJ�DQG�VWLFN�\RXU�KDQGV�ULJKW�LQWR�WKH�¿UHSODFH� “Everybody else is home shoveling snow, while I’m enjoying the 72-degree weather,” Harper boasted. Indeed, the only place it was cool was on or near the ice. Nola was celebrating her birthday as she turned a very spry 76 years old, and all three were decked out in Team North America garb – though their Canadian roots were most on display, between the front of their rain ponchos (Note to them: It’s a desert; it ain’t gonna rain), the Dr. Seuss-style hats and tons of collectible pins, along with the cowbells proudly hanging around each of their necks. Before I could get a question out to the birthday girl, she was ordaining me a Canadian citizen, VWLFNLQJ�D�ÀDJ�SLQ�RQ�WKH�OHIW�ODSHO�RI�P\�ZLQGEUHDNHU��+DUSHU�WKHQ�MXPSHG�LQ�DQG�SLQQHG�D�UHG�IHOW�maple leaf on my right lapel. I felt half-compelled to belt out a verse of “O Canada,” or at least the ¿UVW�YHUVH�RI�5XVK¶V�³7RP�6DZ\HU´�RU�³7KH�6SLULW�RI�5DGLR�´�%XW�QR�%ULDQ�$GDPV��SOHDVH��7KDW¶V�D�bridge too far for this American. Nola seems to be a nice, relatively reserved woman, but she said she enjoys what’s become the

Outside the Hoglines!By Colin Kelly

Page 52014 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling - Morning Cup

trending atmosphere at curling. “It used to be that curling fans were very quiet,” Nola said. “But in Vancouver at the 2010 Olympics, they set the precedent with the bells, screaming and hollering more. And it’s just awesome!”When’s the last time you heard a 76-year-old say that bells, screaming and hollering are just DZHVRPH"�,�WKLQN�WKDW¶V�MXVW�DZHVRPH� “I don’t mind that in the venue at all,” Nola said. Said Tex: “The crowd is larger and everybody is really friendly and happy. It’s a great atmosphere.”8QLWHG�6WDWHV�ZRPHQ¶V�VNLS�(ULND�%URZQ��D�:LVFRQVLQLWH�PDNLQJ�KHU�¿UVW�WULS�WR�/DV�9HJDV�ZKLOH�competing for Team North America, played in Thursday’s opening draw and was thrilled to see such a turnout.����³,W�ZDV�DPD]LQJ��,W�ZDV�IXQ�WR�EH�SDUW�RI�WKH�RSHQLQJ�GUDZ�±�������VFUHDPLQJ�IDQV�´�%URZQ�VDLG�while observing Thursday night’s draw, which also drew several thousand. “We’ve never had that

before in the United States. To host this in the U.S. and in a warm climate is unheard of in any curling event. It’s pretty awesome for curling.” Scotland skip Eve Muirhead, on Team World, was also stunned. “I’ve never been to Las Vegas before, and wow! You don’t know what to say,” Muirhead said. “You’re just kind of gobsmacked.” Note to self: Gobsmacked means utterly astonished or astounded, which in this case is again a good thing. The American Brown and the Scot Muirhead rightly recognized that it’s the huge Canadian contingent providing much of the raucous atmosphere. And so did Harper. “The crowd is a lot larger and a lot more outgoing. And I think most of the people are from Canada,” Harper said. “We’re feeling very much at home.”������:LWKRXW�WKDW�ZKROH�PLQXV����GHJUHHV�EXVLQHVV��HK"

����7KH�¿UVW�GD\�RI�DFWLRQ�DW�WKH�:RUOG�)LQDQFLDO�*URXS�&RQWLQHQWDO�Cup brought more terminology with which I was not familiar. Like The Patch. On Thursday morning, I kept hearing this mysterious place referred to, everyone raving about The Patch, and I couldn’t stop WKLQNLQJ�DERXW�SXPSNLQV�DQG�SLUDWHV��6R�DW�OXQFKWLPH��DIWHU�WKH�¿UVW�draw, I decided it was time to investigate. I made my way from The Orleans Arena, through the casino and up to the Mardi Gras ballroom, where the sound of music and raucous folks got louder as I approached. To my pleasant surprise, there were no pumpkins and no pirates. -XVW�KXQGUHGV�DQG�KXQGUHGV�RI�IDQV��D�GDQFH�ÀRRU��ORWV�RI�IRRG�DQG�D�boatload of beer. And the fans were indeed imbibing a bit. At noon. And probably well before that. At that moment, I knew this was my kind of place. The Patch is a seemingly innocuous synonym for Party Central! My mission: Find a table with a fair amount of empty bottles – a sure sign of some hearty fans, who tend to have the most candid quotes. I deemed the winners to be Tom Huckerby, his wife, his daughter and her friends. They all happily obliged. “This is the best patch we’ve been to,” said Huckerby, who has

witnessed multiple World Curling Championships and Continental Cups. Apparently, The Patch is a staple of all big curling events. “You can’t beat the energy. This is where everybody has to be.”����7KH�JURXS�ÀHZ�WR�/DV�9HJDV�IURP�WKH�KXPEOH�$OEHUWD�EXUJK�RI�%DVVDQR��SRSXODWLRQ�������RU�VR��DW�OHDVW����RI�ZKRP�DUH�KHUH�WKLV�week – a pretty large percentage for such a small town). Huckerby’s daughter, Karyn Hemminger, and her three friends – who comprise D�FXUOLQJ�WHDP�LQ�D�OHDJXH�EDFN�KRPH�±�ÀHZ�LQ�7KXUVGD\�PRUQLQJ��Hemminger got the word on where to be right away. “I forgot all about The Patch until I landed and I texted my dad,” Hemminger said. “He said to hurry up and get to The Patch.” I just knew those smartphones were good for something. Hemminger and Co. followed dad’s orders, hurrying over to join the party. I was half-ready to shout, “Barkeep, another round of Bud Lights for me and my new Canadian friends.”����'LG�,�PHQWLRQ�LW�ZDV�QRRQ"�/DWH�7KXUVGD\�QLJKW��WKH�SODFH�ZDV�surely as bonkers as a slot machine gone haywire. That’s what Las Vegas will do: take an already overtly social event and ramp it up to another level. “Good curling fans will travel anywhere, but Vegas for sure,” Hemminger said.

Page 6 Friday, January 17, 2014

The Patch IS the Party

If it originates in Scotland, chances are Eve Muirhead has tried it, succeeded wildly at it, and can do it better than you.����%DJSLSHV"�³6FRWODQG�WKH�%UDYH´�LV�QR�PDWFK�IRU�KHU�� � � �*ROI"�6KH�FDQ�VWULSH� LW�GRZQ�WKH�IDLUZD\�DQG�NQRFN�LQ� WKH�tricky putts.� � � �&XUOLQJ"�6KH¶V�DQ�LFH�TXHHQ�RI�2O\PSLF�SURSRUWLRQV�� WR�EH�sure. “Yes, those are a few of the most Scottish things you can get,” Muirhead said while taking a break during Thursday’s second draw at the World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling. Without a doubt, though, curling is where she excels the most. She’s the skip for the Great Britain women’s team. At just 23 years old, Muirhead is considered one of the most talented shooters in the women’s game. She’s a four-time World Junior :RPHQ¶V�&XUOLQJ�FKDPSLRQ�±�DQG�LW�PLJKW�KDYH�EHHQ�¿YH��EXW�

this little thing called the Vancouver Olympics pulled her away in 2010. She led Scotland to the title at the 2013 Women’s World Curling Championship, becoming the youngest skip ever to win the world title. “Curling is a great sport,” said Muirhead, who along with her Team World teammates is using the Continental Cup as a tuneup for the Sochi Olympics next month. “I’ve met so many great friends all around the world, and you play the game with your best friends.” Muirhead has drawn on her experience on the links – she’s a scratch golfer – to help her with curling. “Curling is a very tactical game,” she said. “A match can go 2½ hours, and one wrong move can cost you. It’s the same in golf, as well. It’s a very touch-feel sport, so the two sports are

similar in that way. “I play a lot of golf, as much as I can, but not an awful lot this year, with the Olympics coming up. Curling has become a full-time, year-round commitment, so it’s hard to get out and play golf. But golf is a great social sport.” Kind of like curling, in that respect. With curling demanding much of her time, Muirhead doesn’t have much chance to pull out the bagpipes, but she relishes those opportunities. “I get asked to play at friends’ weddings and engagements,” she said. Big events, of course, because she’s all about rising to the occasion. “I’ll never do anything unless I can be the best at it,” Muirhead said.

Grreeeat Scot!By Colin Kelly Photo - Chris Holloman

By Colin Kelly

Page 72014 World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling - Morning Cup

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Free Shuttle Service������7KH�VKXWWOH�UXQV�HYHU\�������PLQXWHV����D�P��������D�P��7KXUVGD\��)ULGD\�and Saturday, Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. with connections between the Orleans Hotel Casino & Arena and the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino, as well as Bally’s on the Las Vegas Strip. Fans staying at the Rio All-Suites have shuttle access at the Gold Coast.

Around the House!Keep your ears to the Ice.

Get the Smart Bug audio transmitter and enhance the experience with your choice of two different audio streams: ���7KH�RI¿FLDO�Las Vegas Rocks audiocast, complete with some curling basics for new fans, and the potential to interact via text and tweet• TSN (Canada) live play-by-play and color commentarySmart Bug is available for purchase in the souvenir store, located on the main concourse behind Section 108.

Day One 50-50 Winnings: Nearly $14,000. Tickets are on sale every draw in the concourse at Section 110 or from mobile attendants throughout the Orleans Arena. Remaining net proceeds will be distributed to curling development programs, youth sports and medical supplies for the under-insured.

Test your Olympic skills. Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the arena parking lot, the renowned Road to Sochi interactive exhibition will give fans the chance to test their skills in a number of Olympic and Paralympic disciplines – including curling, hockey, ski jump, bobsled and cross-country skiing. Plus, you can meet past U.S. Summer Olympic Games heroes, Willie Banks (Track and Field), Anne Warner Cribbs (Swimming), Dick Fosbury (Track and Field) and John Naber (Swimming), as well as upcoming Olympic hopefuls. Naber and Banks will join Jill Savery (Synchronized Swimming), Barbra Higgins (Fencing) and Cindy Stinger (Handball) in an exhibition of curling, Saturday at noon in the Orleans Arena, with the Erika Brown and John Shuster teams that will represent Team USA in Sochi next month.

Editor - Rod PalsonDesigner - Dave AmbrozPhotographer & Layout Editor - Chris HollomanContributing Writers - Colin Kelly, Graham Lloyd, Rod Palson

Editorial Team...

Page 8 Friday, January 17, 2014

Whoa hard. Play hard.

Las Vegas is proud to be the fi rst host of the WFG Continental Cup of Curling outside of Canada.

Job #: 089102.02 Ref #:Client: LVCVA Desc:Continental Cup of Curling Size: 10” x 12.625” Color:CMYKFonts: DIN, UniversPub: Daily News Date: 1/3/14 Version: