Team North America extends lead over World
PENTICTON, B. C. — North America is taking control at the World Financial Group Continental Cup.
The team took nine of a possible 12 points at the Ryder Cup- style curling competition Friday to grab a 13- 8 lead on the World squad in the overall points race through two days.
The first team to 30.5 points will claim the WFG Financial Cup.
The North Americans, who lost to the World team in last year’s event, capped their day by winning two men’s team games on Friday night and tying another.
“We’ve got the momentum, and hopefully we can keep it going, but it’s a long way to the finish line yet,” said Edmonton skip Kevin Martin after his team rolled to a 6- 3 win over Sweden’s Niklas Edin.”
Martin’s rink took control with two points in the first end and scored three in the fourth to cruise home with the victory on the centre sheet, where he was able to watch the two other North American men’s teams playing on either side of him.
“It takes a lot of pressure off of you, and it adds so much pressure to the other team that we’re playing with the scoreboards the way they were,” said Martin.
In other action, U. S. champion Heath McCormick picked up his first win of the week, taking advantage of a shorthanded World squad skipped by Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud for an 8- 3 win. Ulsrud lost second Christoffer Svae early in the game with a stomach issue that also was affecting players on Tom Brewster’s Scottish team.
Brewster’s rink salvaged half a point from the evening when he drew for a deuce in the eighth end to pull out a 5- 5 tie with Glenn Howard of Coldwater, Ont.
Earlier in the day, the North American women’s teams claimed 2.5 of the three available points. Edmonton’s Heather Nedohin was a 17- 11 winner over Scotland’s Eve Muirhead, while American Allison Pottinger defeated Sweden’s Margaretha Sigfridsson 18- 13. Mirjam Ott of Switzerland beat Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones 18- 11.