Elite field features nine World Championship and Olympic medal winning skips
WINNIPEG, December 17, 2009 – Team Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.), Canada’s 2010 Olympic representative, heads an elite field of 18 foursomes who qualified to compete in the BDO Classic Canadian Open, the third leg of the men’s 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series, taking place from January 20-24, 2010 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Man.
The BDO Classic Canadian Open is last major international curling event prior to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and is in support of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.
Among the Canadian teams that will take to the ice at the MTS Centre include World Championship medallists Martin, Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.), Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.), Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg, Man.), Wayne Middaugh (Etobicoke, Ont.), Jean-Michel Ménard (Quebec City, Que.), Kerry Burtnyk (Winnipeg, Man.) as well as Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.).
In addition to Canada’s 2010 Olympic team, the field for the BDO Classic Canadian Open will include 2010 Olympic qualifiers Thomas Ulsrud (Oslo, Norway), a three-time World Championship bronze medallist, and John Shuster (Duluth, Minnesota), a member of the United States’ 2006 Olympic bronze medal winning team.
A total of four Manitoba-based teams will also compete in the event including Stoughton, Burtnyk, Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, Man.) and Jason Gunnlaugson (Beausejour, Man.).
The top 16 teams in the Capital One Order of Merit rankings, regardless of nationality, following the completion of World Curling Tour events on December 14 automatically qualified to compete in the BDO Classic Canadian Open. The tournament’s final two entries were awarded to the Canadian and American 2010 Olympic qualifiers.
Gunnlaugson and Chris Schille (Edmonton, Alta.) were added to the field after reigning World Champion and ninth ranked David Murdoch (Lockerbie, Scotland), and 12th ranked Ralph Stoeckli (Ittigen, Switzerland), declined due to scheduling conflicts with the Scottish and Swiss Nationals respectively.
In the event of a team being unable to compete at the event, Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series guidelines state that invitations will be extended to the highest remaining teams in the Capital One Order of Merit standings. A complete list of the Capital One Order of merit rankings as of December 14 can be found by clicking here.
The following is a list of the 18 teams which will compete at the BDO Classic Canadian Open. The event features a total purse of $100,000 (CDN).
| Team | Hometown | Capital One Order of Merit Points |
|
| 1 | Glenn Howard | Coldwater, Ont. | 495.680 |
| 2 | Kevin Martin | Edmonton, Alta. | 473.660 |
| 3 | Thomas Ulsrud | Oslo, Norway | 334.800 |
| 4 | Randy Ferbey | Edmonton, Alta. | 332.950 |
| 5 | Brad Gushue | St. John’s, Nfld. | 327.220 |
| 6 | Jeff Stoughton | Winnipeg, Man. | 308.580 |
| 7 | Mike McEwen | Winnipeg, Man. | 296.920 |
| 8 | Wayne Middaugh | Etobicoke, Ont. | 283.720 |
| 9 | Kevin Koe | Edmonton, Alta. | 276.470 |
| 10 | Kerry Burtnyk | Winnipeg, Man. | 226.290 |
| 11 | Jean-Michel Ménard | Quebec City, Que. | 182.630 |
| 12 | Pat Simmons | Davidson, Sask. | 172.630 |
| 13 | Dale Matchett | Bradford, Ont. | 172.110 |
| 14 | Bob Ursel | Kelowna, B.C. | 172.110 |
| 15 | Ted Appelman | Edmonton, Alta. | 168.470 |
| 16 | Jason Gunnlaugson | Beausejour, Man. | 110.453 |
| 17 | Chris Schille | Edmonton, Alta. | 108.243 |
| 18 | John Shuster | Duluth, Minnesota | 65.640 |
Individual draw tickets and ticket packages to the BDO Classic Canadian Open are available at all Ticketmaster locations, by phone at (204) 780-333, or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.
As part of the festivities surrounding the tournament, the BDO Classic Canadian Open will once again host the finals of the Capital One Million Dollar Button, a national contest where one lucky Canadian will win the chance to throw a rock to the button for $1 million (CDN), live on CBC Television during Sunday’s championship game.
The BDO Classic Canadian Open is also the second event in the men’s annual Capital One Cup points race. The Capital One Cup is a season long competition that provides each team with a point value based on their performance during selected Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events. At the conclusion of the season, the top three men’s and women’s teams which record the highest cumulative results during selected 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events will split a purse totalling $170,000 (CDN).
For an overview of the point system and prize money for the 2009-10 Capital One Cup, visitwww.grandslamofcurling.com.
Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.
As part of its exclusive agreement, CBC will air live playoff coverage of the first three men’s 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events. CBC will also broadcast the men’s and women’s finals of the 2010 Grey Power Players’ Championship.
Related posts:
- BDO Classic Canadian Open to Host World’s Best Curlers Before They Go for Gold in Vancouver
- Kevin Martin Back on Track to Open BDO Classic Canadian Open
- Leaderboard Logjam at BDO Classic Canadian Open
- Individual Tickets for BDO Classic Canadian Open on Sale
- Martin and Howard to Meet in Second Straight BDO Classic Canadian Open Final