DAWSON CREEK, B.C., April 16, 2010 – Defending champion and Capital One Cup points leader Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, Man.), Shannon Kleibrink (Calgary, Alta.) and Crystal Webster (Calgary, Alta.) secured the final three women’s Grey Power Players’ Championship quarter-final berths this evening after winning their respective C qualifier final this afternoon during the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event, taking place at the EnCana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C.
Jones advanced to the playoff round with an 8-4 victory over Kerri Flett (Winnipeg, Man.) while Kleibrink secured a spot in the final eight after powering past Heather Nedohin (Edmonton, Alta.) 11-4. Webster grabbed the tournament’s final quarter-final berth after edging Jacqueline Harrison (Alliston, Ont.) 5-2.

Aiming for her fourth career Players’ Championship title in five seasons, Jones got off to a slow start in the first end, wrecking on a guard on her final shot to give Flett a steal of two points.

Trailing 2-1, Jones grabbed her first lead of the game in the third end after Flett’s draw to the button came up heavy, resulting in a three-point steal.

Leading 6-4, Jones ended the game in the seventh end after executing a difficult tap back for two points.

“We had a horrendous day yesterday,” said Jones referring to her losses to Kelly Scott (Kelowna, B.C.) andStefanie Lawton (Saskatoon, Sask.).  “It was probably one of our worst days ever.  We didn’t have a very good first end today and then we kind of bounced back and made some good shots.  It’s really nice to qualify for the quarter-finals.  We would have been very disappointed if we didn’t.”

Facing off against Nedohin, Kleibrink seized control of her game early, executing a tap back for three points in the opening frame and recording a five-point end in the fourth.

“I think we might finally have our legs back under us,” said Kleibrink who defeated Amber Holland (Regina, Sask.) 7-4 in the morning draw.  “We haven’t really thrown since our provincials so it’s taken a little while to get going.”

The loss was the third straight for Nedohin after two consecutive wins to open the event.

The women’s quarter-final match-ups for the Grey Power Players’ Championship are as follows.

The women’s quarter-finals are set for this evening 8:00 p.m. PST.  The women’s semifinals are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. PST on Saturday, April 17 with the finals taking place later that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. PST.  Saturday’s final will air live on CBC Television and CBCSports.ca.

In the men’s draw, Olympic gold medallists Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.) and Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.) became the first two teams to qualify for the quarter-finals last night after each squad won their A qualifier final to complete a perfect 3-0 preliminary round record.

The men’s B qualifier finals will take place this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. PST and will feature Capital One Cup points leader Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.) vs. Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.) in a rematch of the 2010 Brier final; Pat Simmons (Davidson, Sask.) vs. 2010 Olympian Niklas Edin (Karlstad Sweden); and Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg, Man.) vs. Reid Carruthers (Winnipeg, Man.).
All three winners will advance to the quarter-finals while the losers will drop down to the C qualifier bracket.

The men’s quarter-finals are scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 17 at 12:00 p.m. PST with the semifinals scheduled for later that evening at 7:30 p.m. PST.  The men’s final is set for Sunday, April 18 at 9:00 a.m. PST. CBC’s digital channel bold and CBCSports.ca will air live coverage of the men’s semifinals while the men’s final will air live on CBC Television and CBCSports.ca

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is a triple knockout event which features a $100,000 (CDN) purse for both the men’s and women’s draw.  Each tournament champion will earn $25,000 (CDN) and receive 45.000 Canadian Team Ranking System points.

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is also the final event where Canada’s men’s and women’s teams to earn points towards the Capital One Cup.

Featuring a $170,000 purse, the Capital One Cup is a points-based competition that awards each curling team a point value based on their performance during selected 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events. Following the conclusion of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, the top men’s and women’s teams in the Capital One Cup standings will each receive a $50,000 (CDN) bonus.  The second and third place men’s and women’s squads will each receive $25,000 (CDN) and $10,000 (CDN) respectively.

Throughout the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, members of the media can access live scoring, schedule and statistical information of each draw by visiting the official Capital One Grand Slam of Curling website atwww.grandslamofcurling.com.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.

DAWSON CREEK, B.C., April 16, 2010 – The World Curling Tour Players’ Association announced today thatTeam Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.) and Team Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, Alta.) are the winners of the 2009-10 Team of the Year awards while Team Eve Muirhead (Perth, Scotland) has won 2009-10 Rookie Team of the Year honours.

The awards, which are voted on by the players, will be officially presented this evening at 8:00 p.m. PST during Draw 14 of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curlingevent, taking place at the EnCana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C.

Team Martin, which includes third John Morris, second Marc Kennedy and lead Ben Hebert, enjoyed a successful 2009-10 campaign that was highlighted by a gold medal victory at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Apart from Team Martin’s Olympic success, the squad captured the 2009 Roar of the Rings Olympic qualifying event as well as four 2009-10 World Curling Tour event titles including the BDO Classic Canadian Open, a Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event; the Whites Drug Store Classic; the Skookum Cash Spiel; and the Bear Mountain Arena Classic.
The award marks the third consecutive season Team Martin has captured Men’s Team of the Year honours.

“With our team it comes down to a lot of hard work,” said Martin.  “This is the hardest working team I’ve ever seen. We’ve trained extremely hard and all that hard work doesn’t go without its rewards.  To get the Team of the Year award from the players, that means a lot.”

The finalists for the Men’s Team of the Year award included Team Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.), Team Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.) and Team Thomas Ulsrud (Oslo, Norway).

Team Bernard, which includes third Susan O’Connor, second Carolyn Darbyshire and lead Cori Bartel, earned their first career Women’s Team of the Year award after winning a silver medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

This season, Team Bernard captured its first major tournament victory after winning the 2009 Roar of the Rings event.  The foursome also reached the finals of a pair of World Curling Tour events including the CurlTV.comSeptember Shoot-Out and the Twin Anchors Invitational.

“We just kind of figured it all out this year as far as where to put the game in our life and how to go out there and have fun,” said Bernard.  “Because of all of that, we started to play real well together.  It was a dream come true year and it was pretty sweet.”

The finalists for the Women’s Team of the Year award included Team Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, Man.), Team Eve Muirhead (Perth, Scotland) and Team Anette Norberg (Saltsjö Boo, Sweden).

Muirhead, together with third Jackie Lockhart, second Kelly Wood and lead Lorna Vevers earned Rookie Team of the Year honours after capturing a silver medal at the 2010 World Championship, finishing seventh at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and winning three events on the World Curling Tour this season including the International ZO Women’s Tournament, the International Bernese Ladies Cup and the Three Nations Cup.

The finalists for the Rookie Team of the Year awarded included Team Jason Gunnlaugson (Beausejour, Man.) and Team Brad Jacobs (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.).

On Thursday, the World Curling Tour Players’ Association announced that Martin and Bernard were the winners of the 2009-10 Most Valuable Player awards.

The World Curling Tour Players’ Association Awards have been presented annually since the 2007-08 season.

– Olympic gold medallists Martin and Gushue secure first two men’s quarter-final berths –
– Scott, Bélisle, Lawton, Bernard and Sweeting all advance to the women’s playoff round at the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event –

– Defending champions Ferbey and Jones in danger of being eliminated after falling to the C qualifier bracket –

DAWSON CREEK, B.C., April 15, 2010 – Newly crowned Olympic gold medallist Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.) and 2006 Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.) secured the first two men’s quarter-final berths at the Grey Power Players’ Championship this evening as each team won their respective A qualifier final during the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event, taking place at the EnCana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C.

Martin advanced to the playoffs with a 6-2 win over Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.) in a match that featured the reigning Olympic and World Championship gold medallists.

Gushue reached the quarter-finals after edging Pat Simmons (Davidson, Sask.) 6-3.

Martin and Gushue both concluded preliminary round play with perfect 3-0 records.

With the loss, Koe will attempt to qualify for the quarter-finals tomorrow through the B qualifier bracket as he takes on Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.) at 4:30 p.m. PST in a rematch of the 2010 Brier final.  During the same draw, Simmons will face-off against 2010 Olympian Niklas Edin (Karlstad, Sweden).

In the women’s draw, Kelly Scott (Kelowna, B.C.) and Eve Bélsile (Montreal, Que.) advanced to the quarter-finals through the A qualifier bracket while Stefanie Lawton (Saskatoon, Sask.), 2010 Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, Alta.) and Valerie Sweeting (Edmonton, Alta.) earned a spot in the final eight by winning their respective B qualifier finals this evening.

Earlier in the day, Scott advanced to the playoffs with a 6-2 victory over defending champion and Capital One Cup points leader Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, Man.) in one of the A qualifier finals while Bélsile secured a quarter-final berth with a 7-6 extra end decision over Heather Nedohin (Edmonton, Alta.) in the other A bracket final.

Both Scott and Bélisle concluded preliminary round play with perfect 3-0 records.

Lawton easily advanced to the playoffs this evening after powering past Jones 9-1 in just three ends.

With the loss, Jones, who is aiming for her fourth Players’ Championship title in the past five seasons, falls to the C qualifier bracket where she’ll face the winner of Kerri Flett (Winnipeg, Man.) versus Julie Hastings (Toronto, Ont.) in an elimination match with one of the three remaining quarter-final berths at stake.

In the other two B qualifier finals, Bernard slid past Crystal Webster (Calgary, Alta.) 8-5 while Sweeting outlasted Nedohin 8-6. Both Webster and Nedohin will compete in their respective C qualifier final tomorrow.

Team Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.) playing in their final event as a foursome, is in danger of being eliminated from the tournament after falling to Howard 8-4 in the B qualifier bracket this evening.

With the loss, Ferbey, who sits at 1-2, moves to the C qualifier bracket where he’ll play Ted Appelman (Edmonton, Alta.) on Friday, April 16 at 4:30 p.m. PST.  A third loss by Team Ferbey at this event will mark the official end of the squad which captured three World Championship titles.

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is a triple knockout event which features a $100,000 (CDN) purse for both the men’s and women’s draw.  Each tournament champion will earn $25,000 (CDN) and receive 45.000 Canadian Team Ranking System points.

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is also the final event where Canada’s men’s and women’s teams to earn points towards the Capital One Cup.

Featuring a $170,000 purse, the Capital One Cup is a points-based competition that awards each curling team a point value based on their performance during selected 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events.  Following the conclusion of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, the top men’s and women’s teams in the Capital One Cup standings will each receive a $50,000 (CDN) bonus.  The second and third place men’s and women’s squads will each receive $25,000 (CDN) and $10,000 (CDN) respectively.

Throughout the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, members of the media can access live scoring, schedule and statistical information of each draw by visiting the official Capital One Grand Slam of Curling website at www.grandslamofcurling.com.

Featuring 16 of the world’s top men’s and women’s teams from the 2009-10 season, Friday’s draw times for the Grey Power® Players’ Championship are set for 9:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. PST respectively.

Following the conclusion of round robin play, the top eight men’s and women’s teams will qualify for the tournament’s quarter-finals.

The men’s quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, April 17 at 12:00 p.m. PST with the semifinals scheduled for later that evening at 7:30 p.m. PST.  The men’s final is set for Sunday, April 18 at 9:00 a.m. PST.

As the official television broadcaster of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Television will air live coverage of the men’s and women’s final of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship. CBC’s digital channel bold will air live coverage of the men’s semifnals. Live coverage of 17 draws from the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, including the men’s and women’s finals and men’s semifinals, will also be available on CBCSports.ca.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.

About Grey Power®

Grey Power is the industry leader in providing auto and home insurance to mature Canadians.  Grey Power recognizes it takes years of skill and experience to achieve a good driving record and rewards that experience with substantial savings through the Experience Advantage™. With Grey Power, Canadians not only save on their insurance but also get superior service and expert advice.  Grey Power products are provided by Trafalgar Insurance Company of Canada, a member company of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC), Canada’s largest provider of auto, home and business insurance.

About Capital One

Located in Toronto, Ontario, Capital One has offered Canadian consumers a range of competitive MasterCard^® credit cards since 1996, when the company first introduced the Platinum MasterCard^® in Canada.  Capital One Canada is a division of Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation of McLean, Virginia (NYSE: COF).  Capital One is committed to promoting curling through the title sponsorship of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling and the Women’s Curling Championship.

About iSport Media and Management

iSport Media and Management is Canada’s leading athlete, digital media and event sponsorship company.  iSport specializes in:

• World class athlete representation in marketing, media and sponsorships
• Leading edge digital media strategies and operations
• Event development, execution and sponsorship sales
• Sport Federation sponsorship sales and strategic counsel.

For more information visit www.isportmedia.com.

DAWSON CREEK, B.C., April 15, 2010 – Kelly Scott (Kelowna, B.C.) and Eve Bélisle (Montreal, Que.) became the first two women’s teams to qualify for the quarter-finals of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship today after each squad won their respective A qualifier final during the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event, taking place at the EnCana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C.

Scott advanced to the playoffs with a 6-2 victory over defending champion Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, Man.) while Bélsile secured a quarter-final berth with a 7-6 extra end decision over Heather Nedohin (Edmonton, Alta.).

In a match-up featuring the top two women’s teams in the Capital One Cup standings, Scott took advantage of some early miscues by Jones enabling her to build a quick 3-0 lead through two ends despite never playing with the hammer.

Leading 3-1 in the fourth, Scott extended her lead after her double takeout attempt resulted in a two-point score.

“We came in here with no ice time back home for probably the last month and we really haven’t played a game together since the Scotties in February,” said Scott.  “We didn’t know what to expect.  We just wanted to come out, stay loose and have fun and obviously that might be the magic recipe.”

Bélisle advanced to the quarter-finals after making a hit and stick on the game’s final shot to win by a point.
“It was a really close game,” said Bélisle who reached the semifinals of the 2008 Players’ Championship.  “Both teams played well.  It was back and forth all game.”

Both Scott and Bélisle concluded preliminary round play with perfect 3-0 records.

Jones, who is aiming for her fourth Players’ Championship title in the past five seasons, will have a second opportunity to advance to the quarter-finals tonight at 8:00 p.m. PST when she meets Stefanie Lawton (Saskatoon, Sask.) in one of three B qualifier finals.
The remaining two B qualifier finals this evening will feature Nedohin versus Valerie Sweeting (Edmonton, Alta.) and reigning Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, Alta.) versus Crystal Webster (Calgary, Alta.).  The winners of each game will advance to the quarter-finals while the losers will have one final opportunity to qualify through the C qualifier bracket.

The women’s quarter-finals are set for Friday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m. PST.  The women’s semifinals are set for 8:30 a.m. PST on Saturday, April 17 with the finals taking place later that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. PST.  Saturday’s final will air live on CBC Television.

In the men’s draw, 2010 World Championship gold medallist Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.) and Brad Gushue (St. John’s) each improved to 2-0 and moved within one victory of qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Koe edged Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg, Man.) 6-4 while Gushue bested Dale Matchett (Bradford, Ont.) 7-4.

Trailing Stoughton 1-0, Koe broke open the game in the fourth end, executing a difficult takeout for three points.

Stoughton battled back to tie the score at 4-4 before Koe won the game in the eighth with a delicate tap back through a tight port.

“We got a few breaks to keep it close early in the game, then we sprung that three on them,” said Koe. “That was obviously the turning point, but still even then we had to make a good last shot to win it.”

In his game against Matchett, Gushue lead from start to finish.  Already ahead 3-2 after four frames, Gushue executed an open hit for three points and an insurmountable 6-2 advantage.

With the victory, Koe will face-off against 2010 Olympic gold medallist Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Atla.) tonight at 8:00 p.m. PST in one A qualifier final while Gushue will meet Pat Simmons (Davidson, Sask.) in the other.  The winners will earn a direct berth into the men’s quarter-finals.

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is a triple knockout event which features a $100,000 (CDN) purse for both the men’s and women’s draw.  Each tournament champion will earn $25,000 (CDN) and receive 45.000 Canadian Team Ranking System points.

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is also the final event where Canada’s men’s and women’s teams to earn points towards the Capital One Cup.

Featuring a $170,000 purse, the Capital One Cup is a points-based competition that awards each curling team a point value based on their performance during selected 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events.  Following the conclusion of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, the top men’s and women’s teams in the Capital One Cup standings will each receive a $50,000 (CDN) bonus.  The second and third place men’s and women’s squads will each receive $25,000 (CDN) and $10,000 (CDN) respectively.

Throughout the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, members of the media can access live scoring, schedule and statistical information of each draw by visiting the official Capital One Grand Slam of Curling website at www.grandslamofcurling.com.

Featuring 16 of the world’s top men’s and women’s teams from the 2009-10 season, Friday’s draw times for the Grey Power® Players’ Championship are set for 9:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. PST respectively.

Following the conclusion of round robin play, the top eight men’s and women’s teams will qualify for the tournament’s quarter-finals.

The men’s quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, April 17 at 12:00 p.m. PST with the semifinals scheduled for later that evening at 7:30 p.m. PST.  The men’s final is set for Sunday, April 18 at 9:00 a.m. PST.

As the official television broadcaster of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Television will air live coverage of the men’s and women’s final of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship. CBC’s digital channel bold will air live coverage of the men’s semifnals. Live coverage of 17 draws from the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, including the men’s and women’s finals and men’s semifinals, will also be available on CBCSports.ca.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.

About Grey Power®

Grey Power is the industry leader in providing auto and home insurance to mature Canadians.  Grey Power recognizes it takes years of skill and experience to achieve a good driving record and rewards that experience with substantial savings through the Experience Advantage™. With Grey Power, Canadians not only save on their insurance but also get superior service and expert advice.  Grey Power products are provided by Trafalgar Insurance Company of Canada, a member company of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC), Canada’s largest provider of auto, home and business insurance.

About Capital One

Located in Toronto, Ontario, Capital One has offered Canadian consumers a range of competitive MasterCard^® credit cards since 1996, when the company first introduced the Platinum MasterCard^® in Canada.  Capital One Canada is a division of Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation of McLean, Virginia (NYSE: COF).  Capital One is committed to promoting curling through the title sponsorship of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling and the Women’s Curling Championship.

About iSport Media and Management
iSport Media and Management is Canada’s leading athlete, digital media and event sponsorship company.  iSport specializes in:

• World class athlete representation in marketing, media and sponsorships
• Leading edge digital media strategies and operations
• Event development, execution and sponsorship sales
• Sport Federation sponsorship sales and strategic counsel.

For more information visit www.isportmedia.com.

DAWSON CREEK, B.C., April 14, 2010 – Newly crowned 2010 Olympic gold medallist Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.) and Pat Simmons (Davidson, Sask.) each moved within one victory of qualifying for the men’s quarter-finals at the Grey Power® Players’ Championship today during preliminary round play at the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event taking place at the EnCana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C.

In the women’s draw, defending champion Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, Man.) heads a list of four teams with perfect 2-0 records in the “A” qualifier bracket.  Jones, Kelly Scott (Kelowna, B.C.), Heather Nedohin (Edmonton, Alta.) and Eve Bélisle (Montreal, Que.) can all advance to the Grey Power® Players’ Championship quarter-finals with a third preliminary round win this week.

Martin improved to 2-0 at the event after doubling up Jake Higgs (Harriston, Ont.) 6-3 in the morning draw before sliding past Bob Ursel (Kelwona, B.C.) 9-2.

In the evening match against Ursel, Martin seized control of the game in the second end, executing an open draw for three points to jump ahead 3-1.  Leading 4-2, Martin ended the game in the fifth frame with a pick for five points.

“We definitely had some rust earlier today (against Higgs) and even still a little bit (against Ursel) as well,” said Martin.  “It’s all about, in this event, trying to get a little better each game because the playoffs are so tough.  So far so good.”

Simmons picked up his second tournament victory this evening after scoring three points in the second end en route to defeating Reid Carruthers (Winnipeg, Man.) 7-3.

Jones remained in the hunt for her fourth career Players’ Championship title in the past five seasons with a 7-6 decision over Crystal Webster (Calgary, Alta.).

With Webster ahead 4-3 after four ends, Jones surged back into the lead with in the game’s latter stages, scoring two points in the fifth followed by a steal of one point in the sixth.

Tied at 6-6 in the final end, Jones secured the victory without having to throw her final stone as Webster came up heavy and wide on her draw attempt around a rock in the top of the eight-foot.

“We still haven’t been as sharp as we’d like to be,” said Jones following the victory.  “It’s been a little bit sloppy on our part so hopefully we’ll come out and play a bit sharper.  You want to play your best in the playoffs and we’re not quite there yet.”

Scott remained unbeaten after edging Shannon Kleibrink (Calgary, Alta.) 7-6 in an extra end.

Knotted at 6-6 through eight ends, Scott earned her second consecutive victory with a short runback on the game’s final shot.
Earlier in the day, Nedohin and Bélsile both moved one step closer to advancing to the tournament’s playoff round. Nedohin defeated 2010 Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, Alta.) 8-2 while Bélisle eased past Julie Hastings (Toronto, Ont.) 8-1.

2010 World Championship gold medallist Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.) posted a victory today during his opening round game, defeating Ted Appelman (Edmonton, Alta.) 7-6 in an extra end.

Team Koe, playing in its first game since defeating Norway last Sunday for the World Championship title, overcame a slow start before finding their rhythm in the middle ends.
With the reigning Brier champion ahead 6-3, Appelman battled back with two points in the seventh and a steal of one in the eighth to tie the score at 6-6 before Koe won the game in the extra end with an open hit for the victory.

“We were happy to pull (the game) out,” said Koe.  “We’re just hoping to try and last until the weekend and then I think the intensity will pick up.  This is a big tournament and you’re also playing for the Capital One Cup.  We still got to win a slam and that’s one of our big goals left and it’d be amazing to do it this week.

Team Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.), who is competing in their final tournament as a foursome, sit at 1-1 following a 5-2 loss to Dale Matchett (Brantford, Ont.) and a narrow 8-6 victory over Martin Ferland (Quebec City, Que.).

The win over Ferland this evening came following a poor performance in their opening round game against Matchett.

“There was no drive, no jump, no want, no…whatever you want to say.  It was a really pathetic effort,” said Ferbey following the loss to Matchett. “We’re not out of it yet, but we’re going to have to play a lot better than that.”

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is a triple knockout event which features a $100,000 (CDN) purse for both the men’s and women’s draw.  Each tournament champion will earn $25,000 (CDN) and receive 45.000 Canadian Team Ranking System points.

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is also the final event where Canada’s men’s and women’s teams to earn points towards the Capital One Cup.

Featuring a $170,000 purse, the Capital One Cup is a points-based competition that awards each curling team a point value based on their performance during selected 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events.  Following the conclusion of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, the top men’s and women’s teams in the Capital One Cup standings will each receive a $50,000 (CDN) bonus.  The second and third place men’s and women’s squads will each receive $25,000 (CDN) and $10,000 (CDN) respectively.

Throughout the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, members of the media can access live scoring, schedule and statistical information of each draw by visiting the official Capital One Grand Slam of Curling website at www.grandslamofcurling.com.

Featuring 16 of the world’s top men’s and women’s teams from the 2009-10 season, Thursday’s draw times for the Grey Power® Players’ Championship are set for 9:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. PST respectively.

Following the conclusion of round robin play, the top eight men’s and women’s teams will qualify for the tournament’s quarter-finals.

The women’s quarter-finals are set for Friday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m. PST.  The women’s semifinals are set for 8:30 a.m. PST on Saturday, April 17 with the finals taking place later that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. PST.

The men’s quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, April 17 at 12:00 p.m. PST with the semifinals scheduled for later that evening at 7:30 p.m. PST.  The men’s final is set for Sunday, April 18 at 9:00 a.m. PST.

As the official television broadcaster of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Television will air live coverage of the men’s and women’s final of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship. CBC’s digital channel bold will air live coverage of the men’s semifnals. Live coverage of 17 draws from the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, including the men’s and women’s finals and men’s semifinals, will also be available on CBCSports.ca.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.

About Grey Power®

Grey Power is the industry leader in providing auto and home insurance to mature Canadians.  Grey Power recognizes it takes years of skill and experience to achieve a good driving record and rewards that experience with substantial savings through the Experience Advantage™. With Grey Power, Canadians not only save on their insurance but also get superior service and expert advice.  Grey Power products are provided by Trafalgar Insurance Company of Canada, a member company of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC), Canada’s largest provider of auto, home and business insurance.

About Capital One

Located in Toronto, Ontario, Capital One has offered Canadian consumers a range of competitive MasterCard^® credit cards since 1996, when the company first introduced the Platinum MasterCard^® in Canada.  Capital One Canada is a division of Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation of McLean, Virginia (NYSE: COF).  Capital One is committed to promoting curling through the title sponsorship of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling and the Women’s Curling Championship.

About iSport Media and Management
iSport Media and Management is Canada’s leading athlete, digital media and event sponsorship company.  iSport specializes in:

• World class athlete representation in marketing, media and sponsorships
• Leading edge digital media strategies and operations
• Event development, execution and sponsorship sales
• Sport Federation sponsorship sales and strategic counsel.

For more information visit www.isportmedia.com.

DAWSON CREEK, B.C., April 13, 2010 – Newly crowned 2010 Olympic gold medallist Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.) moved within one victory of qualifying for the men’s quarter-finals of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship today after posting a pair of victories in the “A” draw qualifier at the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event taking place at the EnCana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C.

In the women’s draw, defending champion Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, Man.) heads a list of four teams with perfect 2-0 records in the “A” qualifier bracket.  Jones, Kelly Scott (Kelowna, B.C.), Heather Nedohin (Edmonton, Alta.) and Eve Bélisle (Montreal, Que.) can all advance to the Grey Power® Players’ Championship quarter-finals with a third round robin win this week.

Martin improved to 2-0 at the event after doubling up Jake Higgs(Harriston, Ont.) 6-3 in the morning draw before sliding past Bob Ursel (Kelowna, B.C.) 9-2.

In the afternoon match against Ursel, Martin seized control of the game in the second end, executing an open draw for three points to jump ahead 3-1.  Leading 4-2, Martin ended the game in the fifth frame with a pick for five points.

“We definitely had some rust earlier today (against Higgs) and even still a little bit (against Ursel) as well,” said Martin.  “It’s all about, in this event, trying to get a little better each game because the playoffs are so tough.  So far so good.”

Jones remained in the hunt for her fourth career Players’ Championship title in the past five seasons with a 7-6 decision overCrystal Webster (Calgary, Alta.).

With Webster ahead 4-3 after four ends, Jones surged back into the lead in the game’s middle stages, scoring two points in the fifth end followed by a steal of one point in the sixth.

Tied at 6-6 in the final end, Jones secured the victory without having to throw her final stone as Webster came up heavy and wide on her draw attempt around a rock in the top of the eight-foot.

“We still haven’t been as sharp as we’d like to be,” said Jones following the victory.  “It’s been a little bit sloppy on our part so hopefully we’ll come out and play a bit sharper.  You want to play your best in the playoffs and we’re not quite there yet.”

Scott remained unbeaten after edging Shannon Kleibrink (Calgary, Alta.) 7-6 in an extra end.

Knotted at 6-6 through eight ends, Scott earned her second consecutive victory with a short runback on the game’s final shot.
Earlier in the day, Nedohin and Bélsile both moved one step closer to advancing to the tournament’s playoff round. Nedohin defeated 2010 Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, Alta.) 8-2 while Bélisle eased past Julie Hastings (Toronto, Ont.) 8-1.

2010 World Championship gold medallist Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.) posted a victory today during his opening round game, defeating Ted Appelman (Edmonton, Alta.) 7-6 in an extra end.

Team Koe, playing in its first game since defeating Norway last Sunday for the World Championship title, overcame a slow start before finding their rhythm in the middle ends.
With the reigning Brier champion ahead 6-3, Appelman battled back with two points in the seventh and a steal of one in the eighth to tie the score at 6-6 before Koe won the game in the extra end with an open hit.

“We were happy to pull (the game) out,” said Koe.  “We’re just hoping to try and last until the weekend and then I think the intensity will pick up.  This is a big tournament and you’re also playing for the Capital One Cup.  We still got to win a slam and that’s one of our big goals left and it’d be amazing to do it this week.”

Team Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.), who are competing in their final tournament as a foursome, dropped their opening round game toDale Matchett (Brantford, Ont.) 5-2.

“There was no drive, no jump, no want, no…whatever you want to say.  It was a really pathetic effort,” said Ferbey following the loss. “We’re not out of it yet, but we’re going to have to play a lot better than that.”

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is a triple knockout event which features a $100,000 (CDN) purse for both the men’s and women’s draw.  Each tournament champion will earn $25,000 (CDN) and receive 45.000 Canadian Team Ranking System points.

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is also the final event where Canada’s men’s and women’s teams to earn points towards the Capital One Cup.

Featuring a $170,000 purse, the Capital One Cup is a points-based competition that awards each curling team a point value based on their performance during selected 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events.  Following the conclusion of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, the top men’s and women’s teams in the Capital One Cup standings will each receive a $50,000 (CDN) bonus.  The second and third place men’s and women’s squads will each receive $25,000 (CDN) and $10,000 (CDN) respectively.

Throughout the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, members of the media can access live scoring, schedule and statistical information of each draw by visiting the official Capital One Grand Slam of Curling website at www.grandslamofcurling.com.

Featuring 16 of the world’s top men’s and women’s teams from the 2009-10 season, Thursday’s draw times for the Grey Power® Players’ Championship are set for 9:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. PST respectively.

Following the conclusion of round robin play, the top eight men’s and women’s teams will qualify for the tournament’s quarter-finals.

The women’s quarter-finals are set for Friday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m. PST.  The women’s semifinals are set for 8:30 a.m. PST on Saturday, April 17 with the finals taking place later that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. PST.

The men’s quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, April 17 at 12:00 p.m. PST with the semifinals scheduled for later that evening at 7:30 p.m. PST.  The men’s final is set for Sunday, April 18 at 9:00 a.m. PST.

As the official television broadcaster of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Television will air live coverage of the men’s and women’s final of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship. CBC’s digital channel bold will air live coverage of the men’s semifnals. Live coverage of 17 draws from the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, including the men’s and women’s finals and men’s semifinals, will also be available on CBCSports.ca.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.

– Team Ferbey falls to Matchett as they begin their final tournament as a foursome –

– Nedohin and Bélisle move closer to securing a berth in the women’s quarter-finals after improving to 2-0 at the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event –

DAWSON CREEK, B.C., April 13, 2010 – Newly crowned 2010 Olympic gold medallist Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.) and 2010 World Championship gold medallist Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.) each posted victories today during their opening round games at the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event, taking place at the EnCana Events Centre in Dawson Creek, B.C.

Martin defeated Jake Higgs (Harriston, Ont.) 6-3 in the first career meeting between the two squads while Koe edged Ted Appelman (Edmonton, Alta.) 7-6 in an extra end.

In the day’s first draw, Martin jumped on Higgs early, racing out to a quick 3-0 lead after two ends.  Leading 4-2 in the sixth, Martin forced Higgs to give up a steal of one point to establish a comfortable three-point advantage heading into the final two frames.

“There was definitely some rust,” said Martin following his victory over Higgs.  “We played in Victoria a couple weeks ago but since the Olympics we haven’t played a whole lot. We’ve been pretty busy with travelling and going coast to coast.  So there was definitely some rust, but luckily we got through that one.”

Koe, playing in his first game since defeating Norway last Sunday for the World Championship title, overcame a slow start before finding their rhythm in the later ends.

Trailing 3-2, Koe executed an open draw for two points in the fifth end to seize a one-point lead.  The reigning Brier champion then secured a steal of two points in the subsequent frame to take a commanding 6-3 lead.

Appelman battled back with two points in the seventh and a steal of one in the eighth to tie the score at 6-6 before Koe won the game in the extra end with an open hit.

“We were happy to pull (the game) out,” said Koe.  “We’re just hoping to try and last until the weekend and then I think the intensity will pick up.  This is a big tournament and you’re also playing for the Capital One Cup.  We still got to win a slam and that’s one of our big goals left and it’d be amazing to do it this week.”

Team Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.), who are competing in their final tournament as a foursome, dropped their opening round game to Dale Matchett (Brantford, Ont.) 5-2.
Tied at 2-2 after two ends, Matchett jumped ahead in the third frame with a steal of two points after Team Ferbey fourth Dave Nedohin came up short on his draw to the button.

After blanking three straight ends, Matchett forced Ferbey into giving up a steal of one point for a three-point advantage heading into the final end.

“There was no drive, no jump, no want, no…whatever you want to say.  It was a really pathetic effort,” said Ferbey following the loss. “We’re not out of it yet, but we’re going to have to play a lot better than that.”

In the women’s draw, Heather Nedohin (Edmonton, Alta.) and Eve Bélsile (Montreal, Que.) each moved one step closer to advancing to the tournament’s quarter-finals after improving to 2-0 at the event.
Nedohin defeated 2010 Olympic silver medallist Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, Alta.) 8-2 while Bélisle eased past Julie Hastings (Toronto, Ont.) 8-1.

Both Nedohin and Bélisle will meet in the first “A” draw qualifier on Thursday, April 15 at 1:00 p.m. PST with the winner securing a berth in the quarter-finals.  The loser will drop into the “B” draw qualifier with two more opportunities to pick-up their third victory and advance to the playoff round.

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is a triple knockout event which features a $100,000 (CDN) purse for both the men’s and women’s draw.  Each tournament champion will earn $25,000 (CDN) and receive 45.000 Canadian Team Ranking System points.

The Grey Power® Players’ Championship is also the final event where Canada’s men’s and women’s teams to earn points towards the Capital One Cup.

Featuring a $170,000 purse, the Capital One Cup is a points-based competition that awards each curling team a point value based on their performance during selected 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events.  Following the conclusion of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, the top men’s and women’s teams in the Capital One Cup standings will each receive a $50,000 (CDN) bonus.  The second and third place men’s and women’s squads will each receive $25,000 (CDN) and $10,000 (CDN) respectively.

Throughout the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, members of the media can access live scoring, schedule and statistical information of each draw by visiting the official Capital One Grand Slam of Curling website at www.grandslamofcurling.com.

Featuring 16 of the world’s top men’s and women’s teams from the 2009-10 season, Thursday’s draw times for the Grey Power® Players’ Championship are set for 9:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. PST respectively.

Following the conclusion of round robin play, the top eight men’s and women’s teams will qualify for the tournament’s quarter-finals.

The women’s quarter-finals are set for Friday, April 16 at 8:00 p.m. PST.  The women’s semifinals are set for 8:30 a.m. PST on Saturday, April 17 with the finals taking place later that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. PST.

The men’s quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, April 17 at 12:00 p.m. PST with the semifinals scheduled for later that evening at 7:30 p.m. PST.  The men’s final is set for Sunday, April 18 at 9:00 a.m. PST.

As the official television broadcaster of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Television will air live coverage of the men’s and women’s final of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship. CBC’s digital channel bold will air live coverage of the men’s semifnals. Live coverage of 17 draws from the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, including the men’s and women’s finals and men’s semifinals, will also be available on CBCSports.ca.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.

About Grey Power

Grey Power is the industry leader in providing auto and home insurance to mature Canadians.  Grey Power recognizes it takes years of skill and experience to achieve a good driving record and rewards that experience with substantial savings through the Experience Advantage™. With Grey Power, Canadians not only save on their insurance but also get superior service and expert advice.  Grey Power products are provided by Trafalgar Insurance Company of Canada, a member company of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC), Canada’s largest provider of auto, home and business insurance.

About Capital One

Located in Toronto, Ontario, Capital One has offered Canadian consumers a range of competitive MasterCard^® credit cards since 1996, when the company first introduced the Platinum MasterCard^® in Canada.  Capital One Canada is a division of Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation of McLean, Virginia (NYSE: COF).  Capital One is committed to promoting curling through the title sponsorship of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling and the Women’s Curling Championship.

About iSport Media and Management
iSport Media and Management is Canada’s leading athlete, digital media and event sponsorship company.  iSport specializes in:

• World class athlete representation in marketing, media and sponsorships
• Leading edge digital media strategies and operations
• Event development, execution and sponsorship sales
• Sport Federation sponsorship sales and strategic counsel.

For more information visit www.isportmedia.com.

TORONTO, April 14, 2010 – The Capital One Grand Slam of Curling announced today that CBC’s digital channel bold will air exclusive live coverage of the men’s semifinals of the Grey Power® Players’ Championship on Saturday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. PST.

As the official television broadcaster of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Television previously announced that it will air live coverage of the women’s final on Saturday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m. ET and the men’s final on Sunday, April 18 at 12:00 p.m. ET

Live coverage of 17 draws from the Grey Power® Players’ Championship, including the men’s and women’s finals and the men’s semifinals, are available live on CBCSports.ca.

The tournament’s updated television and online broadcast schedule for the Grey Power® Players’ Championship is as follows:

Note: All broadcasts available free, live and on-demand on CBCSports.ca. Schedule subject to change.

As part of its exclusive agreement, CBC aired live playoff coverage of the first three men’s 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events. CBC also holds the exclusive rights to the playoffs of the men’s and women’s Grey Power® Players’ Championship.

Complete details around CBC’s broadcasts and the full broadcast schedule are available at CBCSports.ca

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.

About CBC Sports

Providing Canadians with unparalleled coverage of both amateur and professional sports including the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Sports is home to CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, comprehensive FIFA coverage including the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa; Championship Figure Skating; Toronto Raptors Basketball; Major League Soccer;; Championship Show Jumping from Spruce Meadows; Rogers Cup Tennis; Championship Snowboarding and Speed Skating; GMC Alpine Ski Series; CBC Sports Weekend and more. For comprehensive coverage including broadcast schedules, visit CBCSports.ca.

About Grey Power®

Grey Power is the industry leader in providing auto and home insurance to mature Canadians.  Grey Power recognizes it takes years of skill and experience to achieve a good driving record and rewards that experience with substantial savings through the Experience Advantage™. With Grey Power, Canadians not only save on their insurance but also get superior service and expert advice.  Grey Power products are provided by Trafalgar Insurance Company of Canada, a member company of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC), Canada’s largest provider of auto, home and business insurance.

About Capital One

Located in Toronto, Ontario, Capital One has offered Canadian consumers a range of competitive MasterCard^® credit cards since 1996, when the company first introduced the Platinum MasterCard^® in Canada.  Capital One Canada is a division of Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation of McLean, Virginia (NYSE: COF).  Capital One is committed to promoting curling through the title sponsorship of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling and the Women’s Curling Championship.

About iSport Media and Management
iSport Media and Management is Canada’s leading athlete, digital media and event sponsorship company.  iSport specializes in:

• World class athlete representation in marketing, media and sponsorships
• Leading edge digital media strategies and operations
• Event development, execution and sponsorship sales
• Sport Federation sponsorship sales and strategic counsel.

For more information visit www.isportmedia.com.