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NEWS RELEASE
Martin to Face Howard in BDO Classic Canadian Open Final Winnipeg’s Jeff Stoughton and Mike McEwen fall in the semi-finals of the men’s third 2008-09 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event
Howard will be vying to win his first BDO Classic Canadian Open championship. A victory by Howard in tomorrow’s final would enable him to join Martin and Wayne Middaugh (Midland, Ont.) as the only skips to win all four legs of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series.
“We’d love to have our name on every one of the trophies because this series means a lot to us,” said Howard. “You’re playing against the best teams in the world in the Grand Slams. If you win one you’re doing well. So to win one of each would be cool.”
Martin secured his place in the final with a 7-2 victory over Mike McEwen (Winnipeg, Man.) while Howard earned his spot in the championship game with a 5-3 decision over Jeff Stoughton (Winnipeg, Man.).
Martin and Howard have dominated the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series as of late, combining to win nine of the past 10 titles. During that span, Martin has captured five championships while Howard has won four titles.
“It’s about 50/50 (playing against Howard),” said Martin. “That’s what I’d bet”.
The finals of the BDO Classic Canadian Open will take place on Sunday, January 25 at 1:00 p.m. CST and will be shown live on CBC Television. CBC Sports will also provide live broadband coverage of the championship game, exclusively at www.cbcsports.ca.
During the fourth end break of the championship game, CBC will air the final of the Capital One Million Dollar Button contest where Ron Trottier, 64, of Osoyoos, B.C. will have a chance to attempt to cover the button for $1 million (CDN).
Martin’s team broke open the game in the third end after McEwen’s tap to the button came up heavy. The reigning World Champion was able to sweep McEwen’s rock to the back ring for a steal of five points and an insurmountable 6-0 advantage.
“I was just trying to throw a little heavy draw,” said McEwen. “Kind of back four weight. Give it to the guys to sweep. If I’d thrown the right weight, even if I come and tick off, it’s still going to be ok. I just jumped it up a little bit.”
Howard caught a similar break en route to the final as the 2007 World Champion took advantage of Stoughton’s heavy draw to the button in the opening end to steal three points.
“It’s just a bonehead draw,” said Stoughton. “You make those 99 out of 105 times.”
In this afternoon’s quarterfinal matches, Martin scored three points in the sixth end en route to a 6-3 win over Joel Jordison (Moose Jaw, Sask.) while Howard handed Kerry Burtnyk (Winnipeg, Man.) his first loss of the tournament, winning 6-4. McEwen advanced to his first career Capital One Grand Slam of Curling semi-final with a 7-4 victory over Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.). Stoughton picked up his sixth consecutive victory with a 5-3 decision over Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud.
The BDO Classic Canadian Open features a total purse of $100,000. The tournament’s winning team will receive a maximum of $25,000.
Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling is a series of eight premier men’s and women’s events that boast Canada’s deepest and strongest curling fields.
The Capital One Grand Slam of Curling is one of a select few events that are tied to the Canadian Curling Association's qualifying process for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Through their performance in the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events, rinks can earn points towards securing a berth at the 2009 Canadian Trials.
About BDO
BDO Dunwoody LLP is Canada's sixth largest
accounting services and advisory firm. Our team
serves a highly diverse clientele, which
includes owner-managed businesses, large
enterprises, mid-market public companies,
community organizations, not-for-profit
agencies, and professional firms. From
agriculture to real estate, technology to union
pensions, and aboriginal communities to
municipalities, the professionals at BDO
Dunwoody have the expertise to handle any
business sector. BDO Dunwoody LLP is a Member Firm of BDO International. BDO International is a global network of public accounting firms, called BDO Member Firms, serving international clients. The network is comprised of 95 Member Firms in 107 countries, with over 30,000 professionals on staff in over 600 offices worldwide to take on a multitude of services. For more information visit www.bdo.ca.
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).
About Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba Since its establishment in 1971, the Children's Hospital Foundation has been working to meet the unique pediatric medical and research needs of children. Funds raised through the BDO Canadian Open will help the Foundation fund specialized equipment and programs at the Children’s Hospital and pediatric research at its research division, the Manitoba Institute of Child Health. Each year, 130,000 kids are treated at Children's Hospital and the Foundation strives to ensure that each of them receives the very best medical care possible….because children need us.
About Insight Sports Ltd. Insight Sports Ltd. is a leading North American sports media and entertainment company which owns, creates, aggregates and distributes sports and entertainment content across multiple platforms, including broadcast television, events, on-line, mobile, in-arena and video on-demand. Among its event assets, Insight Sports owns and operates the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling (www.worldcurlingtour.com), a series of eight high-profile men’s and women’s events that feature Canada’s deepest and strongest curling fields.
NEWS RELEASE
Osoyoos, B.C.’s Ron Trottier to Shoot for a Million in the Finals of the Capital One Million Dollar Button Contest Trottier will have the chance to cover the button for a million dollars tomorrow, live on CBC Television
Trottier, 64, emerged from a pool of five semi-finalists this evening when his rock landed 10 1/8 inches from the button.
“I’ve never been so nervous in my life," said Trottier following his winning attempt. "I was shaking like a leaf."
As the semi-finalist with the closest attempt to the button, Trottier advances to the finals of the Capital One Million Dollar Button contest where he will attempt to cover the button for $1 million (CDN), live on CBC Television during the fourth end break of the championship game of the BDO Classic Canadian Open on Sunday, January 25 at 1:00 p.m. CST.
Trottier will have just one opportunity to make the shot. Should Trottier miss covering the hole in the centre of the button, he will receive $100,000 (CDN) if the rock is touching any part of the button. Alternatively, $25,000 (CDN) will be awarded if the rock is touching the four-foot circle. A prize of $10,000 (CDN) will be awarded if the stone is touching the eight-foot circle while a rock that touches the 12-foot circle will earn $5,000 (CDN). Should Trottier’s stone not touch any of the rings, he will receive $1,000 (CDN).
The Capital One Million Dollar Button is Canada’s first ever million dollar curling contest.
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