|
|
|
|
|
NEWS RELEASE
Bernard and Lawton also post victories during the opening draw of the season’s final Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event
The opening draw of the men’s tournament is scheduled for later this evening at 8:30 p.m. MT.
Playing in her first tournament since representing Canada at the 2009 Women’s World Championship, Jones jumped out in front of Rankin in the first end, executing an open hit to score three points.
Leading 5-4 in the seventh end, Jones attempted to blank the frame in order to keep the hammer heading into the eighth. Jones’ plan unraveled though, as her last shot failed to roll out of the rings, giving her a two-point advantage heading into the final end.
Holding the hammer in eighth end, Renee Sonnenberg, substituting at skip for Heather Rankin’s team, made a hit for two points to send the game into an extra end.
Jones won the game in the ninth with a one-point draw to the four-foot.
“We weren’t as sharp as we’d like to be,” said Jones. “We made all the big shots when we had to and got the ‘W’ out of it. Hopefully, we’ll come back tomorrow and play better.”
In other Draw 1 action, Cheryl Bernard (Calgary, Alta.) picked up her first victory of the tournament after overpowering Barb Spencer (Winnipeg, Man.) 9-7.
Tied at 3-3 in the fourth end, Bernard seized control of the game after making an open hit for four points.
Trailing 9-4 after six ends, Spencer continued to pressure Bernard in the final two frames, but saw her rally come up short.
Lawton joined Jones and Bernard at 1-0 after rallying for an 8-6 victory over Rachel Homan (Ottawa, Ont.). Trailing 4-1 after three ends, Lawton climbed back into the game after scoring five consecutive points in the middle frames.
Tied at 6-6 entering the final end, Homan came up short on her draw attempt, allowing Lawton to secure the two-point victory without having to throw her final stone.
Kelly Scott (Kelowna, B.C.) improved to 1-0 with a 7-5 victory over Cathy King (Edmonton, Alta.) while Michelle Englot (Regina, Sask.) scored seven consecutive points in the final three frames en route to a 11-7 win over Crystal Bernard (Calgary, Alta.).
The Grey Power Players’ Championship represents the final opportunity for teams to earn points towards securing a direct berth into the 2009 Canadian Olympic Trials event or a spot into the 2009 Canadian Olympic Pre-Trials tournament.
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 each 2008-09 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event. 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.
For a complete overview of this evening’s results, click here.
For a complete overview of the men’s tournament bracket for the Grey Power Players’ Championship, click here.
Featuring the top 16 men’s and the top 16 women’s teams from the 2008-09 season, Wednesday’s draw times for the Grey Power Players’ Championship are set for 10:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 5:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. MT respectively.
The top eight teams to advance through the knockout rounds will qualify for the tournament’s quarterfinals. The women’s quarterfinals are set for Friday, April 17 at 8:30 p.m. MT while the men’s quarterfinals will take place on Saturday, April 18 at 4:30 p.m. MT.
As the official television broadcaster of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Television will air the women’s final on Saturday, April 18 at 1:00 p.m. MT and the men’s final on Sunday, April 19 at 10:00 a.m. MT. Additionally, on Saturday, April 18, CBC’s digital channel bold will present live coverage of the men’s quarterfinals at 4:30 p.m. MT and live coverage of the men’s semi-finals at 8:00 p.m. MT.
The men’s and women’s draw of the Grey Power Players’ Championship features a total purse of $100,000. Each tournament’s winning team will receive $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 or the 2009 Canadian Pre-Trials event.
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, which is part of ING Canada, the country's largest provider of automobile, home and commercial 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).
|
