News Releases


NEWS RELEASE
Defending Champion Kevin Martin Aims to Win a Record Sixth TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Crown in St. John’s
ST. JOHN’S, March 18, 2008 – After capturing the Brier championship last weekend in Winnipeg, defending champion Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.) will look to extend his record of TYLENOL® Players’ Championship titles to six next month when he faces-off against 15 of the top teams from across Canada at the Mile One Centre in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador from April 16 to 20.
Among the 16 men’s teams that qualified to compete at the season-ending TYLENOL® Players’ Championship include reigning World Champion and 2007-08 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event champion Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.), reigning Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.), 2008 Canada Cup winner and two-time 2007-08 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event finalist Kevin Koe (Edmonton, Alta.), and Wayne Middaugh (Midland, Ont.) a four-time TYLENOL® Players’ Champion (2002, 2001, 1999 and 1996) and the only skip to reach the semi-finals of the first three men’s 2007-08 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events.
The eighth and final leg of the 2007-08 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series, the TYLENOL® Players’ Championship features both a men’s and a women’s draw. The top 16 Canadian men’s teams on the Canadian Team Ranking System as of March 17, 2008 automatically qualify to compete at the event.
The team list for the women’s TYLENOL® Players’ Championship tournament was previously announced on March 6.
Joel Jordison (Moose Jaw, Sask.) qualified for the TYLENOL® Players’ Championship as the 14th ranked squad on the CTRS standings but was forced to withdraw from the event due to work commitments involving their team members.
With Team Jordison’s withdrawal, Martin Ferland’s (Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Que.) squad has been added to the 16-team field.
The Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series guidelines state that in the event of a withdrawal, an invitation must be extended to the highest remaining rink in the CTRS standings. The first invitation was extended to Jean-Michel Ménard (Gatineau, Que.), who could not accept due to work commitments. The second invitation was extended to Ferland, whose squad is ranked 18th in the CTRS standings, one spot below Ménard.
After winning the first two events of this season’s Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series, Martin’s team will look to capture three of the series’ four major titles for the second consecutive season.
During the 2007-08 season, Martin successful defended his first two Capital One Grand Slam of Curling event titles, winning the BDO Classic Canadian Open in Quebec City, Que. and The National in Port Hawkesbury, N.S., while Howard earned the series’ third championship by successfully defending his Masters of Curling title in Saskatoon, Sask.
During the course of his career, Martin has won a record of five TYLENOL® Players’ Championships after capturing the title in 2007, 2005, 2000, 1998 and 1994.
The men’s TYLENOL® Players’ Championship has been held annually since 1993. In 2005, the TYLENOL® Players’ Championship expanded to include both a men’s and women’s draw.
The men’s 2007-08 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series includes the BDO Classic Canadian Open, The National, the Masters of Curling and the TYLENOL® Players’ Championship.
The women’s Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series features a total of five events including the Trail Appliances Autumn Gold Curling Classic, the Casinos of Winnipeg, the Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic, the Sobeys Slam and the season-ending TYLENOL® Players’ Championship.
During the 2007-08 season, Jennifer Jones (Winnipeg, Man.) captured the Trail Appliances Autumn Gold Curling Classic in Calgary, Alta., while Shannon Kleibrink (Calgary, Alta.) finished first at the Casinos of Winnipeg tournament. Kelly Scott (Kelowna, B.C.) bested the field at the Wayden Transportation in Abbotsford, B.C., while Sherry Middaugh (Coldwater, Ont.) earned a victory at the inaugural Sobeys Slam in New Glasgow, N.S.
Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling is a series of eight high-profile men’s and women’s events that feature Canada’s deepest and strongest curling fields.
The eight Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events are closely 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 events, rinks can earn a significant amount of points towards securing a berth at the 2009 Canadian Trials.
Tickets for the 2008 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship are currently on sale and can be purchased online at www.admission.com or in person at the Mile One Centre box office.
The following is a complete list of men’s and women’s teams which will compete at the 2008 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship. Note: Team rosters and positions are subject to change prior to the start of the event.
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 traditional media assets, Insight Sports operates three specialty television networks: GOLTV Canada (www.goltv.ca), a 24-hour soccer network; WFN: World Fishing Network (www.wfn.tv), North America's only network devoted entirely to fishing, and; GameTV (www.igametv.com), the only Canadian television network that gives viewers a chance to win great prizes, simply by tuning in. The company also owns Aquila Productions Inc., a leader in sports television and event production, and holds a significant interest in the NHL Network (www.nhlnetwork.ca), a 24-hour hockey channel.
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, and Ford Major League Gaming Canada (www.mlgcanada.com), an affiliate of Major League Gaming, Inc., and the largest organized league and international sanctioning body for professional video gaming.
Among its other businesses, Insight Sports is the exclusive sponsorship agency of the Buffalo Bills’ eight-game NFL series at the Rogers Centre in Toronto (www.billsintoronto.com) and also manages Wayne Gretzky’s official website, www.gretzky.com.
Based in Toronto, the principal shareholders of Insight Sports include Larry Tanenbaum (Kilmer Enterprises Inc., a subsidiary of Kilmer Van Nostrand Co. Limited) and MWI & Partners. For more information see www.insightsports.com.
About TYLENOL®
In Canada, a wide range of TYLENOL® products are
available for adults and children, all designed to
meet their varying pain and fever needs. TYLENOL®
brand is owned and marketed by McNeil Consumer Healthcare, a
division of Johnson & Johnson, Inc. McNeil Consumer
Healthcare markets a broad range of well-known and trusted
over-the-counter (OTC) products around the globe. McNeil
Consumer Healthcare markets products in the adult and
pediatric pain relief, allergy, gastro-intestinal and
nicotine-replacement categories.
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).


2008 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship – Participating Men’s Teams
Team G. Howard (Coldwater, Ont.)
Glenn Howard Skip
Richard Hart Third
Brent Laing Second
Craig Savill Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 1st (270.750 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Lost in quarterfinals (3-3)
Team Martin (Edmonton, Alta.)
Kevin Martin Skip
John Morris Third
Marc Kennedy Second
Ben Hebert Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 2nd (269.100 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Champion (6-1)
Team Koe (Edmonton, Alta.)
Kevin Koe Skip
Blake MacDonald Third
Carter Rycroft Second
Nolan Thiessen Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 3rd (239.400 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Lost in finals (5-2)
Team Burtnyk (Winnipeg, Man.)
Kerry Burtnyk Skip
Dan Kammerlock Third
Richard Daneault Second
Rob Meakin Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 4th (189.100 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify for quarterfinals (1-3)
Team Simmons (Davidson, Sask.)
Pat Simmons Skip
Jeff Sharp Third
Gerry Adam Second
Steve Laycock Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 5th (163.950 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Lost in semi-finals (4-1)
Team Stoughton (Winnipeg, Man.)
Jeff Stoughton Skip
Ryan Fry Third
Rob Fowler Second
Steve Gould Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 6th (155.000 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify for quarterfinals (0-3)
Team Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.)
Brad Gushue Skip
Mark Nichols Third
Chris Schille Second
David Noftall Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 7th (144.850 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify for quarterfinals (2-3)
Team Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.)
David Nedohin Fourth
Randy Ferbey Skip
Scott Pfeifer Second
Marcel Rocque Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 8th (140.750 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Lost in semi-finals (4-1)
Team Middaugh (Midland, Ont.)
Wayne Middaugh Skip
Jon Mead Third
Ian Tetley Second
Scott Bailey Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 9th (129.700 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify for quarterfinals (2-3)
Team McAulay (Richmond, B.C.)
Greg
McAulay
Skip
Ken Maskiewich
Third
Bill Fisher Second
Aaron Watson Lead
Capital One Order of Merit Standing: 10th (88.350 points)
2006-07 Masters of Curling Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team McEwen (Winnipeg, Man.)
Mike McEwen Skip
Matt Wozniak Third
B.J. Neufeld Second
Denni Neufeld Lead
Capital One Order of Merit Standing: 11th (87.950 points)
2006-07 Masters of Curling Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Adams (Halifax, N.S.)
Shawn Adams Skip
Paul Flemming Third
Craig Burgess Second
Kelly Mittelstadt Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 12th (83.800 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Corner (Brampton, Ont.)
Peter Corner Skip
John Base Third
Phil Loevenmark Second
Paul Moffatt Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 13th (79.850 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Ursel (Kelowna, B.C.)
Jim Cotter Fourth
Bob Ursel Skip
Kevin Folk Second
Rick Sawatsky Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 15th (78.500 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Carruthers (Winnipeg, Man.)
Reid
Carruthers
Skip
Jason Gunnlaugson
Third
Justin Richter Second
Tyler Forrest First
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 16th (74.050 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Ferland (Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Que.)
Martin Ferland Skip
Marco Berthelot Third
Phillippe Lemay Second
Christian Cantin Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 18th (67.950 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
2008 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship – Participating Women’s Teams
Team Jones (Winnipeg, Man.)
Jennifer Jones Skip
Cathy Overton-Clapham Third
Jill Officer Second
Dawn Askin Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 1st (215.950 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Champion (6-1)
Team Kleibrink (Calgary, Alta.)
Shannon Kleibrink Skip
Amy Nixon Third
Bronwen Saunders Second
Chelsey Bell Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 2nd (190.850 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not advance to quarterfinals (2-3)
Team Scott (Kelowna, B.C.)
Kelly Scott Skip
Jeanna Schraeder Third
Sasha Carter Second
Renee Simons Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 3rd (160.750 points)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Lost in finals (5-1)
Team Lawton (Saskatoon, Sask.)
Stefanie Lawton Skip
Marliese Kasner Third
Sherri Singler Second
Lana Vey Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 4th (157.450)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Lost in quarterfinals (3-1)
Team Middaugh (Coldwater, Ont.)
Sherry Middaugh Skip
Kirsten Wall Third
Kim Moore Second
Andra Harmark Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 5th (131.600)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Lost in quarterfinals (3-2)
Team Bernard (Calgary, Alta.)
Cheryl Bernard Skip
Susan O'Connor Third
Carolyn Darbyshire Second
Cori Bartel Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 6th (126.250)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Lost in semi-finals (4-2)
Team Englot (Regina, Sask.)
Michelle Englot Skip
Darlene Kidd Third
Roberta Materi Second
Cindy Simmons Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 7th (82.700)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Anderson (Saskatoon, Sask.)
Sherry Anderson Skip
Kim Hodson Third
Heather Walsh Second
Donna Gignac Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 8th (78.050)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not advance to quarterfinals (2-3)
Team King (Edmonton, Alta.)
Cathy King Skip
Lori Olson Third
Raylene Rocque Second
Tracy Bush Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 9th (75.450)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Lost in quarterfinals (3-3)
Team Rankin (Calgary, Alta.)
Heather Rankin Skip
Deanna Doig Third
Heather Moulding Second
Kyla MacLachlan Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 10th (60.450)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not advance to quarterfinals (0-3)
Team McCarville (Thunder Bay, Ont.)
Krista McCarville Skip
Tara George Third
Kari MacLean Second
Lorraine Lang Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 11th (60.250)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Strong (St. John’s, Nfld.)
Heather Strong Skip
Cathy Cunningham Third
Laura Strong Second
Peg Goss Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 13th (55.900)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Moore (Edmonton, Alta.)
Kristie Moore Skip
Heather Nedohin Third
Beth Iskiw Second
Pam Appelman Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 14th (55.400)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Reddick (Brantford, Ont.)
Julie Reddick Skip
Jo-Ann Rizzo Third
Leigh Armstrong Second
Stephanie Leachman Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 15th (48.300)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Team Holland (Regina, Sask.)
Amber Holland Skip
Kim Schneider Third
Tammy Schneider Second
Heather Seeley Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 17th (43.800)
2007 TYLENOL® Players’ Championship Finish: Did not qualify to compete
Eve Bélisle (Montreal, Que.)
Eve Bélisle Skip
Brenda Nicholls Third
Martine Comeau Second
Julie Rainville Lead
Canadian Team Ranking System Standing: 18th (43.450)