Ford World Men’s Curling Championship starts Saturday in Regina (CCA)

The Ford World Men’s Curling Championship, presented by Richardson, starts Saturday in the Brandt Centre at Evraz Place in Regina, Saskatchewan, as 12 countries begin the nine-day battle for the global title.

This marks the 17th year of title sponsorship of a world championship by Ford of Canada, and the seventh consecutive year that the men’s and women’s championships have been conducted separately, after being combined from 1989-2004.

Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Korea, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and United States are set to compete in the 6,000-seat Brandt Centre (formerly the Agridome), which has also been the site of other major curling championships in the past decade…the 2001 Canadian Curling Trials, the inaugural 2002 Continental Cup, 2006 Tim Hortons Brier and 2008 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

The countries play a round robin leading to the Page Playoffs, whereby the first and second place teams meet in one game, with the winner advancing directly to the gold medal final on Sunday, April 10 while the loser goes to Saturday’s semi-final.  The third and fourth place teams also meet, with the winner advancing to the semi-final, while the loser goes to Sunday’s bronze medal game to face the semi-final loser.

Canada’s Jeff Stoughton of Winnipeg, winner of the recent Tim Hortons Brier in London over Ontario’s Glenn Howard, will be seeking his second world title and a leading 33rd crown for Canada since 1959.  Stoughton, now a three-time Brier winner, won the 1996 Ford Worlds in Hamilton, beating Scotland’s Warwick Smith in the gold medal game and was runner-up in 1999 in Saint John, New Brunswick, losing to Scotland’s Hammy McMillan in an extra end final.

Canada is the defending champion, having won the world title last year in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, courtesy of skip Kevin Koe of Edmonton.

TSN will televise all round robin games involving Canada, followed by the playoffs, with the gold medal final slated for Sunday, April 10 at 5:00 pm CT/8:00 pm AT.

The Opening Ceremony at the Brandt Centre is scheduled for Saturday, April 2 at 11:30 am CT, followed by the first draw at 1:30 pm.

Click for full story at the CCA website.

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