November 24, 2003 The second Continental Cup of Curling, patterned somewhat after golf's Ryder Cup, is set to begin Thursday, November 27 at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Sanctioned by the World Curling Federation (WCF), USA Curling and the Canadian Curling Association (CCA), the Continental Cup will again offer a total prize package of $200,000 (Cdn). The winning side in this unique, four-day international competition that brings together the world's finest curlers, receives $125,000 while the losing side shares $75,000.

Twelve teams, six representing Team North America and six carrying the colours of Team Europe, will contest a variety of competitions Team, Mixed Doubles, Singles and Skins events. Each competition is weighted on a points basis. The side which first earns 201 of the 400 available points will be declared the champion. The points breakdown is as follows: Team (72), Mixed Doubles (36), Singles (32) and Skins (260).

TSN will provide complete daily television coverage across Canada of the 'Cup', beginning Thursday, November 27. There is also pay-per-view webcast programming being offered for the first time by MultiCast Networks, Inc. For further information, visit the CCA website (www.curling.ca). WC TV (World Curling TV) is also producing and distributing a daily highlights package for European television stations and networks.

Last year in Regina, the inaugural Continental Cup turned into a thriller, when Team North America's Kevin Martin defeated Team World's Peja Lindholm in the men's Skins final. It was a game which went down to the last rock, when Martin was able to steal a 'skin' and give North America a 207-193 overall points victory.

This year, Team North America is headed by skips Randy Ferbey of Edmonton, a record five-time (1988, 1989, 2001, 2002, 2003) Brier winner and three-time (1989, 2002, 2003) world champion, record five-time (1982, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003) Scott Tournament of Hearts winner and 2001 world champion Colleen Jones of Halifax and Debbie McCormick of Madison, Wisconsin, winner of the 2003 Ford Worlds in Winnipeg.

Joining them will be skips Mark Dacey of Halifax, runner-up at the 2003 Nokia Brier, 2003 Canada Cup champion Sherry Middaugh of Victoria Harbour, Ontario and current U.S. national men's champion Pete Fenson of Bemidji, Minnesota.

The captain for North America is Thunder Bay's Rick Lang, a three-time (1975, 1982, 1985) Brier and two-time (1982, 1985) world champion.

Team Europe (formerly Team World) is once again headed by 2002 Olympic gold medallist Pål Trulsen of Norway and two-time (1997, 2001) world champion Peja Lindholm of Sweden.

Also named to compete are Norway's Dordi Nordby, a two-time world champion (1990, 1991), Scotland's 2002 world champion Jackie Lockhart and 1999 world champion Hammy McMillan and Sweden's Anette Norberg, a five-time worlds medallist (four bronze, one silver). Norway's 1979 world champion Kristian Soerum will once again captain Team Europe.

The women's and men's Team games take place on Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28. The unique Mixed Doubles event is also scheduled for Friday. The Singles competition, similar to the Ford Hot Shots contested annually at the Scott Tournament of Hearts and Nokia Brier, is slated for Saturday morning, while the heavily points-weighted Skins games will be held on both Saturday and Sunday, with the men's 'A' Skins game slated for prime time, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm ET on Sunday.

The headquarters hotel is the Valhalla Inn, tel: 1-800-964-1121 or 807-577-1121. Mitchell's Gourmet Foods is once again the presenting sponsor of the Continental Cup.

Daily competition results will be posted on the World Curling Federation (www.worldcurling.org), Canadian Curling Association (www.curling.ca), USA Curling (www.usacurl.org) and host committee (www.continentalcup.ca) websites. For ticket information, contact the Fort William Gardens box office at 807-625-2929.

The media room phone number is 807-623-7629 or 807-628-9271. The fax number is 807-623-7698.

Draw Times: All times Eastern

Thursday, November 27

8:30 am - Opening Ceremonies
9:30 am - 12:30 pm Women's Team
7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Men's Team

Friday, November 28

8:00 am - 11:00 am Women's Team
12:30 pm - 2:30 pm Mixed Doubles
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm Mixed Doubles
7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Men's Team

Saturday, November 29

9:00 am - 11:00 am Singles
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm Women's Skins (B & C)
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm Men's Skins (B & C)

Sunday, November 30

12:30 pm - 3:30 pm Women's Skins (A)
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Men's Skins (A)

For further information:

Jeff Timson
Media Director, St. Clair Group
Tel/fax: 905-881-8322

jeff@stclairgroup.com

CONTINENTAL CUP, NOVEMBER 27-30, 2003
FORT WILLIAM GARDENS, THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO

TEAM EUROPE - Captain: Kristian Soerum, Oslo, Norway

Men	Women
NORWAY, Stabekk CC, Oslo Pål Trulsen Lars Vågberg Flemming Davanger Bent Ånund Ramsfjell	NORWAY, Snarøen CC, Bærum Dordi Nordby Hanne Woods Marianne Haslum Camilla Holth
SCOTLAND, Stranraer CC Hammy McMillan Norman Brown Hugh Aitken Roger McIntyre	SCOTLAND, Laurencekirk CC, Aberdeen Jackie Lockhart Sheila Swan Katriona Fairweather Anne Laird
SWEDEN, Östersunds CK Peja Lindholm Tomas Nordin Magnus Swartling Peter Narup	SWEDEN, Härnösands CK Anette Norberg Eva Lund Cathrine Norberg Anna Bergström (replaces Helena Lingham)

TEAM NORTH AMERICA - Captain: Rick Lang, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Men	Women
CANADA, Mayflower CC, Halifax, NS Mark Dacey Bruce Lohnes Rob Harris Andrew Gibson	CANADA, Mayflower CC, NS Colleen Jones Kim Kelly Mary-Anne Waye Nancy Delahunt
CANADA, Avonair CC, Edmonton, AB Randy Ferbey David Nedohin Scott Pfeifer Marcel Rocque	CANADA, Coldwater & District Recreation Centre, Coldwater, ON Sherry Middaugh Kirsten Wall Andrewa Lawes Sheri Cordina
USA, Bemidji CC, Minnesota Pete Fenson Eric Fenson Shawn Rojeski John Shuster	USA, Madison CC, Wisconsin Debbie McCormick Allison Pottinger Ann Swisshelm Silver Tracey Sachtjen