http://www.curlingscoops.com Curling Scoops - Your source for the latest and greatest news from the world of curling http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/aug0408.php Brad Norman Curler's across Canada are familiar with the Brier and Tournament of Hearts as our national championships. But in 2009, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company plans to introduce a brand new national championship to benefit Canadian charities. The "Dominion Curling Club Championship" will make its debut at the St. George's Golf and Country Club in Etobicoke, Ontario, in November of 2009. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/july2708.php Brad Norman After finishing the round robin with a perfect record, Canada's Brad Gushue headed into the semi-finals against Norway's Pal Trulsen. A victory there allowed him to face off with Scotland's David Murdoch for the gold medal at the very first World Curling Tour Europe event in Russia. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/july2608.php Brad Norman Canada's representative at the St. Petersburg Curling Cup, Team Gushue, has wrapped up the round robin portion of the event with a perfect record. After two big wins of the local favorites, Gushue finished up the round robin with a win against 2008 world bronze medalist Thomas Ulsrud from Norway. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/july2508.php Brad Norman It was one of the most anticipated games this fall. Not because of the purse or number of CTRS points, because this tournament offer neither. But people were itching to see the brand new Team Gushue play together for the first time. Gushue revived most of his golden Olympic team, and it seems to have worked. The Canadian squad downed two of the home-crowd favorites in day one of the event. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/july2408.php Brad Norman With the hot summer sun keeping most curlers off the ice, some of the worlds greatest will trade in their brooms for golf clubs and change their shouting from "hurry hard" to "fore"! The Sandra Schmirler Foundation is hosting a charity event called the Sandra Schmirler Golf Classic. Some of the world's greatest curlers will be there, including Jennifer Jones, Mark Kennedy, and former Schmirler team-mate Joan McCusker. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/july1608.php Brad Norman It's almost time for the first event of the 2008-09 curling season to start. The St. Petersburg Curling Cup will kick off in Russia on July 25, bringing some of the best teams in the world showcase the sport in Russia, with the hopes of boosting interest in that country. The only North American representative will be Newfoundland's Team Gushue, who will try to work out the kinks in his new team before the real season begin. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/july1008.php Brad Norman About a month ago, we introduced you to the members of Team World who will play at this year's Continental Cup. The other half of the combatants, Team North America, have now been named as well. And there are very few surprises as to who will try to defend the Continental Cup for the North American side, as the team is studded with World Champions and national champions. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/july0408.php Brad Norman On a sheet of ice in Italy, Brad Gushue became Canada's first male to win a gold medal in curling and slid his way into the hearts of the people of Newfoundland. Two years later, his home province of Newfoundland is giving back to the Olympic Games. This morning at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Premier Danny Williams, with Gushue and team mate Mark Nichols on hand, outlined just how the province will contribute to the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Also, Gushue shared his thoughts on this summer's Russian Masters curling event. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/july0108.php Brad Norman Reigning P.E.I. women's champion, Suzanne Gaudet, has recently made some big changes, both on and off the rink. The former world junior champion has recently tied the knot. In addition to this, after a disappointing year at the Tournament of Hearts, the P.E.I. skip will go with an entirely new line-up for the 2008-09 curling season. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/june2508.php Brad Norman Moncton, New Brunswick, is cooking up an interesting event for early in 2009. The city was selected to host the 2009 World Mens Curling Championship which will take place in April. But to build up hype for the championship and to promote curling to the non-curlers in Moncton, the planning committee is putting together an outdoor curling game. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/june2408.php Brad Norman When you think of great curlers moving down from the Territories to play in Alberta, Kevin Koe instantly comes to mind. Well you can add another name to that list. Author and avid curler, Kim Perkins, is currently making a splash in the curling world with her new children's novel, "The Adventures of Trefor". http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/june19082.php Brad Norman The Grand Slam of Curling is arguably the most competitive series of curling events on the planet. It allows for match-ups that one could only dream of seeing at the Brier or Tournament of Hearts; Kevin Martin taking on Randy Ferbey, Shannon Kleibrink battling it out with Cheryl Bernard, or how about Glenn Howard vs. Wayne Middaugh? All great match-ups that are rarely seen on TV due to these competitors being from the same province. Today, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling released their schedule, so mark your calendars for some of the best curling on the planet. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/june1908.php Brad Norman The clock is ticking on the Tournament of Hearts, which will be held in Victoria, BC, from February 21 until the first of March. And the organizers of the event are starting to turn up the heat on their organizing effort by officially opening the event's head office. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/june1308.php Brad Norman With all the excitment of the 2010 Olympic Games, it's easy to see how a Canadian sports fan could get carried away and rush out to buy the first piece of merchadise with the Olympic logo slapped on it. But the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) for the 2010 games is warning Canadians to be on guard against fraudulent merchandise and tickets. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/june0508.php Brad Norman The Continental Cup of Curling will take place December 18th to the 21st. This event is normally held between Team Northa America--which consists of the best teams from Canada and the United States--and Team Europe. But this year, the Europeans will be joined by two very, very powerful Asian teams to form the first ever "Team World". http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/june0108.php Since the curling season ended in April, we've seen a few roster changes on the men's side of things. Now it's the ladies turn. Reigning Saskatchewan champion, Michelle Englot, has tinkered with her lineup. The only change thus far comes at the third position. Current third for Team Englor, Darlene Kidd, has made the decision that she would like to take a step back from competitive curling for the 2008-09 season. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/may2808.php There are all sorts of curling clubs in Canada. Big curling clubs with six or more sheets, and small curling clubs with only a couple. We've seen curling in hockey rinks and curling in flooded warehouses. But the World Curling Tour is trying something pretty neat in Russia -- curling in a mall. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/may1808.php Curling clubs across the country have taken up their ice for the summer, but that ice isn't forgotten. At least not in Northern Ontario. The Northern Ontario Curling Association ("NOCA") regcognized the outstanding efforts of ice technician Brent Adamson. Along with Adamson, NOCA presented awards to three volunteers. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/may1208.php One of curling's best surprises of the 2007-08 season was Krista McCarville's amazing run at the Players' Championship in April. The young skip from Ontario emerged from nowhere to come within a single shot of winning the whole championship. But behind every great team is a great coach, and what better coach can you have than your dad? That's certainly the case for McCarville's third, Tara George. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/may0708.php The Olympics are probably the biggest event that most people will ever compete at. For many curlers, it's bigger than the Scotties or Brier. And with just a handful of events left to qualify for Canada's Olympic Trials, curlers are desperately grabbing those CTRS points where ever they can. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/may0308.php With the book closed on the 2007-08 curling season, now comes the interesting part. Teams have already been juggling players and making changes to their rosters, all in hopes of finding that magic combination that will carry them to the Olympic trials and ultimately to the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Brad Gushue's team was the first to make a splash with the announcement that second Chris Schille and lead Dave Noftall were moving from the team, and that Ryan Fry and former Team Gushue member Jamie Korab would be filling the void. http://blog.curlingscoops.com/2008/04/20/podcast-recap-of-the-final-day-of-the-players-championship.aspx Here is Curling Scoops final podcast of the 2007-08 curling season, as we wrap up the Grand Slam's final event, the TYLENOL Players' Championship: http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/april2008final.php Glenn Howard won the 2007 World Championship, and then Kevin Martin took the title this year. Both teams met in the Tim Hortons Brier final this year in a great match to determine Canada's best men's team. http://www.curlingscoops.com/stories/april2008.php It's the final day of the 2007-08 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling season. The day opened with draw ninteen: the men's semi-final. One sheet B, Glenn Howard was looking to advance against Pat Simmons. Sheet C saw yet another all-Alberta match-up with Kevin Martin taking on Kevin Koe.