BDO Classic Canadian Open to Host World’s Best Curlers Before They Go for Gold in Vancouver
News Release
October 15, 2009
Ticket packages for the third leg of the men’s 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series go on sale tomorrow
WINNIPEG, October 15, 2009 – The Capital One Grand Slam of Curling announced today that ticket packages for the BDO Classic Canadian Open, the third leg of the men’s 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series, will go on sale to the public tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m.
Scheduled to take place at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg from January 20-24, 2010, the BDO Classic Canadian Open is the last major international event prior to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Featuring 18 of the world’s top foursomes, the field for the BDO Classic Canadian Open will include several 2010 Olympic Winter Games qualifiers, including Canada’s Vancouver 2010 representative.
“This tournament will be an excellent final tune-up for the world’s 2010 Olympic qualifiers,” said Jeff Stoughton, the 2005-06 BDO Classic Canadian Open champion and one of Canada’s 2010 Olympic Winter Games hopefuls. “With some very notable Olympic teams expected to compete, this will be an extremely competitive affair as everyone will be looking to assert themselves as one of the gold medal favourites heading into Vancouver.”
Ticket packages for the BDO Classic Canadian Open start at just $99.00 and are available at all Ticketmaster outlets. Seats are also available by calling (240) 780-3333 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.
“Not only is this an opportunity to bring some of the world’s best men’s curlers to Manitoba’s curling fans, it is an opportunity for the Children’s Hospital Foundation to remind audiences the importance of supporting child health care,” said Greg Loader, Event Co-Chair and Board Member of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. “Together with our partners, we are thrilled to bring world class curling back to Winnipeg in the last tournament before the teams curl for gold in Vancouver.”
Featuring a total purse of $100,000 (CDN), the BDO Classic Canadian Open will be contested just four weeks prior to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Among the international 2010 Olympic qualifiers who are expected to compete at The National include reigning World Championship gold medallist David Murdoch (Lockerbie, Scotland), reigning World Championship bronze medallist Thomas Ulsrud (Oslo, Norway) and 2006 Olympic bronze medallist John Shuster (Duluth, Minnesota).
Other teams expected to take to the ice at the BDO Classic Canadian Open include World Champions Kevin Martin (Edmonton, Alta.), Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ont.), Randy Ferbey (Edmonton, Alta.), Wayne Middaugh (Etobicoke, Ont.), Stoughton, Kerry Burtnyk (Winnipeg, Man.), as well as Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Nfld.).
“This tournament is incredibly difficult to win as the field is always loaded with Olympic and World Championship medallists,” said Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen, a semi-finalist at the 2008-09 BDO Classic Canadian Open. “Reaching the semi-finals last season was a huge accomplishment for our team and we’re looking forward to playing off the unbelievable crowd support at the MTS Centre in the hopes of taking that next step.”
The top 14 teams in the Capital One Order of Merit rankings, regardless of nationality, as of December 1, 2009 will automatically qualify to compete in the BDO Classic Canadian Open. In addition, the top two international teams in the Capital One Order of Merit rankings are also automatically invited. Should they decline, they would be replaced by the next team on the Capital One Order of Merit rankings, regardless of nationality.
The final two entries in the BDO Classic Canadian Open will be awarded to the 2010 Canadian Olympic qualifier as well as the 2010 Olympic qualifier from the United States.
As part of the festivities surrounding the tournament, the BDO Classic Canadian Open will once again host the finals of the Capital One Million Dollar Button, a national contest where one lucky Canadian will win the chance to throw a rock to the button for $1 million (CDN), live on CBC Television during Sunday’s championship game.
The BDO Classic Canadian Open is also the second event in the men’s annual Capital One Cup points race. The Capital One Cup is a season long competition that provides each team with a point value based on their performance during selected Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events. At the conclusion of the season, the top three men’s and women’s teams which record the highest cumulative results during selected 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events will split a purse totalling $170,000 (CDN).
For an overview of the point system and prize money for the 2009-10 Capital One Cup, visit www.worldcurlingtour.com.
The 2010 edition of the BDO Classic Canadian Open will mark the fifth time in the past six seasons that Winnipeg’s MTS Centre has hosted the event. Last year, Howard defeated Martin in the finals to become just the third skip to win all four legs of the men’s Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series.
Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling features the world’s best players in one series.
As part of its exclusive agreement, CBC will air live playoff coverage of the first three men’s 2009-10 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events. CBC will also broadcast the men’s and women’s finals of the 2010 Grey Power Players’ Championship.
About BDO
BDO Dunwoody LLP is Canada's sixth largest accounting services and advisory firm. Our team serves a highly diverse clientele, which includes owner-managed businesses, large enterprises, mid-market public companies, community organizations, not-for-profit agencies, and professional firms. From agriculture to real estate, technology to union pensions, and aboriginal communities to municipalities, the professionals at BDO Dunwoody have the expertise to handle any business sector.
BDO Dunwoody LLP is a Member Firm of BDO International. BDO International is a global network of public accounting firms, called BDO Member Firms, serving international clients. The network is comprised of 95 Member Firms in 107 countries, with over 30,000 professionals on staff in over 600 offices worldwide to take on a multitude of services. For more information visit www.bdo.ca.
About Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba
Since 1971, the Children’s Hospital Foundation has been raising funds for the specialized needs of child health care in Manitoba. Each year the Foundation commits over $5 million towards equipment and programs at the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg and life-saving pediatric research at the Manitoba Institute of Child Health. The Foundation’s goal is to provide the 130,000 kids that are treated each year at Children’s Hospital with the very best medical care possible…because children need us!
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).
About iSport Media and Management
iSport Media and Management is Canada's leading athlete, digital media and event sponsorship company. iSport specializes in:
World class athlete representation in marketing, media and sponsorships
Leading edge digital media strategies and operations
Event development, execution and sponsorship sales
Sport Federation sponsorship sales and strategic counsel.
For more information visit www.isportmedia.com.
For additional information, please contact:
Eric Michalko
Marketing & Communications Director
Capital One Grand Slam of Curling
(416) 669-2401
eric@wendykane.com
Andrea Di Ubaldo
Communications Coordinator
Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba Inc.
(204) 787-4056
adiubaldo@hsc.mb.ca
