Europe Wins 2006 Continental Cup
Prospera Centre Chilliwack, B.C.
November 23-26, 2006
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Source: Canadian Curling AssociationCHILLIWACK — Team Europe is the 2006 Continental Cup champions.
The Europeans clinched the victory here Sunday morning, beating North America 229-171.
The winning moment came in the seventh end of the 60-point skins game between Canada’s Shannon Kleibrink and Sweden’s Anette Norberg. With Europe leading North America 196-147, the Europeans needed just one more skin to go over the 201-point plateau. And they got it when Kleibrink’s in-off attempt with her last rock of the end ran too straight, handing Norberg the critical skin without having to throw her last rock.
Play in the men’s 60-point game — between Canada’s Brad Gushue and Scotland’s David Murdoch — came to a halt as the Europeans celebrated on the ice and in their team bench.
“It’s hard to put in words,” European captain Elisabeth Gustafson said afterward. “I’m so proud to be part of this team.”
Play in both games then continued until the conclusion of both games. For the record, Gushue won 43-17, while Kleibrink was edged 32-28.
Europe’s victory means both continents have now won two Continental Cups apiece. Europe also won the Continental Cup in Thunder Bay in 2003.
North America won the first Continental Cup in Regina in 2002 and again in 2004 in Medicine Hat. There was no Continental Cup in 2005.
North America had their backs to the wall coming into Sunday, trailing Europe 180-100. Norberg won a pair of skins from Kleibrink in the first two ends and Murdoch took one from Gushue in the second end to push Europe to the cusp of victory.
But the North Americans were game, with Kleibrink rattling off three straight skins — two off steals — and Gushue picked up a big 19-point skin to give the North Americans some temporary life at 196-147.
SOURCE: Curling.ca News
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