After months of preparations, the 2013 Ford World Men鈥檚 Curling Championship starts today with opening ceremonies at 11:30 a.m., followed by the first draw at 2 p.m. in which sa国际传媒 will play China among the four games.
Twelve teams are competing for the title at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. sa国际传媒 has won the tournament the past three years, and in five of the past six, bringing its total to 34聽gold medals in 54 years. Scotland and Sweden have won five apiece.
This is the 21st time that sa国际传媒 has played host to the world event and the fifth time it has been staged in British Columbia 鈥� the聽last being in Victoria in 2005, when Albertan Randy Ferbey delivered a victory over David Murdoch of聽Scotland. Murdoch 鈥� a聽two-time world champion whose wife Stephanie is from the Duncan area 鈥� is among the favourites here this time, right behind sa国际传媒鈥檚 Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
鈥淲hen we left home, the snowbanks were as tall as us. It feels like summer here. It puts a little smile on your face and it鈥檚 great,鈥� Jacobs said on the eve of competition.
鈥淓verybody has been really nice. I wouldn鈥檛 have expected anything less because we are Team sa国际传媒. It鈥檚 been awesome. Everyone has been very friendly and very accommodating with whatever we need.鈥�
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TICKET INFO
鈥� Tickets are available in packages for the entire nine-day event, in mini packages and on a per-draw basis. They鈥檙e available at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre and online at selectyourtickets.com.
鈥� Prices for individual draws range from $20 to $35, while a $349-parcel guarantees the same seat for all 22 draws.
鈥� The final will be played on Sunday, April 7.
鈥� Plenty of tickets are still available, organizers say. Advance ticket sales are down from the 2005 event in Victoria, when Memorial Centre was new and Alberta fans were numerous because sa国际传媒鈥檚 team was from there.
