(Dec 21, 2008) -- Norberg defeats Jones, Kevin Martin faces huge task in finale
CAMROSE, Canada ? Team World took a giant step toward claiming the sixth Continental Cup of Curling title as Sweden's Anette Norberg defeated Canada's Jennifer Jones 41-14 in women's skins play.
Jones, the defending world women's champion, struggled throughout the match, missing a key takeout in the seventh end which handed the winning skin to Norberg, a two-time world champion who also won Olympic gold in 2006.
"It's a shot I would make about 75 per cent of the time," said Jones.
Norberg ended up stealing her three skins, in ends four, seven and eight. Jones and her Winnipeg crew scored three skins in ends one, two and five.
"We're still in it," said Jones.
"We'll cheer hard for Martin and hope he can do it."
The climactic men's skins game scheduled for 4:00pm ET Sunday (live on TSN) will feature Norway's Thomas Ulsrud against Canada's Kevin Martin.
With Team World holding a 193-152 leads, Ulsrud needs to capture only eight points to clinch the 201 total points needed to win the Cup, and with it the winner's portion of the $88,000 prize purse.
There are 55 points available in the match, meaning Martin and his 2008 world champions from Edmonton must overwhelm Ulsrud, who will have Sweden's Niklas Edin in the lineup in place of the ailing Christoffer Svae.
The situation is similar to one which faced Edmonton's Randy Ferbey at the 2003 Continental Cup. Heading into the men's skins finale, Sweden's Peja Lindholm - now the coach for Team World ? needed only to win one skin to clinch the title, and the Ferbey Four held him off from the winning skin until the seventh end of play.
Earlier that same day, Norberg had shut out Team North America's Sherry Middaugh 60-0 in the women's skins final to give Team Europe (now called Team World) the overwhelming lead into the men's final.
"Yes, we like playing the skins," Norberg said.
The tall skip also acknowledged some extra motivation against Jones, who won her 2008 world title in the absence of Norberg, who had failed to advance out of Sweden.
"Yeah, maybe a little (extra motivation)," said Norberg.
"But we are kind of enjoying the game these days. We have nothing to prove anymore, we have won the Olympics, the worlds, the Europeans."
All matches are available for international online viewing at: www.tsn.ca shortly after each domestic television broadcast. |
