CHAMPÉRY, SWITZERLAND READY TO HOST 2010 LE GRUYÈRE EUROPEAN CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

3. 12. 2010

logo_2010_version_b_klein_03 The 2010 Le Gruyère European Curling Championships for both men’s and women’s teams gets underway on Saturday 4^th of December in Champéry, Switzerland. It is the 36^th edition of the event since it began in Megève, France in 1975.

In both the men’s and women’s events, ten national teams will compete in the ‘A’ Group while a further ten women’s teams and sixteen men’s teams will compete in the ‘B’ Group.

Both reigning champion skips will be in Champéry at the Palladium Ice Hall to defend their titles. Sweden’s Niklas Edin won his first senior international title in Aberdeen last year while Germany’s Andrea Schöpp also won European gold in Aberdeen in 2009 – her seventh - before going on to win the women’s world championship title in Swift Current, Canada at the end of last season. This will be Schöpp’s 24^th appearance at the European Championships, a new record which beats the 23 appearances made over the years by Norway’s Dordi Nordby.

The ‘B’ Group games will be played in the nearby town of Monthey at Verney Ice Rink.

Both ‘A’ and ‘B’ Groups will open with round-robin play on Saturday and, after tie-breakers on Thursday 9^th December if needed, semi-finals and promotion challenge games (including a challenge from the top ‘B’ Group teams as they try to qualify for this season’s world championships). Medal games take place on Friday 10^th for the ‘B’ Group and Saturday 11^th December for ‘A’ Group.

Extensive televised coverage of the Le Gruyère European Curling Championships can be seen by viewers in Europe on Eurosport. Additional live and on demand coverage will be available via the internet on the Eurosport Player. Swiss Television TSR will also air daily live coverage of Swiss games. For more details of the TV and Web TV coverage schedule visit http://www.worldcurling.org/tv-and-web-tv-coverage-from-the-le-gruyere-european-curling-championships-2010

Full team line up, schedules of play and links to results can be seen on the event website:http://www.ecc2010.ch.