The Canadian Curling Association (CCA) and Saskatchewan Curling Association (SCA) are pleased to announce that on January 7 and 8, 2012 in Regina, Saskatchewan that the Canadian representative to the 2012 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships will be determined.
The Jason Ackerman Mixed Team from Regina, who represented Saskatchewan and won the 2012 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship in November 2011, not only have a National Mixed title to their names but will now compete for the right to wear the maple leaf at the World Mixed Doubles in Erzurum, Turkey from April 23-29, 2012.
The Canadian Curling Association has utilized the National Mixed winning team to determine the World Mixed Doubles representatives since the inception of the World Mixed Doubles in 2008.
The Ackerman team was provided three options to choose from on how they would determine the two player Mixed Doubles team. The options were that the team self-selects the two players, the CCA select the two players or the players have a playoff against each other.
In advance of the National Mixed, the team chose the third option and therefore the playoff will see Jason Ackerman and Colleen Ackerman compete against Dean Hicke and Chantelle Eberle, to determine the two Canadian representatives.
The concept for Mixed Doubles curling developed from the Mixed Doubles event at the Continental Cup. Mixed Doubles curling is different than traditional curling, including unique rules which provide the discipline with a different style of play. The most obvious difference is that it is a two-person team rather than four persons.
The game is only played with six curling stones per team. Two stones are placed at the start of each end, one in the back half of the button on the center-line and a rock of the opposite colour guarding on the center line, halfway between the front of the house and the hog line.
Five rocks are thrown per team, with scoring performed as normal. One thrower must throw the first and last stones of each end, while the other thrower must throw the three in between.
The team that did not score in the previous end has 'the option' on placement of their stone at the start of the end, either in the house or the guard. If a team blanks an end they give up 'the option' to the opposition.
The team that has the guard out front of the house throws first in the end.
No rocks can be removed from play until after the third thrown stone of the end has come to rest.
The playoff on January 7-8, 2012 will be held at the Regina Highland Curling Club.
The teams will play a best of seven games to determine a winner.
The draw times will be as follows: Saturday, January 7 - 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, January 8 - 9 a.m., 12p.m., 3 p.m. (if necessary), 6 p.m. (if necessary), 9 p.m. (if necessary).
