The 2022 Pan Continental Curling Championships are starting next week and the latest betting shows that Canada expects to double up with wins in both the men's and women's competitions.
In the men's competition, Canada is ridiculously short to win at -1250 with the best online sports betting sites, the Canadian women are -210. As one of Canada's national sports, Curling is very popular in this particular region of North America. And as a result, itâs a sport that Canadians traditionally do well in.
Please check out our sportsbook reviews page for more information on the best betting websites.
What is the Pan Continental Curling Championship?
For those not familiar with the sport of Curling and its competitions, the Pan Continental Curling Championship is a new competition that has been set up to improve the structure of Curling, and also grow the game around the world.
It serves as a qualifying event for both the menâs and womenâs World Curling Championships, to be held in 2023. For nations who make it through, the menâs competition will be in Ottawa, Canada next April. The womenâs event will take place in Sandviken, Sweden in March. So this is an extremely important competition.
PREVIEW | Everything you need to know about the new Pan Continental Curling Championships
Read âĄď¸ https://t.co/e13deaoQzi#PCCC2022 | #Curling pic.twitter.com/f5KN0v2Le0
— World Curling (@worldcurling) October 24, 2022
To give it its abbreviated name, the PCCC, covers nations from around the world who are not in Europe. It is also a direct replacement qualifying event for the Pacific-Asia Curling Championships and the Americas Challenge.
For anybody interested, the European nations have their own qualifying event called the Le Gruyère AOP European Championships. This competition is taking place from November 18th to November 26, and is being held at Oestersund in Sweden. There you will find the likes of Scotland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway competing.
This is also the first time the PCCC will have taken place, so winning it will carry a certain amount of prestige.
When and where is the 2022 Pan Continental Curling Championship?
The competition is next week. The opening round-robin matches start on Monday, with the final to take place on Sunday.
- What; Pan Continental Curling Championship
- Where; Markin MacPhail Center, Canada Olympic Park, Calgary, Canada
- When; October 31st, 2022 - November 6th, 2022
Who is taking part?
The competing teams looking for a place at next yearâs world championship are:-
- Men's Teams;Â Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, United States.
- Women's Teams;Â Australia, Brazil, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, New Zealand, United States.
The top five from both the menâs and womenâs competitions will go through to the world championships next year. Although, in the menâs competition, Canada has already qualified as host nation, so it will be Canada and the other top four nations who progress.
With the womenâs world championships being hosted by Sweden, that wonât affect qualification at the PCCC. It will simply be the top five who qualify.
There is a Group B for both men and women at the PCCC. The bottom teams from Group A in both competitions will find themselves relegated to Group B for next season, with this yearâs Group B winners promoted to Group A for the next time this event takes place.
What is the Format?
The sides will all play against each other in round-robin format across the opening five days (Monday to Friday). The top four teams in the table will go into the semi-finals to be played on Saturday, along with the menâs bronze medal match. Then on Sunday we will have the two finals and the womenâs bronze medal match.
Who are Canadaâs biggest rivals?
Come cheer Team Canada on in person! Oct 31st - Nov 6th at @WinSportCanada in Calgary, AB. Tickets start at $15.75 Or, use the code HURRY to get 20% off full event packages âŹď¸ Go đ¨đŚ Go!https://t.co/HAYJm4pPJv pic.twitter.com/umE32Mogxd
— Team Gushue (@TeamGushue) October 25, 2022
In the womenâs competition Japan are set to rival the Canadians for the win. The Japanese team is skipped by Satsuki Fujisawa who has a team silver medal from the Beijing Winter Olympics and a team bronze from the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang.
Japan are a real threat
The Japanese team is +180 to win the title. Third in the betting is the USA at +800, and then it is South Korea at +1600.
The Canadians and Japanese are due to meet in the round robin section on Friday November 4th. By that time both nations may have already qualified for the semi-finals, but it should be a good marker for if they meet in the latter stages.
The womenâs opening match is against New Zealand on Monday. They are giving away 5.5 games on the handicap, so that gives you an indication of how dominant Kerri Einarsonâs team is expected to be in this match up.
Canada is -110 to win on the handicap, New Zealand are -110 to win with a 5.5 start. Iâm expecting that Kerri Einarson may have some opening day nerves, but I think she will quickly overcome those and skip her team to a convincing win.
Please check out our Bovada sportsbook review for more details.
Should be straight forward for the men
Across in the menâs competition it looks a lot more clearer. Canada is -1250 to win. Their closest rivals are the USA team at +400, then Japan at +1600. After those four nations the odds get longer. For example, South Korea is +6600, and New Zealand is +50000.
The Canadian menâs team will start their campaign on Monday against their main rivals, the USA. The United States are -110 with a +2.5 points start. I still expect the Canadians to defeat that.
They are skipped by Brad Gushue who won gold in Turin back in 2006, and silver at Beijing this year. He has vast experience and I expect him to lead his Canadian team to a convincing victory.
