Read more: Calgary Herald

It wasn’t as dramatic a finish as his Brier victory — an extra-end, last-rock draw to the button that began a succession of leaping into each other’s arms, roars, high fives and bear hugs — but the celebration and outcome was just as sweet for Kevin Koe.

Because now you can call his rink: Campioni del mondo — that is: champions of the world.

Koe and teammates Blake MacDonald, Carter Rycroft and Nolan Thiessen earned the title — Canada’s 32nd overall — with a penetrating and thorough 9-3 eight-end triumph Sunday over Norway’s Torger Nergard at the 2010 Capital One men’s world curling championship in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

Full story: National Post

Less than a month after winning the Brier on his very first try, Koe will appear in Sunday’s title game at the Capital One World Men’s Championship after his big win in the one-versus-two Page Playoff game. The 35-year-old rolled to an 11-5 win over Norway on Friday.

“Once in a while you think about being world champion,” Koe said. “It’s been quite a year and it’s now one more to go. It’d be nice to round it off with another big win and become world champs.”

Full story: Canadian Press

Norway’s Torger Nergard has reeled off 10 consecutive wins since opening with a 5-4 loss to Scotland in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, last Saturday. His biggest victory came Thursday night in a wide-open 9-8 triumph over a suddenly sluggish, or at least inconsistent, Team Canada.

With three wins in his last five outings, skip Kevin Koe may not constitute the two losses as a slump, but his Canadian rink has certainly hit a bit of a rut. One Koe and rinkmates Blake MacDonald at third, second carter Rycroft and lead Nolan Thiessen, need to climb out of.

Read more: National Post

After much pomp and circumstance, the World Curling Federation elected not to conduct any major changes to the sport during its annual general assembly on Wednesday in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

The only significant move the group made was the ouster of Canadian Les Harrison, a former board member of the Canadian Curling Association, as president of the WCF and replace him with his former vice-president Kate Caithness, of Scotland, who becomes the first female WCF president.

Full story: Vancouver Sun

Right behind stands Norway, with a chance to join Canada tonight when they will play Germany. The United States has tripped up Scotland, which now sits in third position, followed by Pete Fenson’s American team.

DRAW 13: At the fifth end break, the Scotland-USA game was tied 2-2. In end six, Scotland’s Warwick Smith made a hit for two and the lead. USA got that back in the eighth with a draw for two. In the final end, USA’s Pete Fenson made an amazing take out with his final stone to score three for a 7-5 victory.

Neither Norway nor Denmark could score more than singles in this draw. Going into the last end Norway had a slender lead of one. In the tenth, they got another single and won 5-3.

Canada-France was another easy game for the Canadians. They opened scoring three and that set the tone for the game. After five ends, Canada led by five. In the sixth, Canada stole one and France conceded 7-1 to Canada.

Neither Switzerland or Sweden had any chance of making the playoffs at this stage. In end six, Switzerland’s Stefan Karnusian had a draw with his last stone for three and a lead of one. In the tenth, Sweden tied the game and forced the extra end. Switzerland eventually scored two for the final 7-5 win.

DRAW 12 : Home team Italy took on USA and it was tied 4-4 after seven ends. In end eight, Italy’s Joël Retornaz faced three USA counters, but his last stone was burned leaving Pete Fenson a draw for four. Italy scored a single in the ninth and conceded. USA won 8-5.

Japan-Canada was a one sided game. The Canadians put ten on the board in the first four ends and two more in the sixth. Japan conceded, with the final score 12-3 for Canada.

Switzerland and China were close, but in end seven the game went in China’s favour. Switzerland’s Stefan Karnusian tried a hit, but removed his own stone to leave China lying two. In end eight, China stole one and got the eventual 6-2 win.

Germany was in charge in the first half of the game against Denmark. Denmark tied the game in end six. Germany went ahead again in the ninth, but Denmark’s Johnny Frederiksen tied the game in end ten. In the extra end, Germany lay two, Frederiksen tried a draw but wrecked, and Germany won the game 9-7.

Info: www.wmcc2010.it

Rather, it’s the gimmicky suggestions of eliminating extra ends or allotting three points for a victory and one for a tie, without settling the result, that’s bothersome to the Team Canada skip.

Members of the World Curling Federation will be voting in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, on Wednesday to proposed changes to the sport, with reducing games to eight ends — as they are on the World Curling Tour — and eliminating extra ends and timeouts as three targeted alterations.

Full story: Vancouver Sun

Veteran German Andreas Kapp posted a 9-6 win over the Edmonton skip Tuesday, ending a six-game winning streak in Koe’s tournament debut. Koe opened the day with a dominating 6-2 win over Scotland’s Warwick Smith to take sole possession of first place in the standings at 6-0.

But the Canadians struggled in the evening draw, eventually losing to a Kapp rink desperate for win to keep its playoff hopes alive.

Full story: The Canadian Press

Now he’s going with 50-year-old Randy Ferbey.

“I was shocked when they contacted me. They’re three of the best players in the game and one of the best skips,” said Ferbey.

Full Story: Edmonton Sun.

The Ferbey Four, after one last event next weekend in Dawson Creek, B.C., will be no more.

Only one player on the only team in history to win four Briers and three world championships together as a foursome will continue curling —the old guy.

Not only has the Sun learned that is this the end of the road for the team but the beginning of a new chapter for Randy Ferbey.

Full Story: Toronto Sun.