Another elite curling event coming to Essar Centre

NEWS RELEASE

ESSAR CENTRE

************************* Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series coming to Sault Ste. Marie

City to host 2011 GP Car and Home™ World Cup of Curling

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – iSport Media and Management together with the City of Sault Ste Marie, the Essar Centre, Tourism Sault Ste. Marie and the local event organizing committee announced today that “the Soo” will host the GP Car and Home™ World Cup of Curling, the first of four elite men’s championships in the 2012 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series. The GP Car and Home™ World Cup of Curling is scheduled to take place November 2-6, 2011, at the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, ON and will feature 18 of the world’s best men’s curling teams competing for the GP Car and Home™ World Cup of Curling and Capital One Cup trophies, qualifying points towards a berth into the 2013 Olympic Trials, and the more than half-million dollars in prize money that makes up the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series.

“The City of Sault Ste Marie and the Essar Centre are delighted to host the 2011 GP Car and Home World Cup of Curling," said Trevor Zachary, marketing and events manager. “After years of hosting World Curling Tour events, plus the recent success of the 2010 Scotties Tournament of Hearts women's championship, the Soo is ready to host the world's best men's curling rock stars.”

Early Bird ticket packages for the GP Car and Home™ World Cup of Curling will go on sale Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m.

Fans can purchase online at essarcentre.ca, charge by phone at 1-866-775-9422 or in person at the Essar Centre Box Office.

Price for the Early Bird Package is $160 (plus service charges) - which includes all 12 draws, a savings of 20 percent off the single ticket price!

“The Soo Curlers Association and all area curlers and curling fans can't wait for November," said Ian Fisher, chair of the local organizing committee. “Northern Ontario has a large curling following and the recent success of Team Brad Jacobs has fueled additional excitement in our area. Now with the GP Car and Home World Cup of Curling coming to town, we will be breaking out the moose calls early next fall.”

Sault Ste. Marie teams have represented Northern Ontario in four of the last five Brier championships.

The local community is served by the Soo Curlers Association facility and the Tarentorus Curling Club, with neighboring clubs located in Thessalon, Blind River and Elliott Lake.

Back in October, up-and coming curling superstars Team Mike McEwen of Winnipeg defeated the Brier champions, Team Jeff Stoughton of Winnipeg, in the championship final of the 2010 GP Car and Home™ World Cup of Curling in Windsor, Ontario.

“The 2011/12 Capital One Grand Slam of Curling will see us begin our second decade of the Slams and we have some special surprises in store for Canadian curling fans,” said Kevin Albrecht, CEO of iSport. “The Grand Slam has always represented the best curling in the world and by incorporating the latest sport technology into our broadcasts as well as on our brand new online portal, that will be launching in October, curling fans will be closer than ever to the action. We are tremendously excited about launching these new initiatives in the Soo.”

Next week, many of the world’s top men’s and women’s teams will gather in Grande Prairie, Alberta for the climactic event of the 2011 curling season.

The GP Car and Home™ Players’ Championship runs April 12-17 at the Crystal Centre and will feature 32 teams, including Vancouver 2010 Olympic silver medalists Team Cheryl Bernard in their last-ever competition.

Held annually since 2001-02, the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling is a series of four premier men’s events that feature the deepest and strongest curling fields from across Canada and the world. Among the top men’s team skips who compete in the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling series are Olympic medalists Kevin Martin (Edmonton), Brad Gushue (St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador) and Thomas Ulsrud (Oslo, Norway), and world champions Kevin Koe and Randy Ferbey (Edmonton) and Glenn Howard (Coldwater, Ontario).

As the multi-year broadcast partner of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling, CBC Sports will televise all playoff rounds of the 2011 GP Car and Home™ World Cup of Curling from the Essar Centre.

This season, CBC-TV and iSport Media and Management have also partnered to offer Grand Slam coverage via international (outside Canada) webstream, available via this website.

“On behalf of our players and sponsors, I would like to sincerely thank the City of Sault Ste. Marie as well as Ian Fisher and his organizing committee, for becoming part of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling family,” said Albrecht. “We look forward to seeing all the knowledgeable and loyal Soo curling fans this November.”

The Capital One Grand Slam of Curling events are closely tied to the Canadian Curling Association's qualifying process for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

Through their performance in the Grand Slam events, Canadian teams can earn significant qualifying points towards securing a berth at the 2013 Canadian Olympic Trials.

About Capital One

Located in Toronto, Ontario, Capital One has offered Canadian consumers a range of competitive MasterCard® credit cards since 1996, when the company first introduced the Platinum MasterCard® in Canada.

Capital One Canada is a division of Capital One Bank, a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation of McLean, Virginia (NYSE: COF).

Capital One is committed to promoting curling through the title sponsorship of the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling and through grassroots initiatives such as the Capital One Rocks & Rings program.

About GP Car and Home™

GP Car and Home™ is the industry leader in providing car and home insurance to people with 25+ years of good driving habits.

We believe better drivers deserve better rates.

And, we’re happy to offer exclusive savings and benefits - not to mention expert advice and service through the Good Habits Driving Program™.

GP Car and Home™ products are provided by Trafalgar Insurance Company of Canada, a subsidiary company of Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC), Canada's largest provider of auto, home and business insurance. About iSport Media and Management

iSport Media and Management is Canada's leading athlete, digital media and event sponsorship company.

iSport specializes in:

- World-class athlete representation in marketing, media and sponsorships

- Leading edge digital media strategies and operations

- Event development, execution and sponsorship sales

- Sport Federation sponsorship sales and strategic counsel

For more information, visit here.

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