The event, using a similar format to that seen in golf's Ryder Cup, sees six Canadian sides take on medal winning European outfits from Sweden, Scotland, Norway and Russia.

But the hosts were not overawed as they dominated all three sessions on day one. 

Olympic champion Brad Jacobs started proceedings in perfect fashion, leading his team to victory over Swedish opposition headed by Niklas Edin, before his female counterparts were similarly comfortable over Swedish opposition, easing home 7-4.

Anna Sidorova and her Russian team stole seven points en route to a 7-3 for a European win in the second female clash, before a dominant afternoon of mixed doubles, in which Canada won two of the three matches, and tied the other.

In the evening, there were more two big victories for men's squads, with Vancouver 2010 champion John Morris leading his squad to a 6-3 win over Norway, before Mike McEwen narrowly overcame a Scottish team led by Olympic silver medallist David Murdoch, 5-4.

Canada continued the form World Financial Group Continental Cup of Curling in Calgary that saw them win male and female titles at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics ©Getty Images



McEwen, one of the leading Canadian players on the circuit this year, won a topsy-turvy battle that saw both teams make a number of uncharacteristic misses that gave away points.

"It was kind of a bit of, you have it, no you have it," McEwen said.

"We kind of had them a couple of times, but Dave had some opportunities, too."

Competition is due to continue over the next three days, with curlers playing a combination of regular team matches as well as mixed doubles and singles clashes.

Teams earn one point for a win and half a point for a tie, with the first team to score 30.5 points out of the maximum total of 60 winning.