The seventh edition of the four-day curling competition will feature a variety of disciplines - team games (72 points), mixed doubles (36 points), singles (32 points) and skins (260 points).

The first side to reach 201 points wins.

Currently, North America and Team World are tied at three wins apiece since the inaugural Continental Cup was contested in 2002 in Regina.

Team World includes Norway's Thomas Ulsrud, the 2010 Olympic silver medallist and winner of the recent Le Gruyère European Curling Championships in Champéry, Switzerland and two-time world and three-time European champion David Murdoch, of Lockerbie, Scotland.

Team games, at eight ends only, will be played tomorrow and Friday, as will two mixed doubles sessions.

On Saturday (January 15), the A and B skins games, including mixed skins, will be held, along with the singles competition.

On Sunday, the women's and men's final (C) skins games will be contested.

This year, the winning side will receive $52,000 (£33,689).

The side which wins the final men's skins game will receive an additional $13,000 (£8,423).

The World Financial Group Continental Cup is a joint venture between the Canadian Curling Association, World Curling Federation and United States Curling Association.