This year's competition - modeled on the Ryder Cup - will also see Team Canada compete against Team Europe for the first time at the Markin MacPhail Centre at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park.

In previous years, four Canadian teams were joined by two teams from the United States of America to form Team North America, but Canada have decided to go it alone this time round for the event which is scheduled to last until Sunday (January 11). 

In the men's event, Canadian gold medallists - skippered by Brad Jacobs - will go up against a European side that features David Murdoch's Scottish quartet and a Swedish team led by Niklas Edin.

For the women, Jennifer Jones leads a formidable Canadian four into battle with Margaretha Sigurdsson's silver medal winning Swedish team and Scot Eve Muirhead's resilient outfit.

Reigning world men's champions Norway, led by Thomas Ulsrud, and world women's bronze medallist Anna Sidorova of Russia will also feature alongside their trusted team-mates.

Reigning world champions Norway will compete with Team Europe alongside David Murdoch's quartet and the Swedish team led by Niklas Edlin ©Getty Images



The title will be decided by a system in which points are awarded for wins and ties in matches across several different formats - traditional team games, mixed doubles, singles, mixed skins and standard skins games - spread across four days of competition.

A total of 60 points will be available and the winning side will need to amass more than 30 points to be crowned champions.

The winning side receives CAD$52,000 (£29,000/$44,000/€37,000), CAD$2,000 (£1,100/$1,700/€1,400) per member, including captain and coach, while the losing side gets CAD$26,000 (£14,500/$22,000/€18,500).

As well, the side which generates the highest points total from the six skins games will receive an additional CAD$13,000 (£7,250/$11,000/€9,200), CAD$500 (£280/$420/€355) per player, plus captain and coach.

The Canadian team, coached by Rick Lang and captained by four-time world champion Randy Ferbey, are bidding to bring the trophy back to North America after Team World triumphed in the last edition, thanks largely to both Ulsrud and Sigurdsson, who were the top point scorers in 2014.

Scotland's David Hay will serve as Team Europe captain, while Sweden's Peja Lindholm will be the coach as they attempt to retain their crown.

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