Your Pal and mine

The big Norwegian, Pal Trulsen (photo) did it again, and the imminent January issue of The Curling News will have the scoop. He is European Champion for 2005 and his sights are squarely set on scoring another Olympic gold medal just a few short weeks from now.

Sweden's Peja Lindholm lost the final – for the second year in a row – but his women's counterpart Anette Norberg has won her fifth title in a row, and sixth in the last seven years, and is so far above and beyond any team heading into Torino it's not funny. And apologies to Team Shannon Kleibrink, but you've got your work cut out for you. There is a women's dynasty in the sport of curling, and it's Swedish.

CurlTV has followed up their surprise Olympic Trials coverage with the big news that they have secured the rights to morning draw games and other action throughout the CCA's entire Season of Champions roster: the 2006 M&M Meat Shops Canadian Junior Championships, the 2006 Strauss Canada Cup, the 2006 Scott Tournament of Hearts, the 2006 Tim Hortons Brier, the 2006 Ford World Women’s Championship and the 2006 World Men’s Championship.

This in addition to the next Grand Slam of Curling shootout, the BDO Classic Canadian Open, Jan. 5-8... which includes an Olympic exhibition match (Team Kleibrink versus whom?)... and a new junior development initiative in Winnipeg.

You've really gotta sign up for CurlTV, folks. What the heck are you waiting for?

In other news, all of Team Howard are going to Italy for the Russ show; the Scots are under fire from the Dutch over the "magic broom"; the decisions are surely made but Thursday is the announcement day for the British Olympic curling team selection; and the NBC Olympic website is now up, including a decent curling page...