Unser Forum » the World Cup and matching its achie

LAS VEGAS -- The time for scouting is over. Brad Jacobs is using the Continental Cup to make sure his team is ready for the tournament that really matters. Jacobs, who will represent Canada at the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia next month, said hes just trying to prepare his team for curlings biggest stage. Watching what other teams are up to isnt on the Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., natives agenda. "Weve played them before," said Jacobs on Sunday. "We focus on our game. Everyones throwing the rock well right now, thats the main thing for our team. I really like what I see as skip from the other end. "Its really nice to be here playing on this great ice surface in really serious competition that everyones trying their hearts out at." Jacobs skipped Team North America to a second straight Continental Cup championship with a 36-24 win over Thomas Ulsruds Team World. Team North America won the winners cheque of $52,000 and a bonus of $13,000 for collecting the most points in the skins game Sunday, while the World team took home $26,000. The victory was clinched in the sixth end when Ulsrud missed his final shot, giving Team North America a 4-1 win, and the half-point it needed to push it to the 30-point threshold in the overall standings. Jacobs was joined at the Continental Cup on the womens side by Winnipegs Jennifer Jones, who will also go to Sochi for Canada. "I really dont know what to expect in Sochi," said Jacobs. "For this event the crowds and everything, phenomenal. Obviously the arena, I dont think is as big as this one over at the Olympics. Theres a lot of Canadians here, its really made this event a huge success so far." Jacobs may not have been focusing on the competition but at least one of his opponents made sure to watch what Canada was doing. Ulsrud, of Norway, captured silver at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. He said it was beneficial to play the Olympic contenders. "The Canadian team are obviously a really good team, but were going to have to make them work for it Sochi when they meet Norway," said Ulsrud. "We couldnt have asked for more or for it (the week) to go any better," said Jones. "We just feel real good with the ice and how were playing heading into Sochi." But with the different format at the Continental Cup, Jones added she didnt get many new tips about her Olympic opponents. "We know these teams really well. You know what to expect and you know youre going to have to play great to beat them," said Jones. "Weve been training really well and feel like everythings going according to plan which is exactly what you want it to be heading into the Olympics." Scotlands David Murdoch called it "quite unique" to see Olympic teams so close to the Games. "You want to make sure youre throwing it nice and try to take some good form into the Olympics," said Murdoch. Eve Muirhead, who won gold for Scotland at last years womens world championship and will skip for Great Britain in Sochi, credited ice technician Hans Wuthrich for simulating the conditions at Sochi. "Youve got Hans making the ice, the same icemaker who is going to be at the Olympics," she said. "This was fantastic prep for the Games." Muirheads Team World lost 3-2 on Sunday to Team North America, skipped by Erika Brown of Oakville, Ont./Madison, Wisc. Brown will represent the United States in Sochi. The Continental Cup features six teams from North America facing off against six World teams in various curling matches including traditional games, mixed doubles, singles and skins play. In the mixed skins game, Team North Americas Jeff Stoughton, Emma Miskew, Mark Nichols and Lisa Weagle rolled to a 4-1 win over Team Worlds David Murdoch, Satsuki Fujisawa, Scott Andrews and Miyo Ichikawa. Mark McGwire Jersey . 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SAN JOSE, Costa Rica -- Goalkeeper Keylor Navas and forwards Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell and Alvaro Saborio head the list of players named Monday to Costa Ricas preliminary 30-man squad for next months World Cup in Brazil. Coach Jorge Luis Pinto resisted naming any major surprises in the lineup and is using the same core of players who helped Costa Rica to qualify as the top team from the CONCACAF region. Pinto said he was happy to stick with his proven players and valued continuity in the team. "If we have to make changes, we will when the time comes," Pinto said. He said he will name his final 23-man squad on May 31, before the team travels to the United States for friendlies against Japan and Ireland. Pinto also confirmed that defender Bryan Oviedo of Everton will miss the cup with a broken left leg. Oviedo was injured in January and was not able to recover sufficiently to make the team. Costa Rica will be a heavy underdog to advance from a group containing England, Italy and Uruguay. The Central Americans will be appearing in their fourth World Cup, but merely picking up a point or two will be difficult against three teams near the top of the FIFA rrankings with seven World Cup titles between them.dddddddddddd Knocking one of the European giants out of the World Cup and matching its achievement of reaching the round of 16, which happened in 1990, would be a major accomplishment. ------ Squad: Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas (Levante), Patrick Pemberton (Alajuelense) Daniel Cambronero (Herediano), Esteban Alvarado (AZ Alkmaar). Defenders: Johnny Acosta (Alajuelense), Giancarlo Gonzalez (Columbus Crew), Michael Umana (Saprissa), Oscar Duarte (Bruges), Waylon Francis (Columbus Crew), Heiner Mora (Saprissa), Junior Diaz (Mainz 05), Christian Gamboa (Rosenborg), Roy Miller (Red Bulls), Kendall Waston (Saprissa). Midfielders: Celso Borges (AIK), Christian Bolanos (Copenhagen), Esteban Granados (Herediano), Michael Barrantes (AAlesund), Yeltsin Tejeda (Saprissa), Diego Calvo (Valerenga), Jose Miguel Cubero (Herediano) Carlos Hernandez (Wellington Phoenix), Ariel Rodriguez (Alajuelense), Hansell Arauz (Saprissa). Forwards: Alvaro Saborio (Real Salt Lake), Bryan Ruiz (PSV Eindhoven), Joel Campbell (Olympiacos), Randall Brenes (Cartagines), Marco Urena (FC Kuban Krasnodar), Jairo Arrieta (Columbus Crew). ' ' '