LAS VEGAS — Team North America is on the board at the Continental Cup, but Team World remains in command at the annual team curling event.
Team World leads 13.5 to 4.5 after winning two of three men's singles matches in the evening draw on Friday.
Switzerland's Peter de Cruz downed Canadian Kevin Koe 8-4, Sweden's Niklas Edin toppled American John Shuster 7-4 and Scotland's Bruce Mouat tied Canada's Brad Gushue 4-4 to split a point.
"This is the best lineup we've ever had," said Edin.
Team World jumped out to a 9-0 lead after Day 1 and Team North America didn't record its first point until Canada's Ben Hebert and Dawn McEwen picked up a 6-3 win over Sweden's Sofia Mabergs and Christoffer Sundgren in Friday morning's mixed doubles draw.
Team North America had its most success on the day by sweeping the afternoon mixed doubles on Friday after falling behind 11-1.
Canadian Emma Miskew and American partner Matt Hamilton beat Grant Hardie and Lauren Gray 8-4 while Americans Jamie Sinclair and Chris Plys toppled Swedes Edin and Sara McManus by an identical score.
Canadian Colton Flasch and Taylor Anderson of the U.S., downed Swiss duo Valentin Tanner and Melanie Barbezat downed 7-6 to score all three available points.
"If you would have told us we would have had this kind of lead at the beginning of the week, we would have taken it," said de Cruz.
In the other morning mixed doubles matches, Scotland's Eve Muirhead and Bobby Lammie doubled up Americans Sarah Anderson and John Landsteiner 8-4, while Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni and Benoit Schwarz downed Canada's Joanne Courtney and B.J. Neufeld 9-3.
The first team to score 30.5 points is declared Continental Cup champion. Team World hasn't won the event since 2012.
The winning side receives $85,000, while the losing side gets $45,000.
The Canadian Press
