Britain third in rankings

The World Curling Rankings include the 46 Member Associations of the World Curling Federation (WCF), tracking records from events such as the European Championships, World Championships and Olympic Winter Games.

Canada, the Olympic champions from the Turin games, topped the ranking with 1,298 points followed by Norway at 932.

The Great Britain/Scotland team, combined due to their entry together at the Olympic Games, were placed just behind Norway at 930 points.

Great Britain finished fourth as a combined team at the Turin Olympics, while Scotland's David Murdoch defeated top ranked Olympic champions Canada 7-4 in the final to win this year's World Championship gold.

Norway earned the second position on the basis of strong performances since Pål Trulsen won Olympic gold at Salt Lake City in 2002. Trulsen also won the 2005 European Championship, while compatriot Thomas Ulsrud claimed bronze at the World Championships.

Olympic silver medallist Markku Uussipaavalniemi propelled Finland into fourth position, while the United States ranked fifth largely on the basis of Pete Fenson's Olympic bronze medal performance from Turin. Switzerland (sixth), Sweden, Germany, Italy and New Zealand (10th) rounded out the top-ten.

Switzerland's 1998 Olympic Champion Patrick Hürlimann, who leads the WCF's marketing committee, developed the new rankings system.

"The new World Curling Rankings are a key step in the continued growth of curling as a global sport," said Hürlimann.

"New Member Associations will be added as grass roots interest is exploding on every continent, and the World Curling Rankings reflect the desire of every one of them to become the best in the World."