#BetweenTheSheets: Boost National Preview
The second major of the #gsoc season hits the ice in Conception Bay, NL
Is it just me or did 2018 feel like an overthrown curling stone sliding right through the house? Can you believe we are at the point of the season where we watch the final Grand Slam of Curling event for the calendar year? It doesn't feel that long ago when we were watching the 2018 Canadian Open to kick-start the calendar either. Time really does fly when you are having fun.
But alas here we are back in the holiday season and ready to crown our second #gsoc major champion of the 2018/19 curling season. It's going to be a time in Conception Bay, NL folks.
Now you should know the fine tradition of the #TwineTime blog when previewing a major event right? What is the first topic of discussion? To discuss the present we must first know the past. You know what time it is.....HISTORY TIME!
#HistoryLesson
Here are just a few rocks to impress your friends when you are watching the action on the ice this week:
- The first National event was held in 2002 and was a men's only event. Back in 2002 the event was known as the M&M Shops National. The first women's event did not reach #gsoc ice level until 2015.
- Since the first offering in 2002 there have been numerous sponsor name changes to the event, 6 in total actually. Past name sponsors include: M&M Shops (2002), BDO (2004), Swiss Chalet (2010), Pomeroy Inn & Suites (2012), Syncrude (2014) and Boost (2016 - Present). Worth noting, unlike many other sponsor name-led slam events, The National has also been offered under the simple name of 'The National' 9 times, most recent being 2015.
- The current format of 15 teams divided into 3 pools of 5 has only been in place since 2015. Prior to 2015, 18 teams qualified to compete with the format being 3 pools of 6 teams. The advantage with the old format would at least result in a team needing to finish above .500 in the RR to advance to the playoffs, have a shot at the title and collect the bigger share of prize money. Of course more teams means more games and the schedule is getting tight enough as is.
- Four times this slam event has been offered twice in the same calendar year: 2004, 2007, 2010, 2014. Only once did the same team win both calendar year offerings. Kevin Martin accomplished the feat back in 2007 when the event was held in March and December. Interestingly enough he also defeated the same team in both finals, fellow Albertan Team MacDonald consisting of skipper Blake MacDonald, vice Kevin Koe and the front end combo of Carter Rycroft and Nolan Thiessen.
- Overall Kevin Martin and Glenn Howard lead the pack with National titles, each winning four. Martin's last title came in 2010 while Howard was last crowned champion in March 2014. Last year's victory by Scotland's Bruce Mouat was the first time a non-Canadian team won the title while also writing the history books with Mouat being the youngest skip to win a #gsoc title.
- #DefendTheIce is not an easy task at The National. Only once has a team defended their title (Martin, 2007 as noted above). Jeff Stoughton leads the way in runner-up finishes with 3 before finally collecting his first and only title in 2013. Recently Reid Carruthers was on the unlucky side of a championship final when he lost back-to-back Nationals finals in 2016 and 2017.
- For the women, we have yet to see a team #DefendTheIce nor a team win the title more than once. Ok so the event has only featured women since 2015 but all three years have produced a different champion: Team Homan (2015), Team Einarson (2016) and Team Jones (2017). Hmmm, coincidence all three of those previous champions are considered favourites going into the 2018 edition? Worth noting as well all three years have featured a different finalist: Team Fleury (2015), Team Tirinzoni (2016) and Team Scheidegger (2017). If history holds true, we should expect two different teams in the final this season (hello Japan?!).
- The National used to offer a purse of $100,000 until 2015. For 2016, the men's purse was increased to $125,000; however, the women's purse remained $100K. Last season the purse was equitable at $125K for both the men's and women's events. Apparently we took a step back for gender equality in 2018 though folks as the listed men's purse this season remains at $125K while the women have been reduced back to $100K. #TheMoreYouKnow
- Maybe we should collectively set the maritime provinces as the "unconfirmed" home of The National. Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia has hosted the event 4 times (2005, March 2007, December 2007, 2013). Conception Bay, NL will host the event this year marking another maritime host and a first for the women's competition. Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario has also hosted the event 4 times (2002, November 2014, 2016, 2017). I kind of like the idea of each #gsoc major being held in a different region of the country. Atlantic Canada, #TwineTime dubs you as hosts of The National!
Time to slide out of the hack with the preview and predictions for the final Grand Slam of Curling event for 2018. Note below, when the teams are listed per pool the number in parenthesis is the current #PowerRanking spot according to the adjusted #TwineTime ranking system.
#TourLifePredictions
Boost National
Conception Bay, NL
2017 Champions: Team Mouat (men) and Team J. Jones (women)
Format: 15 team RR with 3 pools of 5 teams. Top 8 qualify.
MEN
Pool A
Favourite: If you look at the rankings, #SwedishVikings would be tabbed as the favourite here. But if you go by most recent results, Team Jacobs is coming to NL on a hot streak. After dealing with off-ice distractions in November, Jacobs kick started his December with a huge Canada Cup title last weekend (along with super spare 11-time GSOC champ Marc Kennedy). This week Jacobs welcomes another multi-GSOC winner Matt Wozniak (7 titles) to the fold. It will be interesting to see how this rotating line-up idea works. Similar to Kennedy assuming his regular role of vice last week, Wozniak will assume his natural position as 2nd this week bumping up E.J. Harnden to vice. Adding a new player into the mix and changing natural positions for a regular team member could go one of two ways: onto another title or complete disaster. Given the resume of the players on this team one has to believe it shouldn't cause too much issue but you never know. Of course also remember Jacobs won the last #gsoc event, The Tour Challenge, so he is looking to make it two in a row.
#TeamUpset: Speaking of teams landing on The Rock on a hot streak, how about Team Calvert? You may have missed it but Calvert has won his past two events and prior to the current winning streak reached the SF at the big DEKALB spiel. Overall this team has qualified in all 7 events entered and has 3 titles to their credit. While the majority of their schedule takes place in their home province of Manitoba, they are putting together a stellar season and are quickly becoming the #TeamUpset contender for the provincial buffalo in the new year. Interestingly enough, who do they draw in this group? Current MB champs Team Carruthers. The #TeamBFF train is almost hitting a brick wall while Calvert is steamrolling ahead. Calvert may not win this slam but can still send a strong message with a 2-2 record and a W over a provincial rival.
Projected Standings: 1. Team Jacobs 2. Team Edin 3. Team Calvert 4. Team Carruthers 5. Team McDonald
Pool B
Favourite: Welcome to the Group of Death for the men's draw folks. You have defending champion and newly crowned European champ Team Mouat. You have two-time defending Canadian champ and home town fav Team Gushue. You have two-time world bronze medal winner Team de Cruz. And you have two of the dark horse teams of the season in Team Paterson and Team Schwaller. The story lines are endless here. Gushue must be considered the favourite with the strongest #gsoc resume and having home province support on his side. Of course being the home province team can also bring a new level of expectation and stress. The team managed it well winning the Brier at home a few years ago but can they replicate the magic in the bottle moment this week? The SF finish last weekend in Estevan was nice but it was also a SF game they had control over for the first half and walked away thinking they should have won. How will that disappointing loss affect their play? A few questions surrounding the team but we know we can pencil them in for the playoffs here.
#TeamUpset: Team Schwaller and Team Paterson could make HUGE statements this week. Not only could both push for a playoff spot (remember Paterson reached the QF at The Masters earlier this season) but they could effectively eliminate their strongest compatriots from the competition as well. With upcoming national championships and fighting for a berth at next year's worlds in Lethbridge ringing in the back of their minds, statement victories by Schwaller over de Cruz and Paterson over Mouat (not to mention if either can knock off Gushue at home) would make the Scottish and Swiss championships in 2019 even more enticing. Paterson has been the more consistent of the teams this season, recently reaching the finals in Penticton at their last event. Do not sleep on either of these teams though as both are quickly emerging from the #TeamUpset category and into the regular Watch Out For grouping. I smell a major upset here. This pool is going to be fun!
Projected Standings: 1. Team Paterson 2. Team Gushue 3. Team Mouat 4. Team de Cruz 5. Team Schwaller
Pool C
Favourite: While John Epping remains the #1 team atop the rankings mountain, Kevin Koe seems to be one of the best bet teams to knock him off the apex....and it could happen this week. Koe is fresh off a Canada Cup final where they may have come up short vs. Jacobs (with some time controversy of course) but this new team is firing on all cylinders. It was interesting (or scary for his competition) hearing Koe himself say he thinks this team still have room for growth and is still feeling out the process last week. Really? They have qualified in all 6 events played this season. They have runner-up showings at The Masters and Canada Cup. They qualified in the other two #gsoc events (Elite 10, Tour Challenge). They won the opening leg of the Curling World Cup. And you are still feeling it out? Competition beware! Could this be the event they put it all together and collect the W? A first #gsoc title for Sasky boy Colton Flasch as well?
#TeamUpset: Speaking of Sasky boys, how about #TeamBRO? The Muyres/Marsh brotherhood combo may have taken some time to get sliding down the ice this season but they seem to have found their groove as of late. Winning the Tour Challenge Tier II punched their ticket to a #gsoc event....the next slam event (Canadian Open) mind you. This spot in Conception Bay was earned through their results on the season meaning they will compete in back-to-back slam events. Even they might not have foreseen this heading into the season. As mentioned the first few events of the season were a struggle, failing to qualify and picking up a few wins along the way. But reaching back-to-back finals in Medicine Hat and Morris seemed to give them the confidence and momentum they were needing. Sure their last event in Penticton was maybe a slide back into the hack but it followed up the huge Tour Challenge win so victory hangover perhaps? Lets see how they do against a strong field as this will give us a good indication at just how far along this new team has come. A threat to win the title? Perhaps not. A #TeamUpset contender for a playoff spot? Absolutely!
Projected Standings: 1. Team Koe 2. Team Epping 3. Team Howard 4. Team Muyres 5. Team Gunnlaugson
Qualifiers: Team Jacobs, Team Paterson, Team Koe, Team Edin, Team Gushue, Team Epping, Team Mouat, Team Calvert
MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP: Team Koe def. Team Gushue
WOMEN
Pool A
Favourite: #1 team in the world. European champions. Masters champions. Elite 10 champions. Pretty hard to go against the #SwedishVikings here. This team has competed in 4 #wct events and won all 4. Add in the Euro win and they are a perfect this season going 5 for 5 (not taking into consideration Curling World Cup of course). Hasselborg will be looking for #gsoc title #3 and attempt to collect half of the season major's this week as well. We also have some enticing RR matches to keep our eyes on. A rematch of the Euro final against Team Tirinzoni plus an all-Swedish present vs. future battle against Team Wrana.
#TeamUpset: Isabella Wrana and her young squad will arrive in NL with some momentum and confidence having won the Swedish junior title recently and booking their spot at the upcoming World Junior Curling Championships. This will be their final eligible year to compete for the world junior title and having won the title in 2017 and collecting a silver medal last year, you have to imagine they are hungry to go out on top in 2019. Wrana has had a solid season thus far too, collecting titles at the Shorty Jenkins and at Paf. They struggled a bit at the Tour Challenge Tier I, picking up only one W but do not count this team out here.
Projected Standings: 1. Team Hasselborg 2. Team Tirinzoni 3. Team Wrana 4. Team Roth 5. Team Carey
Pool B
Favourite: Similar to the men's preview above, tough to bet against a team coming off a huge Canada Cup victory last weekend. Jennifer Jones and company have momentum on their side as Jones and Dawn McEwen attempt to add to their record #gsoc win total (15). The team has qualified in all 7 events this season but picked up their first title of the year last weekend. Jones is always a huge threat in every event but especially at the big events. Remember she is also the defending champion here when a year ago she collected her first National title and bring her 3/4 of the way to the career #gsoc major. Only one missing? The Canadian Open! If she can #DefendTheIce in Conception Bay heading into the holiday season, 2019 could quickly become the Year of Jones once again.
#TeamUpset: Some people may look at the ranking numbers next to the teams above and feel a slight bit of confusion when seeing #6 next to Team Yoshimura. Some curling fans may not be familiar with this team and may be wondering how they are the highest ranked #PACC nation team considering Japanese rivals Team Fujisawa earned a silver medal at the 2018 #PACC and recently won the second leg of the Curling World Cup. This event could be the coming out party for Yoshimura though. We saw them compete at the Tour Challenge Tier II event, finishing runner-up to Switzerland's Team Stern. They have competed in 11 (!!) events this season and qualified each time, collecting a title along the way early in the season at the Oakville Fall Classic. While they may not have a bunch of W's from all those #wct events they are consistent. And what has this blog always said when looking at #PowerRankings? Consistency pays off hence the high #6 seed. Play a lot of events, consistently qualify and play well and you will be rewarded. Welcome Team Yoshimura! With teams not being as familiar with them perhaps they may be able to surprise a few and collect a few W's. And we all know a 2-2 record is usually good enough for a playoff spot on slam ice. Keep your eyes on this team.
Projected Standings: 1. Team Jones 2. Team Yoshimura 3. Team Fujisawa 4. Team Sinclair 5. Team Fleury
Pool C
Favourite: All eyes will be on Homan and Einarson in this group. Homan won the Tour Challenge Tier I, was a finalist at The Masters and reached the playoff round last weekend at the Canada Cup. Einarson reached the Canada Cup final, the Tour Challenge Tier I SF and has won 4 #wct event titles this season. These are without question the two hottest and most consistent teams on tour this year and early favourites for the 2019 Scotties title. The two favourites do not play one another until the final RR game which, depending on other results, could mean the difference between a higher playoff seed, dropping to a TB or even missing the playoffs altogether. The final RR battle will feel like a playoff game regardless of their records going into the game. Both are considered a threat for the title here.
#TeamUpset: We have not seen as much from Jacqueline Harrison this season, coming off being a familiar face on the #gsoc ice last season. With off-season line-up changes and Harrison stepping in as the new face of the former Team Flaxey it took some time for this team to get back into the #gsoc discussions. But do not underestimate them either. Sure you may not have seen them as often on TV compared to the past few years but they have still been playing consistent curling this season. They have qualified in 6 of 7 events but have failed to reach a final. The one event they did not qualify in was the Tour Challenge Tier II event so you can bet they are fired up to redeem themselves as a new team on the #gsoc circuit. Perhaps not a threat to win the title here but they could surprise a few teams in this pool and if they can get to the magic number of 2 wins and land a TB spot, who knows how far they could go?!
Projected Standings: 1. Team Homan 2. Team Einarson 3. Team Scheidegger 4. Team Muirhead 5. Team Harrison
Qualifiers: Team Hasselborg, Team Jones, Team Homan, Team Tirinzoni, Team Yoshimura, Team Einarson, Team Fujisawa, Team Scheidegger
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP: Team Einarson def. Team Fujisawa
What say you rock head and stoners? Agree or disagree with the predictions above? There are a few #TeamUpset calls being made this weekend. Who do you think might be the ultimate #TeamUpset flag bearer in Conception Bay? Share your thoughts with the blog in the comment section on the blog page or via social media.
ICYMI the blog also returned this week with the UPDATED #PowerRankings after taking the month of November off. Plus discussions around the social consciousness of the sport after the incident in Red Deer and the tick, tick, tick timing issues from the Canada Cup.
#StayTuned
While many curling fans will have their rocks set on the house in Conception Bay, there are a few other #wct events sliding out of the hack this weekend. A dual #Tour500 event in Qinghai, China and dual #Tour250 event in Minnesota along with a men's #Tour250 Dunfries Challenger will leave some available points on the ice for those teams not competing at the #gsoc.
Your preview of those events will slide from my house to yours later in the week. Until then, enjoy the action from Conception Bay, NL.
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