#BetweenTheSheets: Champions Cup Preview
Saying goodbye and a final delivery to the 2018/19 curling season
🎵🎵 Goodbye my friend
I know you're gone, you said you're gone
But I can still feel you here
It's not the end
Gotta keep it strong
Before the pain turns into fear
So glad we made it
Time will never change it, no no no 🎵🎵
Oh the memories. We have had a season of up's and down's rock heads but it is the end of April. The inevitable is now upon us. We must deliver our final stone of the curling year and say goodbye to the 2018/19 season.
As the Spice Girls song above references, we knew it was coming. We knew it would happen. But it doesn't mean the feeling is any less sad. From celebratory fist bumps to consolation hugs, from cheers to tears, it has been quite the year. But we must keep our head's up, our brooms on the ice and our sliders clean to remember the moments of the season. Results aside, we celebrate the sport of curling for another year.
Welcome to the Champions Cup! The event to close out the season and help us say goodbye. Before emotions take over, lets get excited one last time and close out this year with a bang....or a triple runback in-off double? Anyone?!? Bueller?
The Champions Cup remains one of my favourite events of the season. A collection of major tour winners throughout the year come together for one last battle and crown the ultimate champion of champions. From tour level to #gsoc to national to continental to world champions, everyone who walks into the arena for this season-ending event earned their way here.
Sure you can finish the season in the Top 5 or Top 10 on the world rankings but if you reached 4 finals and lost them all, you ain't playing on this Champions Cup ice buddy! Win and in. Simple. Straightforward. No questions on cut-off ranking point dates or qualification standards. All these teams do is win, win, win, no matter what.
Heading into the 2019 offering, there seems to be two major story lines for fans: #SuperSpares and #BanTheTick. Both come with positive and negative sides of the stone though. Before sliding into the predictions, lets warm our sliders looking at both of these topics.
#SuperSpares
Oprah Winfrey herself must have been tossing the rocks around the arena trying to finalize line-ups for this year's competition. You get a spare and you get a spare and you get a spare and you get a spare.....everyone gets a spare. It almost became laughable. All together there are 8 superspares in the field, 3 on the men's side and 5 on the women's.
Look the blog means this is no disrespect. All the teams needing spares required them for good reasons. We had pregnancies, as in the case of Joanne Courtney being subbed by Jolene Campbell on Team Homan. We had retirement, as in the case of Monika Walker being subbed by Vicky Persinger on Team Sinclair. And sometimes we need just a spare, as in the case of Laura Walker subbing in for Allison Flaxey to skip Team Flaxey.
But the big #StealPants of players actually comes from the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships. The #WMDCC2019 event is taking place this week in Norway and 5 athletes from Champions Cup qualified teams also happened to win their respective countries mixed doubles title this season and are across the pond chasing a world title.
Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman for Team Canada. Oskar Eriksson and Anna Hasselborg for Team Sweden. John Shuster for Team USA. All 5 players needed to call the #SuperSpare phone (think of the Bat Phone but for curling) and 5 players answered the call. Colton Lott (Gallant - Team Gushue), Jim Cotter (Eriksson - Team Edin) and John Morris (Shuster - Team Shuster) will be on the ice for the men. Lori Olson-Johns (Peterman - Team Jones) and Eve Muirhead (Hasselborg - Team Hasselborg) will appear in the women's draw.
The first few spares needed on the women's side are all valid reasons and one's we can expect to see every now and again. No argument there. But it is the influx of subs needed due to the world mixed doubles event that is more intriguing. We are seeing more and more "elite" name curlers around the world invest time into the discipline, and it is paying off. They are starting to compete and win.
Mixed doubles needs these big names and familiar faces to continue legitimizing the discipline and pushing it into the professional competitive conversation. With the success of MD at the 2018 Winter Olympics, in its debut remember, people are craving for it and not just fans but the athletes themselves. Awesome!
On the flip side, is this great for current mixed doubles specialists? Is MD going to quickly become like the men's and women's team game where a division line slowly develops between "elite" and "b-level" athletes? Are these top name athletes having their cake and eating it too? Perhaps.
Is it fair a duo can win their national championship and compete at a world championship without competing at a MD tour event? How many events this season did you see Hasselborg/Eriksson compete in? Shuster/Christensen? Peterman/Gallant did enter a few of the bigger events in Canada so we will give them a pass. If you a MD specialist in Sweden or USA and you see these nationally funded athletes enter your national championship, without competing on the MD tour this season like you have been, and they win and go to world's....how would you feel? Would you start to ask yourself, "Why bother?"
Again, not a knock on Hasselborg, Eriksson, Shuster or Christensen here. It is not like they were sitting around doing nothing all season either. Hasselborg won a Euro title and reached the world final, not to mention a few slam wins. Eriksson just won another world title. Shuster won a US title. Christensen has been competing on tour with her women's team all season. These are GREAT curlers, all deserving. But is it time to have a bit of a qualification system in place? How can the World Curling Federation support the World Curling Tour's new mixed doubles schedule? Do the member associations need to develop stronger criteria? Or do we leave it as is because the big "elite" names draw the crowds and fans and interest? Tough call.
The other side to the #SuperSpares argument is scheduling. We know when the World Mixed Doubles Championships are. We know there is now always going to be a risk of losing a few big names from the Champions Cup to compete at the world championship. Could we not have #GSOC and #WCF talk to one another? Why are two events competing for athletes? Why are we making athletes choose?
Push back one. Move up one. Something could easily be done, no? Yes I realize the curling season is already becoming longer and longer. And while we are sad to see the season end, lets be honest, we are on the cusp of curling burnout here for athletes and fans alike. Time to put some parameters on the season itself, yes?
It sucks for Champions Cup fans to miss seeing some of their favourite athletes. It sucks for the athletes to miss playing the season-ending tour event, a slam event nonetheless with some nice cash up for grabs. But is also sucks to miss out on the opportunity to represent your country and chase a world title.
Lets be honest here. Nobody is winning in this scenario. Scheduling, scheduling, scheduling. Seems like this could be solved through more effective planning and every stakeholder (ie: Sportsnet, GSOC, WCF) having a simple conversation. Won't somebody think of the fans? LOL
Oh and in case you are "concerned" for your favourite team picking up a #SuperSpare this week, don't be. Spares can bring some new energy and positive luck to a team in a big competition. Just ask the Queen of #SuperSpares Cathy O. or Team Jacobs.
#BanTheTick
And now the second big topic of discussion at the Champions Cup this week. The tick shot. Bye bye tick shot. So long. See ya later. Keep your stones to yourself and don't even try to rub up on mine.
For the 2019 Champions Cup, the tick shot will not be allowed. Welcome to the No Tick Zone! Simple version, in the 8th end and extra end teams will not be allowed to attempt the tick shot. Any rock touching the centre line, again in the 8th end and extra end ONLY, cannot be removed by an opposing team until after the 5th shot of the end.
People are all over the map on this one. To be clear folks, THIS IS NOT NEW! We have seen this rule before. Anyone remember the now forgotten #gsoc event known as the Elite X? I cannot believe I am actually referencing this event in a positive way given my feelings towards it but the Elite X used this rule too.
All the people upset over this, were you upset watching the Elite X? Heck there were people out there who loved the Elite X. I know, right? Huh? Are those same people now upset over this same no tick rule being enforced at the Champions Cup? Ummm, pot meet kettle?
And is this really a surprise? The idea of banning the tick shot has been floated around for years by curling administrators, athletes and fans. In fact one of the first to be very public about his support for #BanTheTick was Catlin Schneider when he joined the #TwineTimeFam. When asked what he would change about the sport he said he would #BanTheTick. BTW, Schneider will be competing in Saskatoon this week with his squad Team Dunstone.
I really do not see this being that big of a deal. Curling wants to keep trying different things to help #growthesport. We need to continue trial and error process. And this isn't even thinking outside the box. This is something we have already tried. Calm your stones folks....
Imagine if they attempted some really out there ideas. The "Golden Rock" rule where one pre-determined stone counts for two points if counting after all rocks have been thrown. Or no timeouts. Or no coaches/alternates at rinkside. Or draw to the button is worth two points.
Or, for Champions Cup, the #SuperSpare could be a man or woman? Imagine those possibilities. John Morris skipping Team Hasselborg this week? Or Eve Muirhead playing third for Team Edin? Lori Olson-Johns as second on Team Gushue? If the scheduling cannot be fixed, why not just allow gender norms out the window for the final event of the season? Maybe the deal has to be your #SuperSpare can be any gender but MUST have curled this season for a team based out of your home province/nation?
Or one of the hundreds of other ideas being thrown around the house.
For it? Against it? Either way, let it be and just enjoy the games folks...at least for now.
The time has come rock heads. It is our FINAL prediction blog post of the season. Dry the eyes, save the tears, lets talk some curling.
Now remember Champions Cup is as the name implies, for champions only! To qualify a team must have won a high-profile event during the season (or last year's Players' Championship and/or Champions Cup).
For some teams listed below they may have qualified via a number of different events. For example, Team Homan qualified for this year's event as the defending champion; however, they also would have qualified via their #gsoc wins at The Tour Challenge Tier I, National or Canadian Open. Due to they already earning their spot, their wins at these other events opened up spots for #wct winners to qualify (ie: Team Wrana, Team Silvernagle, Team Stern).
The women's field saw many previously qualified teams also win other qualification events. Overall, of the 15 original spots in the field, 7 were actually won by already qualified teams. This means rather than only 2 #wct champions making the field we actually will see 8 this year (for comparison last year was 7).
Similar for the men. Team Gushue qualified via the defending champion path. However he also would have earned a spot via his #gsoc win at the 2018 Elite X. His Elite X win opened the door for another team to qualify here (ie: Team Dunstone).
On the men's side, 4 of the original 15 spots belonged to already qualified teams. For 2019 we will see 4 #wct champions in the field, double the allocated 2 (last year was 7).
It is also worth noting some teams declined qualified spots in the field. Team Darcy Robertson decline their invite due to the team disbanding, opening the final qualification spot Team Allison Flaxey (via their DEKALB Superspiel win).
For the men, Team Muirhead and Team Ulsrud declined their spots which in turn opened the door for Team Schwaller and Team Muyres to punch the final two tickets into the field.
So when listing the teams below the event behind their name is the FIRST event they earned qualification through. Again, Homan/Gushue = 2018 Champions Cup.
Got all that? Clear as Paradise, NL fog circa 2015 Tour Challenge right? Bring on the field....
#TourLifePredictions
Humpty's Champions Cup
Saskatoon, SK
2018 Champions: Team Homan (women) and Team Gushue (men)
Format: 15-team RR with 3 pools of 5. Top 8 qualify for the playoff bracket.
WOMEN
Pool ATeams (Qualified): Team Carey (2019 Scotties), Team Homan (Defending Champ), Team Kim (2018 PACC), Team Sinclair (2018 Players), Team Wrana (Shorty Jenkins)
#Fav
Team Homan is going to be the obvious choice here. They have collected another handful of #gsoc titles this season and have already locked up the #1 spot on the blog #PowerRankings and the Pinty's Cup. Oh and they happen to be the defending champion. So everyone aboard the Homan Train right?
Well what if this blog took a detour and sided with Korea's Team Kim as the favourite? Homan is down Joanne Courtney after all. Bringing in Jolene Campbell is great too, she is fully capable of filling those shoes. But something magical on the ice this season with Team Kim. They won the #PACC. They won world championship bronze. They competed at world juniors. And they have qualified in every tour event they entered this season. Why not believe in them here?
#TeamUpset
Speaking of world junior teams, former world junior champ Isabella Wrana is back at the Champions Cup but this time earned her way through a women's tour title. The junior days are now behind her but she continues to win and remind the world there are two #SwedishVikings women's teams to contend with. Wrana has not had the greatest luck at this event mind you, still looking for her first playoff appearance after a 1-3 record in 2017. This has been a solid season for Team Wrana though. Winning the Shorty Jenkins early in the season was a big confidence booster. They also won another title in Paf. This will also be their fourth slam of the season, having competed in the Tour Challenge Tier I, National and Canadian Open. While they have yet to qualify for the playoffs, the experience factor helps. Not quite a threat to win a slam but getting closer to challenging for a playoff spot.
#W2W4
Fatigue. Fatigue. Fatigue. Team Carey, Team Kim and Team Sinclair all competed at the world championships. Team Homan has played a full tour schedule with lots of wins and long events, on top of the skipper being pregnant. Team Wrana has also played a busy schedule with lots of travel around Europe and Canada for their events. All five of these teams could be tired and all five are already susceptible to mental lapses in games. This could be a pool where the first place team emerges with a 2-2 record. Of course now that I have said that watch Homan go 4-0 and win the entire event undefeated.
Projected Standings: 1. Team Homan 2. Team Kim 3. Team Sinclair 4. Team Wrana 5. Team Carey
Pool B
Teams: Team Jones (Canada Cup), Team Hasselborg (2018 Elite X), Team Silvernagle (Red Deer Curling Classic), Team Stern (Tour Challenge Tier II), Team Flaxey (DEKALB Superspiel)
Team Jones. Winner of the first Champions Cup back in 2016. All-time leader in #gsoc titles. SF at the Elite X and National. QF at the Masters, Tour Challenge and Players' Championship. Winner of the Canada Cup. Oh and she is Jennifer Jones.
Team Hasselborg. 2018 Olympic champs. Euro champs. World silver. Winner of the Elite X and Masters. Finalist at the Players. QF at the National. Skipper may be missing but picking up Eve Muirhead is certainly nothing to hang your head about.
Tough to bet against either of these two marked as favourites heading into the event. Of course both are equally able to win but also equally able to perhaps slip up, just look at the Canadian Open when both failed to make the playoffs.
#TeamUpset
I bet you already think you know who I am going to list here right? The home province favs Team Silvernagle right? Nope. Wrong. But more on them in a second.
Nope my #TeamUpset from this pool is Switzerland's Team Stern. This young team has been playing in the shadows of large Swiss players like Tirinzoni, Paetz and Feltscher for the past few years but really made a breakthrough this year. Sure Tirinzoni/Paetz won the world title, keeping Switzerland as a top women's curling nation but the Swiss are not one team ponies either.
Stern has been solid this season. They have hovered around the Top 10 on the Power Rankings most of the season. They won the Tour Challenge Tier II. They won a tour event in Basel. Sure they went winless at the Canadian Open but they picked up a W at The Players' Championship and built some confidence against these elite #gsoc teams. Do not be surprised if they finish 2-2 and are in the TB conversation here.
#W2W4
Here is where we discuss Team Silvernagle. Has any team made this much of a move up the rankings this fast in the final quarter of the season? Look, lets be honest. They did not have the strongest start to their season. They turned a corner in November winning in Red Deer. But the big breakout came at the Canadian Open, another slam event in friendly Saskatchewan remember. They shocked many reaching the QF and were officially moved into #TeamUpset conversation.
But then the strong results continued. They won the Sask title. They won bronze at the Scotties. They reached the SF at the Players' Championship. Notice the #gsoc progression there. QF --> SF --> ?? This is not a #TeamUpset conversation team anymore folks. This is a dark horse contender. A team to watch out for. A team who is now expected to reach the playoffs and is a threat for a deep playoff run.
Is this a long-term move for the team? Are they cemented among the "elite" now? Tough to say. But they are riding the HUGE wave of momentum right now to close out the season. Why bet against them at this point?
Projected Standings: 1. Team Jones 2. Team Silvernagle 3. Team Hasselborg 4. Team Stern 5. Team Flaxey
Pool C
Teams: Team Einarson (Autumn Gold), Team Kovaleva (Prestige Hotels & Resorts Curling Classic), Team Rumyanceva (2019 World Junior Champion), Team Scheidegger (HDF Insurance Shoot-Out), Team Tirinzoni (2019 World Women's Champion)
Is there an true favourite in this group? I am not so sure. Team Einarson is coming off their first #gsoc title together as a new team, winning the Players' Championship. Team Tirinzoni, also a new team this season, won the world title. And Team Scheidegger, a returning team, reached the SF in Toronto.
A case could be made for all 3 of these teams being considered favourites. They all have strong resumes this season. They all know how to win. They are all regular #gsoc threats. But they are all capable of having those down events where they just under perform. Tirinzoni only picked up 1 win at the Players. Einarson the same at the Canadian Open. Scheidegger failed to win a single game at the National.
#TeamUpset
From Russia with love? If we have 3 favourites, does that mean we have 2 #TeamUpsets? Maybe, maybe not. Vlada Rumyanceva is without question the ultimate #TeamUpset in the field. This moniker seems reserved each season at this event for the world junior champion, whomever they should be. This will be the world junior champs first #gsoc event and against this level of competition. Expect to qualify? Probably not. Expect a win? Maybe. Either way this is one of the reasons I love this event. The auto spot for the world junior champs is a true #growthesport moment. The experience this young team will gain from competing here should help them in the future.
As for the other Russian team in this pool, I would not label Team Kovaleva a #TeamUpset. Many may still feel that way but not this blog. They sit #5 on the #PowerRankings. They have been a Top 5 team on the rankings all season. The Russian champs have 3 tour titles, a Euro 4th place finish and will be making their #gsoc debut. Upset because of no #gsoc experience, sure. Upset because of results this season, not even close.
#W2W4
This is the most wide open pool. With all respect to our world junior champs, outside of them a strong case could be made for each of the other 4 teams being more than capable of having a great tournament, winning this pool and making a deep playoff run. Each pool has intriguing RR games this week but watching this pool play out and who can scrap their way to the top is going to be fun. Again, could a 2-2 team win this pool? Or could we see three 3-1 teams atop the standings here? Anything could be possible.
Projected Standings: 1. Team Einarson 2. Team Scheidegger 3. Team Kovaleva 4. Team Tirinzoni 5. Team Rumyanceva
MEN
Pool A
Teams: Team Epping (2018 Masters), Team Gushue (Defending Champion), Team Koe (2018 Players), Team Muyres (Tour Challenge Tier II), Team Schwaller (Stu Sells Oakville)
The #KoeEffect will be in full force this week. A Brier win. A world silver medal. Fresh off runner-up at the Players' Championship, losing to a provincial rival. This team may just arrive in Saskatoon a bit angry and looking to extract revenge on this field.
This team reached Masters and Canada Cup finals this year. They did reach the SF at The National, QF at Tour Challenge and The Canadian Open. Oh and the big incentive I know they care the most about, they are still in contention for the #1 spot atop the blog Power Rankings!! 😏
#TeamUpset
We have co-upset flag bearers here folks. I just couldn't decide on either team being more of #TeamUpset in this pool over the other. Plus, I must admit, I have a secret sporting mancrush on both of these teams.
#MrSmiles, #MrMenOfCurling Kirk Muyres and his #TeamMnM (yes this needs to be a thing folks!) will have home crowd support in Saskatoon. This is a great opportunity to build momentum heading into next season for the rookie team and current Sasky champs. Team MnM have had a solid first season together. Obviously winning the Tour Challenge Tier II was huge but finals appearances in Medicine Hat and DEKALB, a 2-2 record at The National and reaching the championship pool at The Brier are solid results. The Sasky fans are ready for a Sask team to make a deep #gsoc run...could we see two on the men's side and one on the women's to end the season? BTW, if you are looking to make these boys happy, just give them a M&M chocolate bar post-game. I hear they LOVE them! 😋
#HoppSchwiiz will be well represented in Saskatoon though with Team Schwaller. Early into the season this team sat #1 on the Power Rankings after their Stu Sells Oakville win. They also reached the SF in Basel. They went 1-3 at The Masters and 2-2 at The National. Could a similar 2-2 record or better be coming here? Don't undersell this team folks.
#W2W4
This will be a bit of a sad tournament watching Team Epping take the ice. We will once again say farewell to the Laing-Savill front end combo. No need to go into the whole topic again, it has been beaten to death already through social media, message boards and other media outlets. Lets just enjoy seeing an iconic front end duo compete together perhaps for the final time and wish them all best of luck in the future. Team Epping has put together one strong season. Heck they say atop the Power Rankings for a record 24 weeks, basically the entire season.
Projected Standings: 1. Team Koe 2. Team Gushue 3. Team Muyres 4. Team Epping 5. Team Schwaller
Pool B
Teams: Team Edin (2019 World Men's Champion), Team Jacobs (Tour Challenge Tier I), Team Matsumura (2018 PACC), Team Shuster (2019 US Champion), Team Paterson (2018 National)
With or without vice Oskar Eriksson, the #SwedishVikings are going to be considered a favourite here. Team Edin is coming off another world championship win to, in a way, save an average season.
Now before we all get upset with that statement, you all know I have a love for Team Edin and Nik is my boy and one of the guys on tour I have the most respect for. BUT this hasn't been the strongest of seasons for the team either, by their standards. A tour win in Basel was nice. SF at The Masters and Canadian Open. QF at The National and Players' Championship. And the finals appearance at Euro's. Consistent results but not as much winning as we usually see from the Swedish powerhouse. The world championship win was huge to really give back some momentum and confidence to the team on the season.
Jim Cotter should be a nice addition this week too. I think his personality can be a nice fit with Edin in the house and we all know Cotter can make some beauty shots when called upon to do so. This team could finally win this event, after finishing runner-up in 2017.
#TeamUpset
There have been a ton of new teams to watch this season but perhaps none have been more exciting than Scotland's Team Paterson. Honestly I cannot even pinpoint the exact reason why I love this team as much as I do. There is no single reason. I just enjoy watching them play.
They have emerged as a Top 10 on the Power Rankings, creeping around the Top 5 for much of the season. Should they win this event they could finish the year as high as #3. Not a bad debut, hey? They really broke through this season winning The National and come to Saskatoon fresh off a SF finish in Toronto.
Of course do not discredit Japan's Team Matsumura either. When they won the tour event in Oakville to start the season we started to take notice as this being the next big team from Japan. They won another event in Abbotsford and then made their coming out announcement at #PACC winning gold. The current Japanese champs will be making their #gsoc debut so it will be interesting to see how they perform against a strong pool of contenders.
Can Team Paterson be a #TeamUpset still? I suppose hard to say given they are a #gsoc champion now. Team Matsumura finished 4th at the recent world championships and have been a steady climber up the rankings all season. But against a pool with Edin, Jacobs and Shuster....all Olympic-calibre, I suppose both still wave the upset flag by comparison.
#W2W4
International Pool. This is like a mini-world championship almost isn't it. Sweden. Canada. Japan. USA. Scotland. This is what makes grand slam events fun. I actually love seeing a full-on international pool. There is almost an extra layer of pride on the line for each of the teams competing in Pool B. Not only do they want to be successful for their team and make a run to the title but you kind of want to beat the other teams/nations and claim your nation to be the best.
Play for Pride!
Projected Standings: 1. Team Jacobs 2. Team Edin 3. Team Paterson 4. Team Shuster 5. Team Matsumura
Pool C
Teams: Team Bottcher (2019 Canadian Open), Team Dunstone (DEKALB Superspiel), Team Carruthers (Stu Sells Toronto), Team Mouat (2018 European Champion), Team Tardi (2019 World Junior Champion)
The Bottcher Express is rolling into Saskatoon with a ton of firepower, momentum and confidence. Talking about redemption, Bottcher must be feeling it after the week in Toronto.
After failing to defend his AB title and losing the Brier final to his AB rival, knocking off Koe and winning back-to-back #gsoc titles has this train on the right track and steamrolling towards a season-ending #1 finish atop the rankings. The Players' win also marked the 3rd slam final of the season for these boys, who lost the Tour Challenge Tier I final earlier in the season. How is this for a slam season? Three events played. Three finals. Two titles. Yikes!
#TeamUpset
The #TardiParty returns to the Champions Cup for a second consecutive year. This is the reward for dominating the world junior scene over the past few years. The young B.C. team did have a solid season on tour, mainly playing events close to home. They won the King Cash and reached the final in Kelowna. But can this finally be their slam breakout?
Last year the team made their #gsoc debut and finished 1-3, just missing the playoffs. One year later, more experience and some strong tour results could make a 2-2 or even 3-1 record a real possibility. We sometimes forget this is a junior team still given they have been under the curling spotlight for a few years now. This is a solid team and Tardi is quickly establishing himself as THE future of Canadian curling. It would be great to see them in the TB discussion after the RR here.
#W2W4
Can anyone derail the Bottcher Express? In this pool, maybe not to be honest. Mouat has the strongest resume, winning the Euro championship this season and reaching the playoffs at the world championship. But, outside of those results, it has been an average season (again, by their standards compared to last year).
Dunstone looked strong early in the season, faltered a bit in losing the Sasky final, but still has an event to prepare for post-Champions Cup as they will compete in the Curling World Cup Grand Final.
McCarruthers has looked.....well, it hasn't been as easy of a season as most people expected heading into the year as a new team. If any team in this entire field, men or women, needs a strong result and playoff run here it would be this team. The Bottcher Express train is rolling while the McCarruthers train is close to falling off the track.
Projected Standings: 1. Team Bottcher 2. Team Mouat 3. Team Dunstone 4. Team Tardi 5. Team Carruthers
Women's Qualifiers: Team Homan, Team Jones, Team Einarson, Team Kim, Team Silvernagle, Team Scheidegger, Team Sinclair, Team Kovaleva
Men's Qualifiers: Team Koe, Team Jacobs, Team Bottcher, Team Gushue, Team Edin, Team Mouat, Team Paterson, Team Dunstone
WOMEN'S #ChampionsCup FINAL: Team Jones def. Team Silvernagle
MEN'S #ChampionsCup FINAL: Team Koe def. Team Paterson
What say you rock heads? Agree with the prediction? Disagree? How do you think some of these new super spare pairings will work out? Could one or two of them lead to championship glory or will the new team formations struggle?
Share your thoughts via social media using the hashtag #HumptysChampionsCup and remember to cheer on your favourites throughout the week.
#StayTuned
Don't forget the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships and World Senior Curling Championships are happening NOW in Norway. ICYMI, the #TwineTime blog has your #WMDCC2019 Preview to know who are the contenders, upsets and possible podium threats. PLUS you keep your eyes on the World Curling Federation site for all your score updates.
While the season may be ending, the blog is not quite ready to put the rocks away. The competition on the ice may be over (ok minus the Curling World Cup Grand Final) but the curling blog coverage still has a season-ending post to share.
That's right rock heads...the return of the Golden Granite Awards!! The #GoldenGranite Awards have become an annual #TwineTime tradition handing out awards like Team of the Year, Surprise Team of the Year and Underachiever Team of the Year. ICYMI take a look back at our 2018 Award Winners.
Do YOU have an award category you think should be added to the #GoldenGranite Awards? Share via social media a category idea and maybe it will make the slate this year. The blog by a fan for the fans is always willing to hear what you think rock heads.
In saying this, there is one NEW category YOU can have a say in NOW. Which team/player do you think best uses social media? Who has the best team hashtag? Start sending your favourites to @twinetime14 and I will put together the full list. The week of the #GoldenGranite Awards the blog will host a twitter poll where YOU will decide who takes home the first-ever Social Media Golden Granite Award.
AND last but certainly not least, FANTASY CURLING!!! This blog has been CRAVING fantasy curling for a few seasons and we may finally have the answer to our prayers folks. Thanks to Scott Chu developing a pilot fantasy curling game for the Champions Cup. If you have questions or suggestions on fantasy curling for next season connect with him via twitter @ChusephEsquire.
Enjoy the Champions Cup!
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