S2223 W Preview

#BetweenTheSheets: Women's Season Preview

Hot Topics, #TeamUpset, #PowerRankings and Predictions

Are we finally here?

Are we actually ready to discuss a new curling season?

Are we excited?

The answer to all those questions is a resounding "YES!!"

Hopefully everyone has enjoyed the summer months, survived the extremely warm weather and is ready to cool down with some winter sport chatter.

We have A LOT to discuss rock heads.

Let's get the preview posts started with the women's season preview.

Since it is still hovering around +30C in Calgary, seems appropriate to dive right into those Hot Topics while I struggle to survive in a home with no air conditioning and west-facing windows (maybe send water bombs and help).

#HotTopics

A Change will do you good? Or will it??

We all know the hot topic of the season will be seeing how all these new teams play out. Which will work? Which will not? Which will change by the end of the season? Which find success and get a broom up on the competition heading into the next Olympic cycle?

There are so many team changes. I will not even attempt to summarize it all.

CurlingGeek has done THE BEST job at tracking all the changes: http://teams.curlinggeek.com/

From staying together to splitsville to new look. Not to mention those who are still free agents. Those who are focusing on mixed doubles. Those who are taking a break and those who have retired. It is all covered.

And there are big names on these lists. Jennifer Jones. Rachel Homan. Tracy Fleury. Silvana Tirinzoni. Alina Paetz. Casey Scheidegger. Kaitlyn Lawes. Chelsea Carey. Jill Brothers. Laura Walker.

We know the changes, now we await the results.

Sheryl Crow sang how "A Change Would Do You Good" but sometimes it does not.

Which teams will find change management a success? And which will move back into Splitsville?

The only certain thing we can count on is knowing both will happen throughout the season to many teams. Not all will find success, lets just face the facts.

Will your favourite new look team survive the season? #StayTuned

Schedule Mishap?

This will be a small rant but one worth mentioning.

The Autumn Gold Curling Classic has become a mainstay on the women's curling schedule. It attracts THE top teams from around the world to Calgary over Thanksgiving weekend in October every year.

The event is well hosted by the Calgary Curling Club. Greatly supported by Curler's Corner. And brings together a large crowd to enjoy the action on the ice.

This is a staple for the curling community.

And yet, here we are in 2022 seeing the event being moved from the schedule to Halloween weekend.

Why?

The Grand Slam of Curling's BOOST National hits the ice from October 4 - 9. Thanksgiving Monday is October 10.

An event often argued to be the best event on tour (sometimes noted to have a stronger overall field than a slam), right below the #GSOC events, has to be moved because of a scheduling conflict.

How did we get here people?

While this may seem minor, it does potentially open the flood gates.

We always knew the #GSOC events ran the season calendar but this is further proof. Should we not be wanting to protect some of these long-standing, successful tour events?

Thankfully the Autumn Gold is able to still take place this season even with the schedule change. And, hopefully, this is a one-season deal where the event can go back to its regular space on schedule during Thanksgiving weekend.

But what it if hadn't been able to move? Imagine an event of high-calibre, and a former #GSOC event, being cancelled this season because of the #GSOC schedule?

The slams are supposed to heighten the sport. In this instance, it almost hinders the sport and the tour.

I get trying to squeeze all the slam events into a season can be tough, especially looking at the backwards timeline of a cut off date for qualification. Add in Euro's and the new Pan-Continental plus provincial/territorial playdowns and Scotties/Brier, it almost seems impossible.

Maybe we have too many slams? Maybe we only need the Big 4. It works for tennis.

What if those "next level" big events, like the Autumn Gold, were promoted to a Tier 1000 level? A level right below the Big 4. Knock the Tour Challenge into this category as well if you need to keep it.

We do not want to lose the "grassroots" feel of the sport and the tour by bumping events to consolidate scheduling for grand slam events.

It is not easy on the hosting committees. It is not easy on the tour event curling club. It is not easy on the volunteers. It is not easy on the teams when trying to schedule their season.

Everyone takes the L in instances like this.

Hopefully this is a one-off and we do not see a similar fate for the Autumn Gold or other major tour events in the future.

But we are now travelling down the slippery slope....

Rankings, Rankings, Rankings

Which also leads us into the on-going debate of rankings. Come on TwineTime fans, you knew we couldn't start a season preview without this topic.

I don't know why you gaggin', I bring it to you every season :)

There are changes to the ranking system (again) this season. Here is the easy rundown of those changes: https://worldcurling.org/2022/08/wctrs-review/

Strength of field calculations have been adjusted. Oh yay....we know how I feel about this one.

The rolling system cannot be applied. The rationale here being due to the "upheaval of team rosters" this season. Bleh...not a big fan of this excuse. Rotating teammates is new to the sport? New to a new quadrennial? Should we not have foreseen this based on 2015 and 2019 seasons? This could have been easily fixed with forward planning folks.

However, we do see a set calculations for set point events, like a world championship or #GSOC events. This is a step in the right direction. And it is moving closer to the proposed #TwineTime system, dating back to August 24, 2016 by the way.

The rankings system should be more black & white. It should be easy to understand and follow for the teams, the athletes and the fans.

We may be getting closer to that world but we have not hit it yet.

Remember, as pointed out in the proposed system in 2016, a set ranking system only benefits the tour, the teams, the sponsors and the host clubs.

Having a set event ranking designation can be helpful in securing sponsorships, recruiting teams to compete and overall marketing of an event.

There are no "lesser than" events but rather each event is unique. Tour 500 or Tour 250 events are not "less than" a Tour 1000 or Tour 750 event. It just brings with it its own unique way of marketing.

It is just simple PR 101.

We need a ranking system that makes sense. After this season, lets see how close we are to actually getting there.

Some within the sport have been hyper-critical of my thoughts and opinions towards this topic. I will try to keep an open mind and see how it plays out folks. I will try...

What are we playing for?

The first post-Olympic season almost feels a bit anti-climatic at times. What are we playing for?

There are still national championships up for grabs. A world championship. Plus #GSOC titles and tour titles and ranking points, which can lead to increased sponsorship and funding.

It is not a "throw away" season by any means. But it doesn't feel as thrilling or dramatic as what we just came from in 2021/2022.

There are no Olympic qualification points up for grabs.

So this season is more of a micro-season if you will. We are just focusing on the "now" and not as concerned about the "later".

It is a season for new look teams to try it out, see how it works and, if it doesn't, you can make still make adjustments before the next Olympic cycle officially hits the ice next season.

What is the Over/Under on how many new teams stick it out for the full Olympic cycle anyway? 5.5? 9.5? 11.5? Who knows?

This is the season where we will get some of those answers though.

Eve Muirhead Retirement

This is a big one. Eve Muirhead has been a regular fixture on the curling ice since her first Euro appearance in 2008. She has competed at 13 ECC with a medal haul of 3 G - 5 S - 2 B.

She has represented Scotland at 9 world championships, earning a medal of each colour.

And she has represented Great Britain at 4 Winter Olympics, winning gold in 2022 and bronze in 2014.

Not to mention being an 8-time Scottish women's champion, 4-time world junior champion and current world mixed doubles champion.

It has been only 11 days since her announcement and the curling world is still "mourning" her decision.

While the rock heads around the world celebrate her career resume and decision to step away while on top, it is still sad as Muirhead is a fan favourite at every event she competes at. She will be missed!

The retirement also causes quite a ripple effect for Scottish curling. Now what?

Muirhead is gone. Jennifer Dodds has decided to put her focus on mixed doubles.

Opportunity and pressure for the #NextGen Scottish female athletes. How do they respond?

It is not like Scotland is left with no strong female curlers folks. Beth Farmer. Rebecca Morrison. Fay Henderson. Gina Aitken. Sophie Jackson.

Morrison, Aitken and Jackson are curling together this season with Morrison as skip, Aitken as vice and Jackson as lead. They should be considered the front runner to replace Muirhead right now.

Her Scottish competitors must have mixed emotions. Sad to see a strong competitor retire. Happy to see their opportunity possibly increase. Uneasy in knowing the pressure is on.

What happens next in Scotland? Stay Tuned!!

#TeamUpset

The blog is always on the look out for the next #TeamUpset challenger(s) who can make waves on the ice and surprise a few of those top contenders.

For a team to earn #TeamUpset consideration, they need to be ranking outside the Top 20 to start the season.

Here are 5 teams with #TeamUpset potential:

1. Team Galusha (NWT, #21) - Falling just outside the Top 20 cutoff, I wavered on including the #PolarPower here just because of that #21 ranking. But then we remember what Team Galusha accomplished last season with the strong tour results and reaching the playoffs at the Scotties. We have not seen this strong of a women's team from NWT and perhaps they are listed as a #TeamUpset based on geography alone? The question this season is where does this team really fall? Are they a regular contender? Still a #TeamUpset challenger? Or was last season a one-off?

2. Team Holland (SK, #25) - With Saskatchewan wide open this season, the team who made no off-season moves may just move into front runner status for the Sask title. And why not? This team has come so close to making the leap to Top 20 / Scotties contender for the past few seasons. When change is falling all around you, sometimes the best move to make is sit still and watch the roof cave in everywhere else. Do not be surprised to see past Scotties champ Amber Holland back on Scotties ice this season.

3. Team Yoshimura (Japan, #39) - I was almost taken aback by the low ranking for this team to be honest. But since they fall outside the Top 20, they are eligible for this #TeamUpset mention. But it doesn't feel right either, does it? This is no up and coming team. This is a strong force in Japanese curling, just ask main rival Team Fujisawa. Not to mention they have already won back-to-back events in August. Same team line-up since the 2018/19 season and they did reach a #GSOC final remember (2019 Masters). I would not enjoy seeing this team listed next to mine on a triple knockout format.

4. Team Jaeggi (Switzerland, #34) - Team Tirinzoni will garner most of the attention in Switzerland once again (and rightfully so) but if they falter just a bit, Michele Jaeggi and her new-look team will be ready to pounce. I really like this team and think they could surprise many this season. The addition of Irene Schori at vice creates a formidable back end double-knockout punch full of international experience. Plus they just reached the SF at the Super Series event in Stirling to start the season. This team may not get a ton of attention but curling fans, keep your eyes on them. You heard it here first!

5. Team Constantini (Italy, #59) - When your team is skipped by an Olympic champ, you deserve a spot on this list. This will be a big season for Stefania Constantini. She is coming off the MD gold medal in Beijing. Italy is gearing up as the next host nation for the 2026 Winter Olympics. There may be some pressure on her but also a large sense of excitement. There has not been this much excitement around Italian women's curling since Diana Gaspari won Euro silver in 2006. And remember, Constantini is only 23 years old. How she handles the increased sense of attention, and expectation, this season will say alot about this next Olympic cycle for the home nation.

#PowerRankings

1. Team Hasselborg (Sweden)

The 2022 Olympic bronze medal winners start the season in the #1 spot and it will be hard to knock them off the top of the mountain.

Unlike most teams on this list, and competing this season, this team is in tact for another Olympic cycle. Having won gold and bronze on Olympic ice already, their competition must have been a bit disappointed to hear they are back together.

And while they have won almost everything they set their sights on, the world championship still remains the elusive title missing from the resume. And you can bet they have their sights set on it this year, especially with the championship taking place in Sandviken, Sweden.

But the team did not escape the "change bug" either. Recently it was announced Coach Wayne Middaugh would not be with the team going forward. Middaugh brought a lot to the table for the team.

We know this is a strong team but the loss of a great coach can have some ripple effects, even if just minor or early-on.

2. Team Einarson (Manitoba)

Similar to above, the Canadian champs did not make waves during the off-season. They are back to #DefendTheIce as Team Canada and they remain the top Canadian women's team until someone can prove they are better.

Team Einarson will continue to chase #HERstory as well when they seek a 4th straight Scotties Tournament of Hearts title next February. Not to mention they will be the 1st Canadian women's team to compete at the new Pan-Continental Curling Championship, a world championship qualifier.

It will be a bit daunting for their opposition this season as most will be trying to play catch up, not just on the ice but coming together and forming a strong team bond off the ice as well.

The champs did not have to worry about any of that during the summer months. And that makes them even more dangerous!

3. Team Fujisawa (Japan)

There may be a theme here. The teams who stay together, remain atop the mountain...for now!

The Beijing 2022 silver medal winners will look to build off the Olympic momentum and land Japan their first world champion.

Team Fujisawa has been knocking on the door for a few years. During the last Olympic cycle, the team's win-loss records were: 51-29 (2019), 61-26 (2020), 14-8 (2021) and 46-20 (2022).

They play a lot. They win a lot.

The most shocking stat for this team is the fact they have not competed at a world championship since 2016, often coming up short in the Japan Curling Championship. They won the 2020 title but the 2020 world championship was cancelled due to COVID.

They did win the 2022 Japan Curling Championship, earning them a spot at the Pan-Continental Curling Championship in October in Calgary.

If they can make it back to the world championship in 2023, watch out!!

4. Team E. Kim (South Korea)

Another team with no shake up over the off-season, it will be interesting to see which Team Kim shows up this season.

This is a team who defines the word "resiliency" in sport.

From the off-ice issues following the 2018 Winter Olympics (where they won silver lets remember) to making a comeback during COVID seasons to the up's and down's of last season, there is no "quit" in this team.

The 2022 Olympics were a disappointment but they rebounded at the world championship, winning a silver medal and turning some heads in the process.

Sure, their strategy sessions may raise eyebrows at times but when they make the shots and score the wins, does it really matter how they got there?

Resilient. Unorthodox. Exciting.

5. Team Homan/Fleury (Ontario)

Our first "new look" team to land on the Power Rankings...and no surprise why they are the first.

When Tracy Fleury and Rachel Homan join forces, Canadian curling teams have to quiver just a bit in their slider.

Fleury was the #1 ranked team in the world for the majority of last season. Homan has been to the top of the mountain many times before. Combine the resumes and you have yourself a force to be reckoned with...at least on paper.

Obviously the big question is whether the team dynamic can translate to results on the ice.

Fleury is designated as the skip of the team but will throw vice stones.

Homan will remain tossing the fourth stones.

And Emma Miskew will be moving to second.

The players have the dynamics and skills to play any position but it is all about how it comes together. Do they start out of the gate strong and easily find the winning ways? Or will it take a few events to work it all out?

Either way, this is a new team to view as a marathon and not a sprint...at least for this season.

6. Team Tirinzoni (Switzerland)

When Esther Neuenschwander and Melanie Barbezat announced their leave from the game, international opposition must have shared a small sigh of relief.

As the only team to win a world championship in the last Olympic cycle (just let that fact soak in again folks!), the competition must have thought the doors of opportunity might be knocking.

And then Silvana Tirinzoni and Alina Paetz made the announcement of adding Briar Huerlimann and Carole Howald to the team.

Howald has 5 world championship gold medals to her credit. Huerlimann is considered on the best #NextGen athletes in Swiss curling.

This team is still strong and is still a threat to continue their Swiss Domination.

Even if it takes a bit of time for the front end to come together, which I don't think will take that long to be honest, the back end is still the Dynamic Duo who have dominated world championship ice the past 4 seasons.

They may look a bit different but the champs are still here....and they are not loosening the grasp on their trophy anytime soon.

7. Team Scheidegger (Alberta)

The coveted #7 spot belongs to the team who could become the biggest surprise of the season.

When Team Scheidegger announced their break-up, many were wondering what would happen next. Could this be the end of seeing fan favourite Casey Scheidegger?

Hardly! The sister duo joined forces with former rivals Kate Cameron and Taylor McDonald (previously together on Team Walker).

Bring on the Alberta Super Team!

All eyes will be on the back end of this team, watching how Scheidegger and Cameron gel together. They have different personalities, which can make or break a team. If they play off one another's strengths, which minimizes their individual weaknesses, this could be the breakout team of the season.

Expect them to be a heavy fan favourite as well.

And ICYMI, check out the #FreeAgentFrenzy podcast episode with Casey Scheidegger HERE. She breaks it all down folks.

8. Team Lawes (Manitoba)

Tracy Fleury made the move back home to Ontario leaving her Manitoba teammates to find new teams.

Team Jennifer Jones made the hard decision to break up at the end of last season (wishing Dawn McEwen all the best off the ice).

Bring some of those rival teams together and we have a similar format to Team Scheidegger in Alberta.

Is this the new Manitoba Super Team? (Yes, I am sure Team Einarson will have some say in that!)

Kaitlyn Lawes is back skipping her own team, joining forces with Team Fleury teammates Selena Njegovan and Kristin MacCuish and Alberta transplant Jocelyn Peterman.

This team can have a power punch to the opposition. And with no Einarson to compete with at the Manitoba Scotties, this team should start the season as the pre-favourite to win the Buffalo.

The question is how long it takes them to get going. Lawes has not skipped her own team since her junior championship days in 2008 and 2009.

Fans are assuming the skipping duties will be like riding a bicycle, you never forget how to do it.

The question is how many spins around the block will it take to get back up to speed?

9. Team Peterson (USA)

Fresh off a second straight Olympic appearance, Tabitha Peterson may be the best hope for an American world champion.

When we last saw her on world championship ice (2021), the team won a bronze medal. Due to the Olympics last season, they were unable to compete at the world championship.

In stocks we talk about buy low, sell high. I think this team is still under the "buy low" lens. We know they can turn heads on the tour circuit but are still missing those bigger breakthrough moments on #GSOC ice and we are still wondering if they can follow-up the 2021 world bronze medal win.

But they are trending in the right direction, hence the "buy low" but "buy now" idea.

This will be a slightly altered team this season as Cory Christensen will join the team at vice, replacing Nina Roth.

The USA has only won one world championship (2003 - Team Debbie McCormick). Can Peterson become the second?

10. Team McCarville (Northern Ontario)

You will be hard pressed to find another team more beloved by curling fans, from any province/territory/country, than Team McCarville.

I have been to many events over the years and if Team McCarville is competing on the ice, you know there will be loud cheers in the stands for every shot they make.

Everyone knows the story and has read the quotes about this team finding the perfect life/work/curl balance that works for all members of the team.

Hopefully this season we can finally put an end to those "if this team curled more, imagine what they could do" statements. Folks, that statement minimizes their decision. We don't need to say it anymore. And Krista and company don't need to hear it nor be asked about it anymore either.

One thing we can always count on, if you see Team McCarville under the "Teams Competing" list for an event, consider them a strong playoff contender and championship challenger.

From Pride Brooms to fan favourites to having the "skillz to pay the billz", Team McCarville is always a team to watch out for and rightfully deserving of the #10 spot on the #PowerRankings.

#TourLifePredictions

2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts: Team Canada (Team Einarson) def. Alberta (Team Scheidegger)

2023 Women's World Curling Championship: Sweden (Team Hasselborg) def. Canada (Team Einarson)

2022/2023 #1 World Ranking (End of Season): Team Hasselborg

#StayTuned

The men's season preview is settling into the hack and ready to hit the house SOON.

Have thoughts on the preview above? Agree or disagree with the Power Rankings? The predictions? Or do you have a #TeamUpset challenger you are looking forward to seeing?

Share your thoughts in the comment section below and/or on social media.

We are entering <hopefully> a full, real season of curling rock heads. The athletes are ready to go.

Lets up the fan engagement this season as well!

The women hit the ice this upcoming weekend at the Summer Series event in St-Felicien, Quebec and the Curling Stadium Alberta Curling Series event in Leduc, Alberta.

We really need to work on some of these event names though....just sayin'

#THANKYOU

I need to send a HUGE thank you for every curling athlete and fan who supported the #ForTheKids online auctions over the past few years.

The donations rolled in from athletes all over the world, willing to donate a jersey to help raise funds for a great cause.

The recent auction, and BONUS auction, wrapped up only a few weeks ago and raised a total of $5,499.

The auction in 2020 raised $3,202.

Overall, my fundraising efforts provided a donation of $12,629.46 to Kids Up Front Calgary.

I am beyond thankful to everyone who supported these efforts, whether through a donation or making a bid or sharing the link. Or all of the above.

The curling community came together and I am a bit speechless.

THANK YOU!!