#BetweenTheSheets: World Mixed Curling Championship Preview
Ready to crown the first world champion of the season?
The Season of Champions is upon us.
While the tour season has been underway for a number of weeks, the World Curling Federation Season of Champions is about to hit the ice for their first championship.
And this is a special one....namely because it has not been held since 2019 due to COVID.
We may have missed out on a 2020 and 2021 championship BUT curling fans can get excited for the 2022 World Mixed Curling Championship!
Now remember this is mixed curling, not mixed doubles.
This event will feature national representative teams of 4 with a balance of each gender on the ice.
There are no rules around who can skip, meaning we can have female skips and male skips with a female skip facing off against a male skip.
Gender identity is not a factor when it comes to competing on the ice.
As the saying goes, if You Can Play, You Can Play!
Here is your brief history lesson to get you caught up on the World Mixed Curling Championship:
🥌 The championship event began in 2015, replacing the European Mixed Curling Championship and becoming a true world championship rather than a continental championship.
🥌 Norway (Skip: Steffen Walstad) secured the first world championship in 2015, defeating Sweden (Skip: Rasmus Wrana) in the final.
🥌 Canada will attempt to #DefendTheIce AND pull the #3peat in 2022 after winning the title in 2018 and 2019. Canada is the only nation to have won multiple world mixed championships.
🥌 Other world champions include: Russia (Skip: Alexander Krushelnitskiy) in 2016 and Scotland (Skip: Grant Hardie) in 2017.
🥌 Aberdeen, Scotland will become the first city to host the championship in multiple years and in succession after hosting in 2019. Aberdeen was named as host for 2020 and 2021 but both were cancelled due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic.
🥌 Other host cities in the past include: Bern, SUI (2015), Kazan, RUS (2016), Champery, SUI (2017) and Kelowna, CAN (2018).
🥌 Russia and Canada have used home ice advantage to claim titles in 2016 and 2018. Outside of those two results, previous host nations have failed to advance beyond the QF round.
🥌 Overall, Canada has won the most world championship medals with 3 (2 G, 1 S). Norway, Russia and Scotland have each won 1 gold and 1 bronze while Sweden has 2 silver results. Other podium finishers include: Germany and Spain (silver), China and Czech Republic (bronze).
You now know enough to wow your fellow curling fans with some Jeopardy category answers while cheering on your home nation / favourite team.
Bring on the first world championship preview for the season. And note, there are a few tour events happening this weekend and the blog has you covered with some quick #TourLifePredictions for those events.
LOTS of rocks being thrown so settle into the hack and get ready to go...
#WMxCC2022 Preview
Aberdeen, SCO
2021 Champion: Not held (Last Champion Canada - 2019)
Format: 35 team RR with 3 groups of 9 and 1 group of 8. Top 3 in each group advance to the playoffs. Group winners directly advance to the QF round.
Group A
Nations: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, India, Korea, New Zealand, Portugal, Slovenia
#Fav:
Tough to bet against the two-time defending champ Canada. Sure the team is not the same...but it rarely ever is with mixed curling.
Yet here Canada is entering the competition winning two in a row with two different teams.
And this 2022 team is stacked with talent. Skip Jean-Michel Menard is a Brier champion and world silver medal winner (2006).
Marie-France Larouche and Annie Lemay won Scotties silver (2004) and bronze (2009) together.
Not to mention Larouche has competed in 10 Scotties overall and Lemay in 9. Menard has competed in 11 Brier's.
This is a team with a stacked resume overall and should be considered strong favourites not only to win this group but secure a Canadian #3peat.
#TeamUpset:
India will be making their World Curling event debut this week. This is another example of how we see a #growthesport mentality around the world.
While expectations may be quite timid for a debut nation, welcoming India onto the ice and adding another nation to the world championship roster is a win for India and the sport overall.
But if we look at #TeamUpset from the lens of a team who could make some noise and surprise a few nations along the way, you may want to keep your eyes on Hong Kong.
The backend duo of Jason Chang and Ling-Yue Hung will be making their fourth world mixed appearance with a previous best result of a 4-3 RR record in 2019, just missing the playoffs.
The duo have also represented Hong Kong at two World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships and both skip the national men's and women's teams. They will be in Calgary for the inaugural Pan Continental Curling Championships at the end of the month.
Is this the time we see Hong Kong make a move and reach a world championship playoff bracket?
#W2W4:
We say in mixed doubles, the couple that curls together, stays together. Could a similar motto be used in mixed?
There will be two family-based national teams competing in this pool.
Denmark is comprised of a complete immediate family team with both parents and both children rounding out the lineup.
Mikael (skip) and Trine (lead) Qvist will bookend their children Gabriella (vice) and Alexander (second) while competing.
Portugal will also have familia relations on the ice as Joe Ribau (lead) is the father to the remaining members of the team: Bridget (skip), Chris (vice) and Sabrina (second).
Another fun fact about Team Portugal? Bridget and Sabrina are twin sisters!
Perhaps we see a family takeover this year?
#PopcornMatch:
Canada vs. Denmark (Draw 7) - Canada will be overwhelming favourites for the group but Denmark could become a challenger with a win in this RR game.
Denmark vs. Hong Kong (Draw 11) - If Hong Kong is to make a playoff push, they will need to knock off the Danish family to have a solid chance at advancing.
Projected Standings: 1. Canada, 2. Finland, 3. Honk Kong, 4. Korea, 5. Denmark, 6. New Zealand, 7. Slovenia, 8. Portugal, 9. India
Group B
Nations: Croatia, Spain, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, USA, Wales
#Fav:
Germany is the defending silver medal winners and should once again be considered a major championship contender.
Similar to Canada above, the team may be different but the talent is equally as high.
And, keeping with our family theme, three of the four members are related with the Sutor siblings leading the way: Kim (vice), Josh (second), Joy (lead).
Even team coach has a familia bond as Uli Sutor is the father to the three siblings.
They will be skipped by #NextGen (and Curling Cares calendar stud) Sixten Totzek, who just happens to also skip his men's team with Josh Sutor.
This is a team who are very familiar with one another, close friends on and off the ice, which makes them even more dangerous.
Expect a deep playoff run here.
#TeamUpset:
Could Adrian Meikle take Wales back into the playoff bracket?
Meikle has won a mixed championship before, taking home gold at the 2007 European Mixed Curling Championship.
He has also competed in 1 world championship (1995), 3 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship (2014, 2016, 2017) and 22 European Curling Championships.
He has the international experience to make some noise here. But can he lead his team to the playoffs and knock off some of the stronger teams in this pool?
#W2W4:
This is the one group with 8 teams, meaning each nation will only play 7 games.
Could the one less game help or hinder the teams in this grouping?
But one less game could also be an advantage for stamina and energy, should a team from this group make a deep playoff run to the championship.
This is a talented pool with a handful of teams very capable of pulling off a few playoff wins and reaching the podium.
#PopcornMatch:
Spain vs. USA (Draw 2) - After Germany, these are the two nations probably favoured to advance. They meet in the opening game for both. The winner will have a huge early advantage in the standings and gain momentum heading into the week. The loser will have work to do to catch the front-runners.
Germany vs. Spain (Draw 6) - The two most recent silver medal winning nations face off early in the competition in what could be the difference maker to top the pool and earn the bye to the QF. Spain is a very dangerous team folks!
USA vs Wales (Draw 10) - This game may become a de facto elimination game with the winner looking good for a playoff spot and the loser likely going home early.
Projected Standings: 1. Germany, 2. Spain, 3. USA, 4. Wales, 5. Estonia, 6. Italy, 7. Netherlands, 8. Croatia
Group C
Nations: Australia, Austria, England, Hungary, Luxemburg, Mexico, Scotland, Switzerland, Slovakia
#Fav:
World mixed experience will be a telling factor in this group and Scotland's Cameron Bryce has a great early advantage.
Bryce has been here before, winning bronze in 2016.
Not to mention Bryce skips his own men's team on tour and is coming off a tour title in Estonia at the beginning of the month.
Scotland will have the home nation fan support, which should help bolster the team towards a championship run aiming to claim Scotland's second world title.
#TeamUpset:
Speaking of experience, how about Australia's Hugh Millikin?
Millikin may be Canadian-born but he bleeds Australia.
He has represented Australia at 11 world championships and 2 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships. He has also competed at 1 Winter Olympics (1992) and 24 Pacific-Asia Curling Championships, winning the #PACC title 9 times.
Can he rekindle the magic of the past and lead the Aussies to a playoff run?
We have seen Australia become a force on the mixed doubles circuit, is this the year for similar results from the mixed national champs as welll?
#W2W4:
After Scotland, this group could be considered wide-open.
Switzerland should be a main challenger with Australia, England, Hungary and Slovakia right behind.
This is one group where each draw these teams step on the ice could, in theory, become make or break games towards qualification.
We know the group winner will advance to the QF but will the rest of the group end up devouring themselves in RR play?
Queue the "Survivor" theme music now!
#PopcornMatch:
Australia vs. Switzerland (Draw 3) - This game may give an early look into which team is best positioned to challenge Scotland atop the group. This will be Australia's first RR game but will be Switzerland's second. Early advantage for the Swiss?
England vs. Hungary (Draw 20) - This may be the second-last RR game for both teams but it could become a de facto elimination game as well. Both should be in the running for a Top 2/3 finish in the group entering this game. Winner has a chance. Loser probably goes home.
Australia vs. Scotland (Draw 22) - This will be the final RR game for both teams. Expectation is Scotland will have locked down the QF bye at this point but Australia may need this win to qualify.
Projected Standings: 1. Scotland, 2. Switzerland, 3. Hungary, 4. Australia, 5. England, 6. Slovakia, 7. Austria, 8. Mexico, 9. Luxemburg
Group D
Nations: Czech Republic, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden, Chinese Taipei, Ukraine
#Fav:
Welcome to Nordic Nation!
Group D will probably turn out to be Nordic domination with Norway and Sweden being co-favourites in the group.
Both are fielding strong teams full of championship and tour experience.
Sweden will be lead by backend duo (and mixed doubles partners) Robin Ahlberg and Therese Vestman. The duo is coming off a mixed doubles finals appearance last weekend.
They also add Johannes Patz at second. Patz won Euro mixed gold in 2014 and finished 5th at the 2017 World Mixed Curling Championship. Patz is also coming off a Nordic Curling Tour event title with his men's team (skipped by Fredrik Nyman).
Norway has a counter-punch of familiar names as well: Alexander Lindstrom (skip), Maia Ramsfjell (vice), Christoffer Svae (second) and Pia Trulson (lead).
Lindstrom won the 2011 world junior title, curling out of native Sweden with skip Oskar Eriksson.
Svae is a world men's (2014) and two-time European (2010, 2011) champion. Not to mention also a three-time Olympian (2010, 2014, 2018).
Ramsfjell has competed in 4 European championships and 2 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships and is the skip of the defending Norwegian women's champions.
Trulson has won this championship before, playing lead on Norway's inaugural title in 2015.
Both of these teams are STACKED!!
#TeamUpset:
Ukraine will be a sentimental favourite here for obvious reasons. But do not think they are just here to earn respect. They are here to play.
Ukraine is coming off a surprise silver medal finish at the ECC C Division competition in May, earning promotion to the 2022 ECC B Division this upcoming November.
Eduard Nikolov (skip) and Yaroslav Shchur (second) are the backend members of the Ukraine men's team so they are playing on a bit of high in 2022.
Can they keep waving the #TeamUpset flag at a world championship?
#W2W4:
If Norway and Sweden are the overwhelming favourites here, who can snag the final playoff spot in the group?
Ireland may be considered a top challenger. The Irish are skipped by John Wilson, who is also the skip of the Ireland men's team. Who defeated Ukraine to win the ECC C Division in May? Ireland.
Czech Republic could be a threat as well. They field a team with mixed podium experience as vice Karolina Frederiksen won European Mixed Curling Championship silver in 2008.
Japan and Latvia have also proven to be playoff challengers in the past and could make some noise in a wide-open group for the final playoff spot.
#PopcornMatch:
Czech Republic vs. Ireland (Draw 2) - This will be the opening game for both teams and could ultimately be the decider on who advances out of the group. As mentioned above, both should be in the running for a playoff spot.
Norway vs. Sweden (Draw 17) - No surprise here. This should decide which team earns the bye to the QF as group winners and which team has to play in the qualification round.
Ireland vs. Ukraine (Draw 19) - This will be the final RR game for both teams. Can Wilson get the better of Nikolov once again? Will the winner of this game have a shot at 3rd place?
Projected Standings: 1. Norway, 2. Sweden, 3. Czech Republic, 4. Ireland, 5. Japan, 6. Latvia, 7. Ukraine, 8. Chinese Taipei, 9. Nigeria
Qualifiers: Canada, Germany, Scotland, Norway, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Hong Kong, USA, Hungary, Czech Republic
#WMxCC2022 Bronze Medal Game: Germany def. Sweden
#WMxCC2022 Championship: Norway def. Canada
World Curling TV will provide coverage of all games on the
Curling Channel.
And stay up to date with all the results on the WCF events page
HERE.
#TourLifePredictions
MEN
Curling Masters Champery
Champery, SUI
2021 Champion: Team Walstad
Format: 15 team RR with 3 pools of 5. Top 8 qualify.
#Fav:
Netherlands' Team Gosgens has had a solid start to the season, reaching two championship finals and another SF in their first four events.
They arrive in Champery fresh off a finals appearance two weeks ago in Tallinn, EST, where they were 7-0 heading into the final before taking their first defeat vs. Scotland's Team Bryce.
And they are an impressive 18-8 on the season.
Another deep playoff run should be in the cards for #TeamOranje.
#TeamUpset:
The #NextGen movement could be alive and well in the Swiss mountains with Germany's Benny Kapp.
Kapp is coming off a silver medal finish at the 2022 World Junior Curling Championships last May and has a World Mixed Curling Championship silver medal under his cap (get it?!) from 2019 as well.
He is only 20 years old but this could be a breakout tournament for him.
Of course we cannot mention the 2022 world juniors without also discussing the champion, Scotland's James Craik.
Craik will also be in Champery representing the #NextGen and, oddly enough, both Craik and Kapp find themselves drawn into the same pool.
#W2W4:
This is a wide-open tournament for the taking.
Arguments could be made for 8-10 of the teams in the field being considered legit championship threats.
Gosgens. Kapp. Craik. Stocker. Iseli. Nyman. Schnider. Jungen. Ramsfjell. Waddell.
Expect one of these teams to hoist the trophy. Which one though? Your guess is as good as mine.
#PopcornMatch:
Craik vs. Kapp (Draw 1) - Might as well kick off the entire competition with the world junior final rematch. Winner will be in a good position to qualify. Can Kapp earn revenge? Will Craik continue his winning ways in a developing rivalry?
Gosgens vs. Nyman (Draw 6) - Gosgens is a fav, as mentioned above. Nyman is coming off a Nordic Curling Tour event win last weekend. Both find themselves in the same pool and play in the final RR game. This game will determine playoff seeding.
Qualifiers: Team Stocker, Team Gosgens, Team Ramsfjell, Team Craik, Team Nyman, Team Waddell, Team Kapp, Team Schnider
Championship: Team Gosgens def. Team Schnider
Driving Force Decks International Abbotsford Cashspiel
Abbotsford, BC
2021 Champion: Not Held (Last champion: Team Matsumura, 2019)
Format: 16 team RR with 4 pools of 4. Top 8 qualify.
#Fav:
Japan's Team Yanagisawa will continue their build-up to the Pan Continental Curling Championships with a stop in Abbotsford.
The Japanese champions have already reached three championship finals this season, winning a title in Vernon at the start of the month.
They also arrive in Abbotsford fresh off a run to the championship final in Swift Current last weekend.
#TeamUpset:
Denver, Colorado's Darryl Sobering may surprise the field this weekend.
Sobering is not new the curling tour scene. The history sheet would read something along the lines of playing 5-7 events a season and reaching the QF 1-2 times per season but not advancing further.
This season has been a much different narrative.
The team has played two events, reaching back-to-back SFs (Gord Carroll, US Open).
Did you know Sobering was born in Halifax? Another Canadian-born curler competing south of the border.
#W2W4:
Playing 3 pool games in 2 days can always be tricky. The majority of the pool play will actually take place on Friday, with 5 draws scheduled, and the final RR draw taking place Saturday morning.
This event may come down to which team can ride the momentum wave early and build confidence from their opening rock.
4 pools. 3 RR games. 1 loss is all you can really afford to have any shot at the playoffs.
This could get interesting.
#PopcornMatch:
Team Pierce vs. Team Geall (Draw 4) - A battle between B.C. purple heart main contenders. A loss against a rival here could eliminate you from the playoff picture as well.
Team Yanagisawa vs. Team Chen (Draw 2) - A classic #PACC rivalry game between Japan and Chinese Taipei. Expectation is Chen will represent TPE at the Pan Continental so a nice preview battle here.
Qualifiers: Team Cseke, Team Yanagisawa, Team Pierce, Team Gauthier, Team Abe, Team Geall, Team Sobering, Team de Jong
Championship: Team Yanagisawa def. Team Cseke
Stroud Sleeman Cash Spiel
Stroud, ONT
2021 Champion: Not Held (Last champion: Team MacEwan, 2019)
Format: 16 team RR with 4 pools of 4. Top 8 qualify.
#Fav:
Switzerland's Team Schwaller had a tough run at the Boost National, missing the playoffs with a 1-3 record.
Heading into North Bay the team was on fire, even sitting atop the #PowerRankings. But the result knocked them down. Now we will find out if they can get back up again.
They are still having a solid start to their season as a new team and expectation is they will rebound quick. A deep playoff run could be the medicine the doctor ordered after the tough pill they swallowed on #gsoc ice.
#TeamUpset:
Have you bought into #NextGen flag bearer Team Mooibroek yet? If not, you may want to now.
The blog has been keeping an eye on the young team from Whitby, even moving them into the Power Rankings discussion earlier this season.
And for obvious reasons. They have played in three events. They won a final. They reached a final. They have a QF finish.
Their win was at the U25 #NextGen Classic to start the season and they have been riding the momentum wave ever since.
Do not be surprised to see them make another deep playoff run here.
#W2W4:
There is a strong international vs. Canada rivalry brewing at this event.
We have three strong Swiss teams (Schwaller, Team Hoesli, Team Brunner) alongside Italy's Team Retoranaz, Korean champions Team Jeong and USA's Team Smith and Team Levy taking on the Canadian contingent.
Canada will have the numbers advantage but does Team World have the resume advantage?
Brunner is coming off a playoff appearance in North Bay. Hoesli lost in the TB. Schwaller and Retornaz struggled but have put together solid seasons. And Korea's Jeong has been one of the surprise teams thus far.
But there are also strong Canadian contenders, including the two most recent champions here (Sandy MacEwan, John Willsey).
#PopcornMatch:
Team Brunner vs. Team Mooibroek (Draw 3) - The opening game for both teams should be a great battle. Both are championship threats here so the winner will have an early leg up on the competition.
Qualifiers: Team Retornaz, Team Hoesli, Team Schwaller, Team Brunner, Team Steep, Team Jeong, Team Ferris, Team Mooibroek
Championship: Team Schwaller def. Team Retornaz
WOMEN
Driving Force Decks International Abbotsford Cashspiel
Abbotsford, BC
2021 Champion: Not held. (Last champion: Team Brown, 2019)
Format: 10 team RR with 2 pools of 5. Top 4 qualify.
#Fav:
Has Japan's Team Kitazawa grabbed your attention yet? They should!
The Power Rankings have been keeping an eye on this team all season, even moving them as high as #5 on the mountain.
They have played six tour events this season. They have reached five finals. They have won three titles.
And that sixth event? A QF result.
They are flying under the radar but continue to put up consistent championship-calibre results and are quietly playing their way into future #gsoc consideration.
Get your eyes on this team now.
#TeamUpset:
Taylor Reese-Hansen may not be winning tour titles, or even qualifying for playoffs rounds yet, but she is a #NextGen star on the rise in B.C.
The team has only competed in two events and have a season record of 4-5 but they have played tough against opposition ranked much higher than them.
This team is due for a breakout tour result and this weekend could be their opportunity.
#W2W4:
Outside of Kitazawa, the field is an all-B.C. battle.
With B.C. fav Team Brown competing in Swift Current this weekend, here is a great opportunity for one of the B.C. teams in this field to declare themselves the main contender for the Scotties spot.
Of course remember Team Grandy is also in Swift Current and has put together a solid early season too.
But when your two head mice are away, time for the rest of the mice to play.
Which team can take the biggest bite of the cheese in Abbotsford and put their B.C. opponents on notice?
And can anyone stop Kitazawa?
#PopcornMatch:
Team Kitazawa vs. Team Reese-Hansen (Draw 9) - It is not often we have a #Fav vs. #TeamUpset RR game to write home about but we will see it happen in the final RR game for both. Kitazawa will be a huge favourite here but this is a good opportunity to see how far the #NextGen team has grown and if they can compete with top teams around the world.
Qualifiers: Team Kitazawa, Team Wark, Team Reese-Hansen, Team Gushulak
Championship: Team Kitazawa def. Team Wark
Stroud Sleeman Cash Spiel
Stroud, ONT
2021 Champion: Not held. (Last champion: Team Tippin, 2019)
Format: 16 team RR with 4 pools of 4. Top 8 qualify.
#Fav:
A #NextGen favourite in a field of experience Ontario teams/skips? Why not?
Isabelle Ladouceur has put together one impressive start to the season.
They opened their season with a few SF results in Alberta, including the U25 #NextGen Classic in Edmonton.
How do you follow up two SF finishes? With back-to-back finals appearances at your next two events.
They won the Gord Carroll title and reached the final at Stu Sells Toronto, losing the final to Team Tirinzoni.
And many of the teams in this field they have already played, and defeated, this season at one of their four events.
Buy stocks quick on this up and coming team because they appear ready to take off.
#TeamUpset:
Northern Ontario's Team Burns is the only team in the field not from Southern Ontario. Advantage or disadvantage? Who knowns?
But Burns is a team to watch out for. Remember they have been to the Scotties before, representing Northern Ontario in 2021 and finishing with a 2-6 record.
They will be considered a playoff longshot against a more experienced field; however, when you have nothing to gain but opportunity and experience, sometimes the rocks spin your way.
This result could go a long way in seeing how close Burns is to being a real threat to Krista McCarville for the N. Ontario championship this season too.
#W2W4:
This may be on the best under the radar events on the tour calendar. This field is loaded with strong Ontario teams. Teams who want to make a run at Team Homan for the Ontario Scotties this season.
Howard. Harrison. Inglis. Froud. Wasylkiw. Ladouceur. Mann.
It is quite a list of Ontario Scotties challengers.
This event may shed light on who is a challenger and who is a real contender.
#PopcornMatch:
Team Ladouceur vs. Team Mann (Draw 3) - This will be the opening game for both teams and what an opener it will be. Both are expected to be playoff contenders but the winner of this match will have the inside track to winning the pool and entering the playoffs with a 3-0 record.
Qualifiers: Team Howard, Team Harrison, Team Inglis, Team Ladouceur, Team Auld, Team Wasylkiw, Team Froud, Team Mann
Championship: Team Ladouceur def. Team Inglis
Note: The RBC Dominion Securities Western Showdown is a women's tour event being held in Swift Current, SK. Order of play began Thursday (Oct. 13) morning thus the event not being previewed in this week's post.
#StayTuned
Will new teams start making their move up the mountain? Or will those atop hold their footing?
The blog will return with your regular weekend wrap-up known as #TheRunback and updated Power Rankings next week.
Until then, good luck and good curling.
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