#BetweenTheSheets: Champions Cup Changes?
The FINAL Power Rankings of 2022
For those who are regular #TwineTime followers, you are well aware of my fondness for the Champions Cup.
A perfect event to end the season where the only way to earn a spot in the field is rising above your competition and winning a major event.
But did anyone else notice the qualification standards for the Champions Cup continue to change? And with little notice or discussion?
Case in point: European Curling Championships winner.
The ECC winner has been a staple at the Champions Cup since its inception in 2016.
Sweden's Team Edin qualified for the Champions Cup from 2016 - 2018 based on their ECC wins. Scotland's Team Mouat did similar for 2019.
Quick note, remember the year of the event is the following year after the qualification event. For instance, Mouat won the 2018 Euro's earning a spot in the 2019 Champions Cup. It goes by season not calendar year.
Of course Euro's and Champions Cup were cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19.
The 2021 Champions Cup just used the rankings as many tour events did not happen due to the on-going pandemic with 2022 bringing back the qualification standard.
However, starting in 2021, the field was reduced from the previous allotment of 15 teams to the new format of 12 teams.
And, starting in 2021, the European champion no longer secured a spot in the field. And this will continue for 2023.
Why?
An argument could be made for the 2022 Champions Cup field being the Euro champs (Team Mouat) already secured their spot in the field based on their 2021 Players' Championship win, also an auto qualifier.
But what about the women? Scotland's Team Muirhead won the Euro title but, I believe, was not offered a Champions Cup spot.
Why are the European Curling Championships no longer an auto qualifier for the Champions Cup?
We still have an auto qualifier spot for the Scotties/Brier winners. As well as the world championships.
But we also still have an auto spot for the US Nationals winner and the former Pacific-Asia Curling Championships winner.
In fact, in 2022, the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials winners earned a Champions Cup ticket as did the Swiss national winner. A sponsor's exemption was even provided for the men's field (Team Jacobs).
This is not to say those events/teams are not worthy of competing at the Champions Cup but is the European Curling Championships the event we should be taking an auto spot away from?
ECC is one of the biggest events every season, often with strong fields. Are we saying the Scotties/Brier and/or US National fields are stronger than the Euro field?
Note the graphic on the right, a screenshot of the 2023 Champions Cup qualification events from the event website.
The regular qualification events are there, as expected: 2022 Players' Championship, 2022 Champions Cup, 2022 World Champion, 2022 Boost National, 2022 Tour Challenge Tier I, 2022 WFG Masters, 2023 Canadian Open, 2023 Scotties/Brier and 2023 USA National.
Those events contribute to 9 of the 12 allocated spots in the field.
The new Pan Continental Curling Championships take an auto spot as well, replacing the now defunct Pacific-Asia Curling Championships.
There are 10 of the 12 spots.
But what about those final 2 spots?
Now, before moving forward, note teams who are listed more than once (i.e. Team Gushue, Team Edin, Team Tirinzoni and now Team Einarson).
When one team wins multiple qualification events, the winner of the next-ranked event based on strength of field will be invited.
Right now this would mean the top 2 tour winners for the men and women would earn a spot in the 2023 Champions Cup.
A runner-up in an event does not take the spot in the field.
Now, anyone notice something weird about the qualifying events list for 2023?
Why is the 2023 Players' Championship and 2023 World Championship winners earning a spot in the 2023 Champions Cup field?
Under the previous qualification format, the Players' champion, world champion and Champions Cup winners would all receive a ticket to the following year's Champions Cup field.
For instance, the 2022 Players' Championship winners (Team Mouat, Team Hasselborg) earned a spot in the 2023 Champions Cup field. Similar with the 2022 Champions Cup and 2022 world championship winners.
But now this has all changed, why?
Gone is the auto spot for the European Curling Championships winners.
Gone is the auto spot previously provided to the World Junior Curling Championships winners.
And gone, in effect, is the chance of seeing more tour champions (i.e. non-slam winners) in the field.
Those allocation spots were what made the Champions Cup feel unique and special.
This new qualification format is seeming more ethnocentric in comparison. Are we just wanting to try to maximize as many Canadian teams in the field as possible?
Sure Team Mouat already has a spot in the field but what about Team Dupont? They are not "worthy" of a Champions Cup invite after winning a Euro title?
The Champions Cup field should go back to extending invites to the Euro champs and world junior champs. Both belong in the season-ending spiel.
The current calendar year champions (Players' Championship, World Championships) should retain their spot in the next year's Champions Cup, as was done under the old format.
This would free up the 2 spots for the Euro and world junior champs for 2023 and in the future.
As for national champions, should they deserve a spot in the field? Maybe yes, maybe no.
If yes, we have no official allocated spots for tour winners. They only qualify under the hopes of one or more team(s) claiming multiple qualification events.
Maybe the REAL issue here is the format going down to 12 teams.
If the field went back to 15 teams or expanded to 16 teams like most of the slams right now, we could allocate, at minimum, 3 or 4 tour winners into the field.
If we did that, for the men's 2023 Champions Cup, right now Team Bottcher (Okotoks Classic, 7.000 SFM) Team Dunstone (Red Deer Curling Classic, 7.000) and Team Shuster (Penticton Curling Classic, 7.000) would be sitting in the qualifying chairs with Team Schwaller (Leduc, 6.500) and Team Whyte (Swiss Cup Basel, 6.000) next in line.
On the women's side, Team Gim (Autumn Gold, 7.000) and Team Jones (Saville Shoot-Out, 6.500) would be in with Team Grandy (Martensville, 5.500) and Team Ackland (DEKALB Superspiel, 5.500) tied for the final spot with Team Kitazawa (Leduc, 4.500) next in line.
Could anyone really argue any of those teams listed above are not "worthy" of a Champions Cup berth if the field did go back to 15 team or increased to 16?
Why did #gsoc make this qualification change? Is there another major change coming to the 2024 Champions Cup? Is 2023 the final edition of the Champions Cup event and adding those 2023 champions helps make it a clean conclusion?
And why did the European Curling Championships become the "fall guy" of no longer being a qualification event?
Change can be good but this change seems questionable.
It would seem continental and world championship events should always be qualification events here, especially over national championship events.
Of course all the slam winners should receive invites, it only makes sense given this is a #gsoc system.
Thoughts curling fans?
The curling world saw some celebratory results over the past week. Here is what you may have missed.
#TheRunback
National
🥌 Canadian Senior Curling Championships (Men) - Ontario (Team Rajala) def. Alberta (Team Pahl). Third time was a charm for Howard Rajala! After losing two senior finals in the past (2013, 2017), Rajala was finally able to win the championship. Ontario went 5-1 in the qualifying pool and split their games in the Championship Pool (2-2) to qualify for the playoffs with a 7-3 record. In the playoffs as the #3 seed, Ontario avenged their sole qualifying pool loss to #2 seed Nova Scotia with a #StealPants extra end W in the SF before avenging their final RR loss to Alberta in the final. Curling fans are use to seeing the name "Howard" and "Ontario" together for championship wins, this time is just so happens "Howard" is the first name. Manitoba (Team Neufeld) defeated Nova Scotia (Team MacLeod) to win bronze.
🥌 Canadian Senior Curling Championships (Women) - Saskatchewan (Team Anderson) def. Quebec (Team Osborne). #HERstory was made in Yarmouth, NS with Sherry Anderson winning a fifth straight senior championship. Anderson went 6-0 in the qualifying pool but struggled in the Championship Pool, going 1-3 against the other 4 qualifiers. Those losses ended up being against the other 3 teams who qualified for the playoffs: Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario. After securing the final playoff spot with a 7-3 record, Anderson went into playoff mode and extracted revenge for those RR losses. Team Green defeated #1 seed Nova Scotia in the SF before knocking off #2 seed Quebec in the final. Congratulations Team Anderson on accomplishing a feat which may never be replicated nor defeated for quite some time, if ever. Nova Scotia (Team Breen) defeated Ontario (Team Rizzo) for bronze.
International
🥌 World Junior-B Curling Championships (Men) - China (Team Fei) def. Italy (Team Colli). China (5-1 RR) handed Italy (7-0) their only loss of the event in the final, after both nations had already secured their spot in the 2023 World Junior Curling Championships. In the playoffs, China defeated Japan (QF) and Sweden (SF) while Italy knocked off Ukraine (QF) and Turkey (SF). The final world championship ticket went to Turkey (Team Karagoz, 6-1), who wore the #StealPants in the final end to defeat Sweden (Team Landelius, 6-0) for bronze and punch their spot in the world junior field.
🥌 World Mixed Doubles Qualification Event - Austria, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey. Austria (4-1 RR) and Spain (5-0) were the first two nations to claim tickets to the 2023 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships. Austria defeated China and Turkey while Spain knocked off France and Netherlands. Netherlands (5-1) and Turkey (4-1) rebounded from their A-qualifier losses to knock off New Zealand and Finland to claim the final two tickets.
Men
🥌 WFG Masters - Team Retornaz (ITA) def. Team Mouat (SCO). Italy's Team Retornaz created #HIStory in becoming the 1st Italian team to win a #gsoc championship. Retornaz went 3-1 in the RR and defeated Team Schwaller (QF) and Team Bottcher (SF) to reach the final. Mouat, also 3-1 in the RR, knocked off Team Whyte (QF) and Team Ramfjell (SF) before losing the final.
🥌 Superstore Monctonian Challenge - Team Smith (PEI) def. Team Thompson (NS). Chalk up a tour title for The Islanders! Smith went 2-2 in the RR, squeaking into the playoffs, before knocking off previously undefeated Team Purcell (QF) and Team Grattan (SF) to make the final. Thompson reached the final with an undefeated 6-0 record after posting a 4-0 RR record and playoff wins over Team Everist (QF) and Team Manuel (SF).
🥌 Sask Curling Tour Moose Jaw - Team Nyman (SWE) def. Team Manners (SK). Nyman lost their opening game of the event and would never suffer a loss again, winning 5 straight games to claim the championship. Qualifying out of the B-side, Nyman posted playoff wins over Team Zuravloff (QF) and Team Carss (SF). Manners entered the final undefeated, qualifying A-side and posting a SF win over Team Jacobson.
Women
🥌 WFG Masters - Team Einarson (MB) def. Team Homan (ON). The battle of the undefeated teams was the talk during the preview of the championship final. Both teams entered the final posting identical 4-0 RR records, the only teams in the field undefeated after the RR, with Einarson claiming the #1 seed due to a better DSC number. Einarson's path the final included playoff victories over Team Carey (QF) and Team Peterson (SF) while Homan's path included wins over Team Hasselborg (QF) and Team Gim (SF). The finale was also a repeat final of the last #gsoc championship, The Tour Challenge, which was won by Homan.
🥌 Bogside Cup - Team Black (NS) def. Team Powers (NS). Black went a perfect 6-0 to claim the tour title in Mongague, PEI. After posting the only perfect 4-0 RR record, Black defeated Team MacDiarmid in the SF. Powers qualified for the playoffs with a 3-1 RR record and knocked off Team Crouse to reach the final.
Mixed Doubles
🥌 Goldline Victoria Mixed Doubles Event - Team Kim / Jeong (KOR) def. Team Desjardins / Desjardins (QC). The battle of unbeaten duos in the final went the way of the Koreans. Kim/Jeong went 3-0 in the RR and reached the final with playoffs wins over Team Hopson/Tippett (QF) and Team Bouchard/Charest (SF). The Desjardins' path to the final also included a 3-0 RR record and playoff wins over Team Tanguay/Robichaud (QF) and Team Gagne/Morissette.
Not a bad weekend of #TourLifePredictions for the little blog. The blog was correct on predicting Team Mouat and Team Einarson to make their respected finals at the WFG Masters. The blog predicted Mouat finishing runner-up but was incorrect with Einarson, predicting a finals loss rather than the big win.
The blog was also correct on predicting Saskatchewan (Anderson) to win the senior title and predicted Ontario (Team Rajala) to reach the final.
The results are final and the rocks have come to a stop for last weekend's action. Bring on the FINAL Power Rankings for 2022.
#PowerRankings
Women
1. Team Einarson (8) - After reaching both previous slam finals this season, and a third straight dating back to the Champions Cup win at the end of last season, Einarson was finally able to land back in the winner's circle in Oakville with a fourth consecutive #gsoc finals appearance. Consistency will always land you atop the mountain and, right now, no team is as consistent in winning as the defending Canadian champs. Merry Christmas for a #1 ranking.
2. Team Homan (4) - Reaching back-to-back slam finals is never easy but Homan made it happen. This time they were on the wrong side of the spinning rock but they were in a reversal role at the Tour Challenge against Einarson. Will we see a third straight slam final between these two powerhouse teams at the Canadian Open in January? Props to Tracy Fleury for reaching her third straight Masters final, having won the title in 2021 and 2019.
3. Team Gim (3) - Another slam, another playoff run and a SF result. The blog has been high on this team since last season and they are proving why. If you have not seen them play yet, take some time to get to know them. This team is a force!
4. Team Dupont (1) - The mountain cannot punish the Euro champs too much for not competing this past week. They were enjoying pancakes in Copenhagen and skipper Madeleine Dupont was joining the #TwineTimeFam with the newest podcast episode. Take a listen HERE or wherever you listen to your podcasts (Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, ect).
5. Team Lawes (NR) - No skip, no probs? Selena Njegovan and Laura Walker seemed to be a perfect pairing in Oakville, going 3-1 in the RR and a QF result. But we all still want that blockbuster Lawes vs. Jennifer Jones matchup, right? Jones took the RR game in Oakville but it didn't feel the same with Lawes on the ice.
6. Team Jones (HM) - Jennifer Jones did what she does best. Her back up against the wall sitting 2-1 entering the final RR game vs 3-0 Team Lawes, Jones secured the much needed win to book a spot in the playoff bracket and avoid the TB formula. This is why Jones is Jones. Sure the team lost the QF to Gim but Jones is always a threat in those clutch-performance games.
7. Team Scheidegger (6) - Props to Kate Hogan and Taylor McDonald for holding down the fort and reaching the TB round with 2 #SuperSpare players (Meghan Walter, Mackenzie Elias) at a slam. And always sending positive vibes to the Scheidegger family.
8. Team Black (NR) - While most people were fixated on the slam results, Nova Scotia's Team Black was out winning another tour title in PEI. The win was their 3rd on the season and their 3rd straight championship final. They are also on an 11-match winning streak. Again, further proof that the curling world is not all about the slam teams folks. This is a team burning up the ice at the exact right time heading into the new year.
9. Team Anderson (NR) - When you win 5 straight Canadian Senior Curling Championships, you earn your spot on the mountain. Sherry Anderson, Patty Hersikorn, Brenda Goertzen and Anita Silvernagle become the first senior team to crack the Power Rankings...and it is not only overdue but much deserved. Congratulations on the milestone win!
10. Team Tirinzoni (2) - This was a tough call for the mountain. How far do you drop the world champs after a surprising 0-4 result in Oakville? It just seemed wrong to drop them out of the Top 10 given their body of work this season. They end 2022 in the #10 spot and stay on the mountain. It feels like this result is just a small blip on the season and might be more due to the excess travel and let down loss from Euro's.
Hon. Mention: Team Peterson, Team Hasselborg, Team Carey, Team Fujisawa, Team Jaeggi
Men
1. Team Mouat (1) - They may not have been able to #DefendTheIce in Oakville but reaching the final ensures they defend their spot atop the mountain to close out 2022. Is this really a surprise to anyone? Sure the start of the season was rough but injuries happen and the team has rebounded in fine form now. This is where we expected them to be to start the season and they have not disappointed.
2. Team Retornaz (5) - We can officially replace any notion of the Italians being a #TeamUpset now that they have added #gsoc champions to their resume. What a week! What a result! What a 2022!! Who knew this team would close out the year as the #2 team on the Power Rankings? The blog was confident in them being a regular among the Top 10 but this is an amazing result. And Joel Retornaz deserves all the praise for how he continues to be the "face that runs the place" for Italian curling.
3. Team Gushue (6) - A bit of a surprising result in Oakville overall but the result was still consistent with what we expect from boys from The Rock. It was another playoff appearance, even if it was a QF loss to a hot Team Bottcher after needing a TB win over Team Dunstone. QF finish or not, this is still one of the best teams on ice.
4. Team Schwaller (3) - The Swiss follow up their Euro silver with a QF result at the slam and solidify their year-end spot among the Top 4 in the Power Rankings. This has been one of the most consistent teams on tour for this first half of the season and will be a major world championship threat in 2023.
5. Team Dunstone (2) - Not the result many expected in Oakville, certainly not the blog who predicted Matt Dunstone winning his second slam. They lost the TB to Gushue so they take a drop on the rankings. But a Top 5 finish to end 2022 on the Power Rankings is not something I would imagine this new team would be too disappointed with.
6. Team Bottcher (HM) - Their was the Team Bottcher we have been looking for. The only team to survive the RR with an unblemished record, they knocked off Gushue in the QF before playing "BlankGate" in the SF vs. Retornaz. Many will talk about the 6 straight blank ends before giving up a steal in 7, scoring one in 8 and losing in an extra. They had hammer the ENTIRE game. Not something we see very often....especially in a losing effort. #HIStory made in a way?
7. Team Whyte (7) - The young(-er) Scottish lads held their position on the mountain with their QF result in Oakville. It was fun to see the all-Scottish QF game vs. rival Mouat as well. Hold on to your stocks in this team folks.
8. Team Nyman (NR) - Chalk up a second tour title for Sweden's Team Nyman this past weekend in Moose Jaw. Similar to Team Black on the women's mountain, strong results on tour earn a Power Rankings spot. They may not be a slam team but they are proving this season to still be a team capable of winning and winning often. They have been closing in on a Top 10 spot for the past few weeks. If you are not keeping your eye on them yet, you might want to start.
9. Team Ramsfjell (NR) - In the WFG Masters preview, the blog mentioned the Norwegians could be the #TeamUpset flag bearers in their #gsoc debut. They did not disappoint in reaching the SF. They posted a 3-1 RR record and knocked off Nordic rivals Team Edin/Eriksson in the QF. Other teams they defeated during the week included Team Dunstone, Team Dropkin and Team Epping. Now that is who you make your arrival!
10. Team Edin/Eriksson (HM) - There was a bit of an unknown heading to Oakville with how the #SwedishVikings would respond after the disappointing Euro result. Well they erased any fears or questions quick, running out to a 3-0 RR record and qualifying for the playoffs. Sure they lost the final RR game vs. Bottcher and their QF game vs. Ramsfjell but given everything this team has accomplished, and endured, over the past 6 weeks, how can they not end 2022 in the Top 10?
Hon. Mention: Team Carruthers, Team Koe, Team Yanagisawa, Team Shuster, Team Dropkin
I know the blog has mentioned this before but it bears mention again. The new slam RR format still seems to be a bit too chaotic. I miss the old format of playing the teams in your own pool. And I do believe we can add some fun with a more #Sweep16 format, eliminating the final RR game with an added playoff round for all teams to compete in.
ICYMI, here is the blog proposing a better RR play format for your consideration.
What say you rock heads? Agree? Disagree? What has been your highlight of the season thus far?
#StayTuned
Take note the World Junior-B Curling Championships continue in Finland as the women hit the ice this week as 24 nations compete for 3 tickets to the 2023 World Junior Curling Championships.
Canada will be one of the teams competing, represented by Team Deschenes. Other notable nations competing include: China, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Korea and Scotland.
And from a #growthesport lens, great to see representation from Mongolia, Nigeria, Qatar and Ukraine.
Check out all the results on the event page HERE.
The blog will take a small break for the Christmas holiday season. Hope all of you in the curling world, whether fans, athletes, volunteers, club organizers and everyone else enjoying the sport enjoy a safe and happy holiday.
Until we cross rocks again in the new year....
And a friendly reminder, feel free to join the #TwineTime facebook group HERE.
No comments:
Post a Comment