#Curling S1819 W5

#BetweenTheSheets: The Not-So Continental Cup

3 Euro nations. No PACC representation. Is this the shift we expected?

The big news coming out of the curling house this week focused on the Continental Cup 2019 competition in Las Vegas, NV this upcoming January. The teams were announced. Some format changes were announced. And eyebrows were raised.

The Continental Cup is a gimmick event to attract fans, sponsors and money into the sport of curling. Lets just call it what it is. It is fun for the teams selected to compete. It is for fun for the fans in attendance. Other than that the event itself really does not do much for many people. How often do you hear curling fans mention their excitement over watching the Continental Cup on TV each season? Exactly!

But it happens and does give us some fun and excitement during a rather long and cold winter month. The 2019 edition will feature a few changes to try and generate more interest and intrigue into the competition. Those changes, coupled with the participant selection, has left a few fans asking more questions then raising the bar on excitement.

The Continental Cup historically has been a Ryder Cup modeled competition made for the curling ice pitting Team North America against Team World. Each team would consist of 3 men's and 3 women's teams. For North America we would see 2 men's and women's teams from Canada and 1 men's and women's team from USA (minus 2015 which we will discuss in a moment). For Team World we have seen a mixture of teams from Europe and Asia compete. Historically this event has been dominated by #TeamNA, winning 10 titles compared to #TeamWorld with 4 wins, the last coming in 2012.

The schedule of play has consisted of men's team, women's team, mixed doubles and skins. Singles, basically a Ford Hot Shots competition, was eliminated after 2015. For 2019, the competition format will receive a minor re-pebble of the ice. The Team competition will be reduced to 6 games played, down from the previous mark of 18. Mixed Doubles will increase to 12 games, up from 9. Skins will remain the same with 6. The additional points will now be featured through new competitions called Team Scramble (6 games) and Mixed Team Scramble (3 games).

Team Scramble will see a mix of the traditional men's and women's teams, still by gender, where front-end or back-end teammates cannot play together. This means Brad Gushue and Mark Nichols cannot play together; however, Brad Gushue and Geoff Walker could.

The Mixed Team Scramble will be the melting pot where men and women will combine to form new mixed four-person teams with the requirement being one team per side must be skipped by a female. Here we could see Kevin Koe and Rachel Homan play together. Or how about Niklas Edin and Anna Hasselborg. The combinations could be quite salivating for curling fans.

Ok so we made some changes to the competition format this year, which really only help solidify this event as being more "gimmicky" then it was in the past right? The Homan/Koe or Hasselborg/Edin combinations sound fun and exciting for one game together but it is what it is, pure entertainment to draw ticket sales and hopefully some eyeballs to the TV sets for an afternoon draw over a weekend. The relevance of this event is still left unknown to be honest and whether or not it is really needed in the sport.

The big question mark this year however was the team announcement. #TeamNA will once again share the normal load of 4 Canada - 2 USA with Teams Homan, Jones, Koe and Gushue representing the maple leaf and Teams Shuster and Sinclair representing the red, white and blue. Some may be a bit surprised to see Sinclair get the nod over Olympic rep Team Roth but remember Sinclair is the first USA team, male or female, to win a #gsoc event so that holds a bit more clout right now.

#TeamWorld is drawing the ire of many curling fans though. Are we sure the name is still Team World here? Should it not be Team Europe? Or, even more accurately, #TeamEuropeS? The "Team World" for 2019 is being represented entirely by European nations. And only 3 European nations to boot. AND all European nations starting with the letter 'S'. Get the #TeamEuropeS now? Trying to clever here people....bare with me....

Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland will make #TeamWorld. 3 nations. 3 European nations. This equates to #TeamWorld? Huh?!? Do not get me wrong with the teams selected. Teams Edin, Hasselborg, De Cruz, Tirinzoni, Mouat and Muirhead are all TOP world ranking teams and very deserving of the invite. But #TeamWorld? What happened to our #PACC representatives? Pretty sure the Olympics saw two Asian teams land on the podium right behind Sweden's Team Hasselborg. Where are they in this equation? In speaking with someone close to one #PACC nation, they were not even invited to participate. Does this not seem odd to anyone else? Our 2018 Winter Olympic silver and bronze medal winners were not even invited nor considered for this competition?

Sure #PACC nations are still slightly lagging behind Europe on the men's side of the rankings so having 3 European teams represent the men is not unexpected. Heck it has basically been tradition of this competition anyway. But not having Japan or South Korean women's teams invited to participate is a bit of a slap in the face from European captains towards their #PACC representatives is it not? Coach Fredrik Lindberg, Assistant Coach Christoffer Svae (who will not be competing in this event for the first time since 2008 with Norway's Team Ulsrud not being invited) and Captain David Murdoch might have some explaining to do on this one. And don't get me wrong here. All three of these men are highly qualified to have this responsibility but this is not a good look for them. Not to mention the fact Team World is not even represented by a female leader in any of those three positions. Team NA will have newly retired Jill Officer helm the Assistant Coach role. Team Europe, I mean Team World, has got a lot of questions to answer here!

But maybe the bigger picture deriving from this oversight and miss is the question on expanding this event. Maybe we have finally reached the point in curling where the Continental Cup can be a battle between three or four teams now. Could we finally be evolving to a #TeamNA vs. #TeamEurope vs. #TeamPACC competition? We know Team Europe could easily field a full team, hello 2019! But could we not say the Pacific-Asia region is quite capable to field a competitive team themselves as well. Japan, South Korea and China all have men's and women's teams who could compete under this format and do a great job representing the region.

And what about #TeamNA for that matter? Could we not see a #TeamCanada and #TeamUSA separation here and make this a four-team competition? Canada could certainly field its own team. Remember back in 2015 in Calgary they did just that with it being a Team Canada vs. Team World format and the USA being left out in the cold. Back then people were not too happy about this decision, similar to the situation Team World is in for 2019. At least back then the team was renamed Team Canada and not trying to hide it as Team North America.

Imagine if this competition did go into a four-team format though. Imagine the 2020 team possibilities:

• #TeamCanada: Team Homan, Team Jones, Team Koe, Team Gushue, Team Einarson, Team Jacobs
• #TeamUSA: Team Shuster, Team Roth, Team Sinclair, Team Ruohonen, Team Christensen, Team Stopera
• #TeamEurope: Team Edin, Team Hasselborg, Team De Cruz, Team Tirinzoni, Team Mouat, Team Muirhead
• #TeamPACC: Team Fujisawa, Team Matsumura, Team Iwai, Team E. Kim, Team Yoshimura, Team C. Kim

Now we are starting to get somewhere. Yes I realize the competition format would have to change slightly but what is wrong with that? Rather than add more "gimmick events" to the competition, why not add more teams to make this a true Continental Cup. And yes, I realize the name may not hold true anymore given the breakup of Team North America in this proposal but hey...maybe this could be called the World Cup. Oh we already have one of those in the sport.....hmmm.....so how many gimmick money events do we need again for the top teams anyways? Rabbit hole, rabbit hole....

And what about mixed doubles? Awesome to see mixed doubles is included in this format, great to embrace the discipline. But why are no mixed doubles specialists being asked to participate? For the upcoming 2019 Continental Cup, why were Kirk Muyres/Laura Walker and/or Sarah Anderson/Korey Dropkin not invited to represented #TeamNA for the mixed doubles? Could we not see Jenny Perret/Martin Rios and/or Kristin Skaslien/Magnus Nedergotten on #TeamWorld? This again goes back to a previous blog post where the discussion was on the need for the curling world, from fans to sponsors to WCF and everyone in between, to start giving this discipline its fair due and treating it like an equal member of the curling family. Great to include mixed doubles into this competition. Not great to not include your fellow curling athletes who devote their curling careers to compete in the discipline. Yet another miss here.

But what do you think rock heads and stoners? Do you like the new format changes? Are you ok with no Pacific-Asia representation? No mixed doubles specialists being included? If you could adapt or change or revamp the Continental Cup, what would you turn the event into? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and/or on social media. Curling athletes, member associations, the WCF and fellow fans want to hear your opinion.

Back to the ice we go. The #TwineTime blog sure had a resurrection last weekend with the predictions friends. At the #ShortyJenkins men's event, a 6/8 accuracy on qualifiers was topped off with the correct prediction of Team Epping def. Team Jacobs in the final. A similar result at the #KingCashSpiel with the men, going 3/4 on qualifiers and again 100% on the championship final with Team Tardi def. Team Barry. For the #ShortyJenkins women's event, 7/8 qualifiers and although I missed Team Wrana winning the event I did have them making the final. The women's #KingCashSpiel saw the first 100% correct prediction for qualifiers going 4/4; however, Team Brown would win the event whereas I predicted them making the final. The #ColonialSquareClassic saw 7/8 on the qualifiers but missed both finalists and Team Robertson taking home the title. Finally at the #MorrisSunSpiel, chalk up a mediocre 2/4 on qualifiers but 100% on predicting Team Einarson taking home the title. We not only hit the house with the prediction draw last week, I say it was a draw to the button to win a Continental Cup in a TB. Overall Grade: A+!

The pressure is on this week now to continue this momentum. But we start with some sombre news as the College Clean Restoration Classic in Saskatoon, SK has been cancelled. This annual event has been around since 1976 (longest running event on tour heading into this season I believe?) and has seen top calibre competition and champions during its run, including Al Hackner, Kevin Koe, Randy Ferbey, Mike McEwen, John Epping, Jeff Stoughton, Brad Jacobs and last year's champion Colton Flasch. There are certainly a number of comments to be made here when we see a large #Tour500 classification event close it house to the tour this year. Is this the path we are sliding down? We have money to start a Curling World Cup, continue a Continental Cup and offer big money at grand slam events while losing key grassroots historic events on the #wct. This is a growing concern from a #growthesport perspective and I would imagine a concern for many tour events around the country. These events are hosted at local clubs, run by local organizing committee members (many being volunteers) and the hosting of a #wct event can help generate interest in the sport locally while attracting people into the club to increase some revenue to continue operations. Remember, this was not some small 8 or 10-team event either. It used to be a full on 24/26/32-team triple knockout event featuring many of the best teams in the world in the past. My understanding is this year only 9 teams registered to compete. 9!!?? Wow!! What is going on?

But doesn't this seem to be how the season is unfolding? Take a look at those top teams on the OOM rankings. Most have played one event this season. Heck Team Gushue hasn't even played yet. Teams Homan and Koe played because they were selected to represent Canada at the Curling World Cup. This year seemed to be the team calendar reveal year as teams are making pretty announcements listing their tour schedule. If you look at most of these "elite" teams schedules it appears they are mainly playing #gsoc events, Canada Cup and maybe 1-3 actual tour events throughout the season. Why? What is the point of having a tour? The top teams do not have to play full schedules anymore. They are already cemented atop the rankings due to the faulty system rewarding past performance over current. And in the long run it is really just killing tour events. At least under the proposed #TwineTime system each team would be mandated to participate in a set number of different tour-series events each season. The local tournaments need the big names and up and comers to fill out the field and attract sponsors and fans to the event. Look I realize this year means nothing towards the Olympic cycle but it still means something for fans, tour events and organizing committees folks. Have we already reached the point in the sport where top teams can do whatever they want and ignore the so-called "little guys" who helped build them up in the past? We might as well just divide the tour in two now with "elite" tour events and "the rest" because it sure seems that way already (minus a few #gsoc calibre teams who are playing an actual tour schedule thus far, kuddos to you!). It is unfortunate, no sad actually, to lose an event like this and you cannot help having that sinking pit in your stomach telling you this may just be only the beginning!

Unfortunately though we must continue down the #wct ice with the #TourLifePredictions for Week 5. This week we look at dual #Tour250 events in Winnipeg and Kitchener-Waterloo. This is also the lead-in week to the first Grand Slam of Curling event of the season with the #EliteX hitting the ice next weekend in Chatham, Ontario. Plus this blog needs to practice what it preaches folks so we will preview another mixed doubles event, this week coming out of Tallinn, Estonia (host of the 2018 European Curling Championships btw).

Lets see who is competing this weekend to prepare and who could spoil the preparations flying the #TeamUpset flag:

MEN

Mother Club Curling Classic (Tour 250)

Winnipeg, MB

2017 Champion: Team Jason Gunnlaugson

Format: 16 team RR with 4 pools of 4 teams. Top 8 qualify.

Top Teams Entered (Top 15): N/A

Favourite: In a strong Manitoba-led field, Braden Calvert may just be the stand out team to watch here. We have only seen Team Calvert on the ice once this season but it just happened to be them defending their championship win from last season at The Icebreaker event in Week 1, also held in Winnipeg remember. The Icebreaker field was arguably a stronger, more experienced field than the Mother Club this weekend so advantage Calvert coming into the event with confidence and momentum.

#TeamUpset: The focus may be on the Manitoba teams but it could be an American team taking everyone by surprise this weekend. Bring on USA's Team Fenner. Ok at first glance of the name you may not be familiar with skip Mark Fenner. But look who he is surrounded by. Ever heard of a young buck named Korey Dropkin. Yup, that Korey Dropkin folks. The same guy fresh off a Curling World Cup silver medal win in mixed doubles and considered to be one of the hardest working (and most sweaty on the ice) guys on tour. Dropkin will be throwing fourth stones while Fenner handles the skipping duties throwing second rocks. They are joined at vice by Thomas Howell, who curled with Dropkin on Team McCormick last season and is another young buck curling stud making a name for himself. Fenner will be sticking with a familiar name of his own at lead welcoming Alex Fenson who curled with Fenner last season on Team Pete Fenson. This is a new team. This is a young team. This is, self-proclaimed, #TeamYoungBucks. Time to back up your name boys! This is a team making their season debut north of the border so we aren't too sure what to expect from them quite yet. Plus while Dropkin has been having great success in mixed doubles this season, also capturing bronze earlier in the year in New Zealand, has all the mixed doubles attention taken him away from bonding and becoming familiar with his new men's foursome? On paper, this is a stronger team than many casual fans may know. Keep your eyes on them this weekend.

W2W4: This is a Manitoba-led field with 14 of the 16 teams entered representing the buffalo province. This means huge opportunity for these 14 teams to get a leg up on their provincial competition and rivals. Sure we don't see defending champ Gunnlaugson competing or #TeamBFF Carruthers/McEwen but there are still some strong Manitoba teams hitting the ice this weekend looking to build momentum and confidence heading into an open season. There are a few more experienced names in the field, sure, but we also know to expect some upsets along the way when an event has parity to it like this. Last season Team JT Ryan made a surprise run to the SF. They return this year looking for a similar, or better, result. Both Bohn brothers are back skipping their respected teams. Tanner Lott made a QF run last year. And what about the new Ty Diliello team with Hayden Forrester at vice? They made a strong season debut at The Icebreaker, picking up a few wins and coming up just short of a playoff spot. This field is going to be more competitive than people might expect from first look.

Qualifiers: Team Calvert, Team Fenner, Team Lyburn, Team Lott, Team Bale, Team Dilello, Team Da. Bohn, Team Ryan

Championship: Team Lyburn def. Team Calvert


KW Fall Classic (Tour 250)

Kitchener-Waterloo, ON

2017 Champion: Team Matthew Hall

Format: 16 team triple knockout with 8 qualifiers.

Top Teams Entered (Top 15): N/A

Favourite: The field! This might be one of the most wide-open events we will see on tour this season. The theme for the #KWClassic might just be Expect the Unexpected. Who knows what will happen? All 16 teams right now have a legit shot at qualifying and I am not sure it would be a major surprise, nor upset, to see any of them hoist the championship on Sunday. This is a HUGE opportunity for all 16 teams in the field to really build some momentum early in the season, grab a #wct title and earn some nice pocket cash.

#TeamUpset: Again, the field? If every team can be considered a favourite in a wide-open field doesn't that mean every team should be considered a #TeamUpset contender as well? Well...yes I suppose it does. But if you are looking for a team to hang your #TeamUpset hat on perhaps look at China's Xiu Yue Ma. Ma has been in Ontario since the end of August, competing in 3 tour events already. After a QF run in the season-opener in Oakville, Team Ma went 1-3 at the Stu Sells Oakville and 3-2 last weekend at the Shory Jenkins, just missing the playoffs due to the TB procedure. This is still a relatively new team to the tour but their stock is starting to rise. You have been put on notice rock heads!

W2W4: Expect the Unexpected. Anything can happen. All the modern sport cliches are in effect here folks. But an underlying story may be the continued sub-plot of #TeamCanada vs. #TeamWorld. We will see 5 of the 16 teams competing this weekend represent #TeamWorld but all of them have strong cases to be considered playoff contenders. China will be represented by 3 teams, led by Team Ma named above. We also have the Russian champions Team Timofeev, playing their third straight tournament in Canada. This is an excellent opportunity for them to continue to improve and get more experience on different competitive ice. We will also see the current US junior champion Andrew Stopera, who had a strong season-opener at the Stu Sells Oakville event just missing the playoffs with a 4-3 record and beating some strong teams like Team Muyres and Team Thomas. Of course #TeamCanada will be represented by a strong mainly Ontario-led contingent of teams looking to keep this title in Ontario for the 3rd consecutive year and 10th time in the past 11 years. The only non-Ontario team in the past ten years to win this title? China's Rui Liu.

Qualifiers: Team Ma, Team Dickie, Team Stopera, Team Chandler, Team Timofeev, Team Ferris, Team Ainsley, Team Willsey

Championship: Team Stopera def. Team Chandler


WOMEN

Mother Club Curling Classic (Tour 250)

Winnipeg, MB

2017 Champion: Team Michelle Englot

Format: 18 team RR with 3 pools of 6 teams. Top 8 qualify.

Top Teams Entered (Top 15): Team Einarson, Team Robertson, Team Flaxey

Favourite: The #TwineTime Power Rankings Battle! Team Einarson. Team Robertson. #LetsGo! In this weeks #PowerRankings we saw a tie atop the mountain between both Winnipeg foursomes. Both teams will be playing their fourth tour event of the season. Both teams have two tour victories to their credit and a QF appearance. Interestingly enough, Team Robertson won The Icebreaker when Team Einarson reached the QF while Team Einarson won Stu Sells Oakville when Team Robertson reached the QF. Both teams have won #Tour500 and #Tour250 events and both arrive at the Mother Club fresh off title #2 last weekend. These teams have faced off once this season, at The Icebreaker which Robertson won 5-4. But remember that was also Team Einarson's first event together debuting #TeamSkipper. Both teams are much stronger than they were back in Week 1. With all due respect to the remaining teams in this field, I think curling fans are hoping the Curling Gods allow for a Team Einarson vs. Team Robertson championship final here!

#TeamUpset: I am ready to officially hitch my (dark) horse on the #TeamJCR wagon I think folks. Ok besides the fact we share the same initials, I really like what I saw from this team at their season opening event last weekend in Morris. They reached the SF with a 3-1 RR record and played eventual champions Team Einarson tough in that SF, coming out with a 3-5 loss. The attention this weekend will be on the big two named above but do not underestimate a team flying under the radar and coming into a bigger event with some momentum. Another strong result this weekend could move this team into the #3 contender spot for the Manitoba Scotties this early in the season. Keep your eyes on this team folks.

W2W4: Can any of the other Manitoba teams compete with the Big Two of Einarson/Roberston? All the attention will be on them this weekend. If they steamroll the competition and meet in the final it will be disheartening for the other teams who will see the gap widen even more between the best and the rest. One or two or even three of the teams in this field need to step up their game NOW and put these other two teams on notice that the Manitoba Scotties race is not going to a two-horse race already decided in September of the season. The question is who, if any?

Qualifiers: Team Einarson, Team Robertson, Team Flaxey, Team Clark-Rouire, Team Watling, Team Mei, Team Peterson, Team Spencer

Championship: Team Einarson def. Team Robertson


KW Fall Classic (Tour 250)

Kitchener-Waterloo, ON

2017 Champion: Team Julie Tippin

Format: 20 team RR with 4 pools of 5 teams. Top 8 qualify.

Top Teams Entered (Top 15): N/A

Favourite: They may not be a Top 15 team on the current world rankings but they are battling for the top of the #TwineTime Power Rankings folks. Without question the favourite here is Japan's Team Yoshimura. We are in Week 5 of the season and this team will be playing their fifth event of the year. They have one title under their belt. A championship final appearance last weekend. Two QF appearances. They have qualified in every event entered so why stop the streak now (hopefully I did not just jinx them here). And they have played high quality events for this early in the season too, competing in two #Tour500 and two #Tour250 events. They are the exact example of how this proposed #TwineTime tour structure can work to your advantage if scheduled correctly....and pulling off the strong results of course. Keep watching this team folks!

#TeamUpset: The perfect #TeamUpset contender is always a player coming out of retirement and stepping back on the ice. This weekend we welcome back to the house former Ontario Scotties champion and #TwineTimeFam member Julie Hastings! We last saw Hastings on the ice during the 2016/17 season and the 2015 Ontario champ is going to be a welcome addition back onto the competitive curling tour. She is joined this season by an experienced team too: Erin Macaulay (vice), Katie Cottrill (second), Lori Eddy (lead). Macaulay skipped her own team last season while Cottrill and Eddy curled on Team Cathy Auld year. Hastings has been drawn into Pool C with Julie Tippin, Jo-Anne Rizzo, Chelsea Brandwood and Kirsten Marshall. Depending how the ice rust is on the slider a 2-2 record is very feasible and perhaps a #TeamUpset shot at the playoffs in Hastings first event back could be in the cards. Hastings hits the ice for her first match Friday afternoon vs. Brandwood.

W2W4: While we celebrate Hastings return to the ice, another team to be very watchful of in their season debut will be Krista McCarville. We last saw McCarville competing in the Northern Ontario Scotties where she lost the final to Tracy Fleury. After reaching the Scotties championship in 2017, 2019 could be her comeback year on the national stage. With Fleury going through a line-up change and switching provinces, who can really stop McCarville from reaching the Scotties as the Northern Ontario champion this season? But getting there is not going to be enough for the competitive skip so getting on the ice during the season and having strong #wct results is an essential key to their success. McCarville does not play a full competitive tour season either remember so when she does step on the ice she and the team have expectations to play well into the weekend. The draw is relatively favourable for them also, being placed in Pool B where they are strongest and most experienced team. Expect a qualifying run here....but can they make a championship run too in the season opener?

Qualifiers: Team Harrison, Team McCarville, Team Tippin, Team Yoshimura, Team Inglis, Team Wasylkiw, Team St-Georges, Team Rizzo

Championship: Team Yoshimura def. Team Harrison



MIXED DOUBLES

WCT Tallinn Mixed Doubles International

Tallinn, Estonia

2017 Champion: Marie Turmann / Harri Lill

Format: 18 team RR with 3 pools of 6 teams. Top 8 qualify.

Top Teams Entered (Top 15): Perret/Rios, Skaslien/Nedregotten, Turmann/Lill, Paulova/Paul

Favourite: Hard to argue against a former world champion and defending Olympic silver medal winners from Switzerland, Jenny Perret/Martin Rios. They also arrive in Estonia after competing in the first leg of the Curling World Cup where they could not solve the young USA team and missed the final with a 4-2 overall record. This is one of the best mixed doubles teams in the world and will remain a threat in every competition they enter. BUT do not underestimate Norway's pair of Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten. The Olympic bronze medal winners reunite after both competing in China at the Curling World Cup; however, Skaslien competed in mixed doubles and Nedregotten competed in men's. Nedregotten did reach the final with Team Walstad. Both of these teams should be the overwhelming favourites.

#TeamUpset: Mixed doubles can be tough as there are numerous teams who could surprise the field and make a deep playoff run at any time. Remember the mixed doubles theme of #NoLeadIsSafe! But if we really want to pick a far out #TeamUpset in this field how about welcoming Singapore onto the ice for the competition. We have not seen Singapore compete before so this is the perfect #growthesport argument and why mixed doubles is imperative for the future growth of the sport, not only the discipline. Singapore's Cai Huijie / Loh Caihao duo may not win this event but seeing another nation field a team on the mixed doubles circuit is a slide in the right direction. And who knows, we may be celebrating Singapore's first-ever curling win(s) this weekend as well. Welcome Singapore!

W2W4: This is a strong field meeting in Tallinn for Week 3 of the mixed doubles #wct schedule. We have a few teams who recently competed at the Curling World Cup. We also have a few teams who competed only a few weeks at the second tour event in Germany. Most of these teams have been on the ice this season and are starting to get in the groove. The exciting aspect, on first glance, is the number of nations competing this week as well. We have 11 different countries in the field and contenders are coming out of Switzerland, Norway, Estonia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The question will be whether those teams with the edge on experience and curling in big events/games (ie: Perret/Rios, Skaslien/Nedregotten) can use it to their advantage over the up and coming Euro competitors looking to break through this season and put their names, and nations, on the mixed doubles map (ie: Paulova/Paul, Kauste/Kauste, Turmann/Lill). Watch out for those defending champs returning on home ice too!

Qualifiers: Perret/Rios, Skaslien/Nedregotten, Turmann/Lill, Paulova/Paul, Westman/Ahlberg, Rupp/Wunderlin, Kauste/Kauste, Moskaleva/Eremin

Championship: Skaslien/Nedregotten def. Turmann/Lill

Quite a few interesting storylines to keep your curling eyes glued to the results this weekend. We will have a few big name teams making their season debut. We welcome back to the ice a favourite #TwineTimeFam member. Plus a very wide-open event allowing for major opportunity for one team. And don't forget, if you live in or around the Winnipeg or Kitchener-Waterloo area, head down to the local curling club and check out the action live and in person. You never know who you will bump into and meet. Support your local club rock heads and stoners!!

Enjoy the weekend.