#PowerRankings W5

#BetweenTheSheets: Updated Power Rankings

Who were the #INturn and #OUTturn performers of the week?

Helllooooo curling. You are back. Rock heads are happy. The world is at peace.

Ok the world is 100% NOT at peace, far from it, but from a sports perspective we can say we are at peace because our favourite athletes are getting back on the ice playing our favourite sport. Everyone is happy. Everyone is winning. Yes?

This is also our first real Power Rankings update of the season. With three events taking place last weekend, and some top contending teams hitting the ice, we get to finally put Year II of the ranking system into effect.

But before we get into that, how about we mix it up with a new format?

This season the blog is going do something a bit different with the #GunnerRunback section. Rather than just summarize championship results from the previous weekend (which will still happen), we will highlight the IN and OUT turns. Which teams excelled (#INturn) and which teams stumbled (#OUTturn).

#GunnerRunback

#INturn

• Don't call them an underdog or surprise team anymore folks. Switzerland's Team Schwaller is here to play and here to stay! Schwaller sent the fans home happy in Baden when they knocked off world champion Team Edin in the final to claim the #BadenMasters. Schwaller went undefeated over the weekend, going 7-0 and picking up big wins against powerhouse teams like Team Paterson, Team De Cruz and Team Edin.
• Playing early events in Japan seems to be the winning formula. Team Gunnlaugson and Team Fleury took home the championship titles at the #Icebreaker this weekend in Morris, MB. Both teams competed in Japan at the beginning of August and helped them both slide right into the champions circle. Gunnlaugson knocked off #TeamUpset contender Team Dilello in the final while Fleury took down Japan's Team Koana (who also competed in both early season events in Japan).
• Speaking of #TeamUpset, we had a few flag bearer's this weekend. Ty Dilello started the season strong reaching the final and playing on Sunday with a spare lead. Manitoba junior champ JT Ryan also had a strong start to the season reaching the SF in Morris. Both were listed as #TeamUpset contenders in the preview. Team Koana's run to the final was a bit of a surprise as well. Sure they competed in Japan to start the season but had underwhelming results. They knocked off Team Jentsch (twice) and Team Kovaleva to make the final. Team Hess and Team Schnider reaching the QF in Baden was a bit surprising for some as well. Although Hess did qualify there last year too.
• Special shout out to those additional teams not mentioned above who qualified for the playoff round this past weekend. At the #BadenMasters: Team De Cruz, Team Mouat (SF), Team Paterson and Team Ramsfjell (QF). At the #Icebreaker: Team Yoshimura, Team Kovaleva, Team Calvert (SF), Team Jentsch, Team Peterson, Team Horgan and Team Ruohonen (QF).

#OUTturn

• Perhaps the ultimate shocker of the weekend was Norway's Team Ulsrud failing to qualify in Baden. Yes this is a new team but they are star-packed. Thomas Ulsrud. Steffen Walstad. Markus Hoiberg. Magnus Vaagberg. These are not unfamiliar names nor players not used to winning. The team did go 2-2 in the RR but the shocking loss to Schnider proved to be the eliminator. We know this team will be strong going forward but this was a bit of a surprise. Plus Ulsrud was the defending champ.
• Another new team who may have underperformed a bit against expectations was Team Walker in Morris. The new-look team is also stacked with experience, led by Laura Walker with big name hitter Kate Cameron at vice and the front end pairing of Taylor McDonald and Nadine Scotland. The team beat Team Peterson, lost to Team Fleury in the A-qualifier and then lost to Peterson in the B-qualifier. To their credit they were placed in the most difficult and most competitive "pod" in the draw but the small stumble failing to qualify was a bit of a surprise. Similar to Ulsrud, this should be a minor hiccup on the road for the season.

With one #Tour500 men's event and the dual #Tour250 event spinning their final rocks on Sunday, what impact did the results have on Power Ranking mountain?

#PowerRankings

MEN

1. Team Bottcher - 7628 (LW: 1)
2. Team Koe - 6630 (2)
3. Team Mouat - 5437 (4)
4. Team Edin - 5372 (3)
5. Team Epping - 5233 (5)

Hon. Mention: Team Paterson, Team De Cruz, Team Jacobs, Team Gushue, Team Howard

Here is where we see how Year II of the proposed #TwineTime system can cause some confusion on the rankings. Team Edin reached the final in Baden, including knocking off Team Mouat in the SF, yet they actually drop a spot in the ranking. And who passes them? Team Mouat! Whhhaaaa?!?

As explained the W0 Power Rankings blog post, teams can gain or lose points each week in comparison to the previous season. With the #SwedishVikings, they did not gain nor lose any points. They reached the final of the #Tour500 event and lost, same as last year. As a result their point total stays the same. They retain the points earned last year but failed to pick up more.

For Team Mouat, they reached the QF last year to pick up 90 points. This year they reached the SF to collect 180. They gained 90 points overall. The gain was just enough to pass Team Edin, even though they did lose to them in the playoffs. Look at those totals. Mouat leads Edin by only 65 points! And by the way, Happy Birthday to #TwineTimeFam member Bruce Mouat on Tuesday, August 27!

Teams who did well at the same event (or same week) a season ago need to go out and fight to retain their points or go one better. If not, they could stumble a bit down the rankings even by reaching a final. This is where we will see more movement this season folks.

The greater emphasis is placed on the two common themes this blog preaches year in and year out: Consistency and Results. If you want to climb the rankings mountain, get the results. If you want to stay on the mountain, be consistent. It is as simple as that.

Get ready...the mountain is about to become more dangerous than ever before.


WOMEN

1. Team Homan - 7820 (LW: 1)
2. Team Einarson - 7110 (2)
3. Team Hasselborg - 6870 (3)
4. Team Tirinzoni - 6245 (4)
5. Team Kovaleva - 4165 (5)

Hon. Mention: Team J. Jones, Team Carey, Team Fujisawa, Team Yoshimura, Team Scheidegger

No big moves in our Top 10 this week. Team Yoshimura reaching the QF in Morris helped them move up one spot to 9th, overtaking the inactive Team Scheidegger. BUT Yoshimura also enters Week 6 where last year they won the Oakville Fall Classic. If they want to remain in the Top 10, they will need to defend those 250 points.

Team Kovaleva perhaps had a weekend of missed opportunity. Being the only Top 5 team competing this early in the season, they could have gained some ground on the teams ahead (and some separation on those chasing). They reached the QF, which was great. But failing to advance beyond left some potential valuable ranking points on the ice. Could it haunt them later in the season?


NATION

1. Canada - 4650 (LW: 1)
2. Sweden - 3365 (2)
3. Switzerland - 3330 (3)
4. Scotland - 2843 (4)
5. China - 2160 (5)

Hon. Mention: Russia, South Korea, Japan, Norway, Denmark

Of course we see no changes on Nation mountain as there have not been an international events this season, yet! We will possibly see the first update to the nation rankings after the World Mixed Curling Championships in October.

Can Canada remain atop the mountain this season? Will the S Club 3 take over? And will this be the season we see the Asian nations continue to climb and take over the Top 5?

What say you rock heads? What are your predictions for the Nation Power Rankings?

#StayTuned

This weekend brings #wct action to Oakville, ON for the annual Oakville Fall Classic. This is a dual #Tour250 event with two Japanese teams (Team Matsumura, Team Yoshimura) looking to #DefendTheIce.

The blog will have your full preview of the event later in the week.

What do you think of the #PowerRankings? Are you a fan of the new #INturn and #OUTturn section of the weekly blog? Share your thoughts in the comments below or via social media.

Enjoy your week rock heads!