#BetweenTheSheets: The Dis-Continental Cup?
Time to Reevaluate, Rethink, Rebrand and Rename
This week the 2020 Continental Cup selections were announced, causing quite a few rock smashes along the way. To put it bluntly, people are pissed off. Ok maybe not all people but a vast majority of curling fans are not happy.
The 2020 Ryder Cup-on-ice style event will feature 6 teams from Canada taking on 6 teams from Europe. Well actually 2 teams from Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland.
Did you all just learn a new geography lesson? Everything we were taught in school or on a globe (remember globes?!) has been a complete lie. Canada is its own continent. Europe is actually comprised of only 3 nations.
Settle down public school, you have wronged us all. Curling knows the true definition of "continent" apparently. 😒
What is really going on with this gimmick event folks? Why are we even bothering calling it a "Continental Cup"? Just call it the Ryder Cup or give it some lame curling-themed name and move on already. This is NOT a Continental Cup. This does not represent the idea of a Continental Cup. Just stop! It sure feels like we have been down this slide path before too? 2015 anyone?!?
Now, before we dive in too far here, lets first declare this is by no means commentary to those 12 teams selected to compete in London, ON from January 9 - 12, 2020. Those teams are all high-calibre elite teams who deserve to be there. The commentary here is on the format itself, not the teams. All good?
North America is comprised of 579 million people. Canada contributes just over 36M to that number (according to 2016 data). This equates to 6.2%. Welcome to the "Continental Cup". Did you also know Canada is a country and not a continent? I know right?! Hard breaking facts being delivered in the blog this week. Did you also know World Curling Federation Member Associations USA, Mexico and Dominican Republic (freshly initiated into the curling family) are also members of North America? USA has a population over 322M (55.6%) while Mexico has 127M (21.9%) and DR with 10M (1.8%).
Canada = North America? Canada competing as a continent? Look I get it. Canada has more curlers than their North American counterparts. Great! But then why are we competing in a Continental Cup when only one nation is representing the entire continent?
Did you also know Europe has a population over 741 million? Sweden contributes 1.4% (10.1M), Switzerland contributes 1.1% (8M) and Scotland adds 0.7% (5M). Yet here we are with these 3 nations coming together to represent the entire continent of Europe! They collectively barely make up 3% of the total population but sure, represent the entire continent in a sports competition.
Again, no debate on the talent level of these 3 Member Associations. They are the top nations in the curling world, along with Canada. No question! No debate! But a competition represented by 4 total nations does a Continental Cup not make. Any no #PACC representation? Again, first time for this since 2015. Why?
Now instead of just continuing the bitch-fest around the decision and being angry and disappointed and shouting from the roof of every curling club, why not be a little constructive? We don't need the competition in theory to disappear. But rather we need an edit. A redux. A face lift. A cleaning of the rocks for a redo. Maybe it is time for the entire format to change.
Welcome to the #TwineTime 2021 *proposed* Continental Cup...to be renamed the REAL World Cup of Curling!!
We saw the Davis Cup get a format change at the conclusion of last year's event. Now, rather than having playoff rounds throughout the tennis season, those nations who reach the World Group will all come together in mid-November to battle it out at one event.
For the Davis Cup, 18 nations will compete in the new format. The 4 SF from last year. 12 from a qualifying competition. 2 wild cards. Nations are then seeded on the Davis Cup Ranking, placed into 6 pools of 3 for the RR portion with 8 qualifiers (6 pool winners + 2 best second place) advancing to the playoff bracket. The RR consists of two singles matches and one doubles match. Boom!
Why can't curling do the same?
18 nations may be too much but what if we narrow the field to 12. The WCF did announce a NEW world ranking system for member associations right? Perfect! A similar qualification system can be used. The initial year would bring the Top 12 based on the new ranking system. Moving forward, Top 4 from previous year plus next 6 based on WCF ranking plus 2 wild cards. The competition would have 3 pools of 4 for the RR with the Top 6 advancing to the playoffs (top two from each pool).
Competition format? Well the Continental Cup currently offers a plethora of options but maybe we make this a bit less gimmick and more competition-based. Offer men's, women's and mixed doubles matches. The RR will see teams square off across all 3 disciplines. Scoring is simple. Each match win earns a point. To defeat your competition you need to win, at minimum, 2 of the 3 matches.
Imagine this proposed Curling World Cup field folks:
Canada - Team Koe, Team Homan, Team Peterman/Gallant
Sweden - Team Edin, Team Hasselborg, Team Westman/Ahlberg
Switzerland - Team De Cruz, Team Tirinzoni, Team Perret/Rios
Scotland - Team Mouat, Team Muirhead, Team Aitken/Andrews
China - Team Zou, Team Mei, Team Fu/Zou
Russia - Team Glukhov, Team Kovaleva, Team Moskaleva/Eremin
South Korea - Team S. Kim, Team M. Kim, Team Jang/Seong
Japan - Team Morozumi, Team Fujisawa, Team Fujisawa/Yamaguchi
Norway - Team Ulsrud, Team Skaslien, Team Skaslien/Nedregotten
Denmark - Team Poulsen, Team Dupont, Team Gronbech/Gronbech
USA - Team Shuster, Team Sinclair, Team Anderson/Dropkin
Germany - Team Muskatewitz, Team Jentsch, Team Scholl/Kampf
These 12 nations are listed according to the blog's National #PowerRankings.
Now THAT is a true international competition!! Hmmm, maybe all I really have proposed is scraping the Continental Cup and actually remaking the Curling World Cup into a more viable international competition? What a concept?!
What do you think rock heads? Is it time for the Continental Cup to get a complete overhaul? Or would you rather leave it as is? Or maybe perhaps we have a middle ground?
Ok enough pre-game talk. Lets shift focus to the action on this this upcoming weekend. We have women's events, including the first #Tour1000 of the season, along with men's events and mixed doubles events. It is worth noting the tour event in Korea is included below but does not actually start until Sunday and wraps up on Tuesday. Bit different. Time to slide out of the hack with this week's preview and predictions.
#TourLifePredictions
#ColonialSquare Ladies Classic (Tour 1000)
Saskatoon, SK
2018 Champion: Team Robertson
Format: 24 team triple-knockout with 8 qualifiers.
Top Teams Entered: Team Homan, Team J. Jones, Team Fleury, Team Fujisawa
#Fav:
The top team on the #PowerRankings all season has to be considered the fav this weekend. The old adage remains "to be the best you have to beat the best" and Team Homan are #1. We also saw Joanne Courtney back on the ice last weekend at the Team Homan Junior Camp. The team has only competed once this season thus far, reaching the SF at the Shorty Jenkins. Homan looked completely back in the game after just giving birth at the beginning of June. It is quite a testament to her training, focus and motivation to get right back on the competitive elite ice. When the team is firing on all cylinders they are very difficult to beat.
#TeamUpset:
Last season's #TeamUpset flag bearers return looking to replicate their SF finishes this season. Saskatchewan's Team Howard and Team Streifel surprised many with their deep playoff runs last year, delighting the home province crowd. Both qualified via the #CSideGrind but pulled off big QF upsets with Howard knocking off Jones and Streifel defeating Team Flaxey. Can lightning strike the ice twice?
And what about the #TeamUpset flag bearer from last weekend? Alberta's Team Skrlik won the Good Times Spiel in Calgary, knocking off Top 5 contender Team Kovaleva in the final. They come to Saskatoon with tones of confidence and momentum and should be considered a very dangerous floater in the draw. If they win their opener they would draw Jennifer Jones in their second game, which could be a fun game to watch and be a tell-tale sign of how far the team has come this season.
#W2W4:
The ultimate Colonial Champ returns looking to add to her trophy haul. Stephanie Lawton is the Queen of the Ice in Saskatoon. Lawton is a 5-time champion (2005, 2007-2010, 2012) and returns looking to add one more, this time as vice with current Sask champs Team Silvernagle. Last year the team struggled here, going 1-3 and being bounced out early. But this is a much different team over the past 12 months. Expect Lawton to be right in the mix on ice she is very familiar with.
But keep an eye on other Sasky teams competing. As mentioned, last year we saw two teams from #TeamGreen surprise the field with deep playoff runs. The home province is well represented in the field this year. In addition to Silvernagle, Howard and Streifel, former Canadian champ Amber Holland will be competing. Holland and company reached the QF last year. As did Sherry Anderson, who has a different team but is always a threat on the experience factor and resume alone. #TwineTimeFam member Michelle Englot is back, also with a new team, and looking to make a statement once again as a Sask threat.
And special shout out to the developing rivalry this blog is loving to see on tour this season: Team Walker vs. Team Peterson. Both are once again entered in the same event. Now they do find themselves on opposite ends of the bracket this time but in a triple knockout you never know where you will land and who will be standing opposite you on the ice for your next draw.
Qualifiers: Team Homan, Team Fleury, Team J. Jones, Team Silvernagle, Team Walker, Team Fujisawa, Team Koana, Team Peterson
Championship: Team J. Jones def. Team Silvernagle
#UiseongCurlingCup (Tour 500)
Uiseong, South Korea
2018 Champion: New Event
Format: 10 team RR with 2 pools of 5. Top 4 qualify.
Top Teams Entered: Team Tirinzoni, Team Sidorova, Team E. Kim, Team M. Kim
#Fav:
Has there been a world champion team flying more under the radar of discussion the following season than Switzerland's Team Tirinzoni? Everyone seems to be talking about Team Hasselborg or the top Canadian teams (Homan/Jones/Einarson/Carey). The #PACC is getting lots of love, rightfully so, from the handful of contending teams from Japan and South Korea. But what about Tirinzoni?
3 events this season. 3 playoff appearances. 1 from each round (QF, SF, F). All that is missing is the championship win. Now I suppose the argument could be made they are declining as they started with a F went to the SF the next week and then a QF the following week. Still sounds like 3 playoff appearances to me. This is a strong field too. The perfect opportunity for Tirinzoni and company to give a friendly broom sweep to their competition reminding them just who is the world champion!
#TeamUpset:
4 Korean teams. 2 Swiss teams. 1 Canadian. 1 Russian. But the #TeamUpset flag bearers may just be wearing the Red, White & Blue. Nina Roth and Jamie Sinclair round out the field representing USA. It has not been a stellar past 12 months for either of the top American teams. Both have struggled. Roth carried the Olympic hangover last season while Sinclair failed to live up to the hype after her #gsoc win. Is this the time they both turn things around?
Roth comes in with some momentum after winning the US Open last weekend in Blaine, MN. It was a nice rebound result after a disappointing 1-win finish at the Shorty Jenkins. Sinclair went one better at the Shorty, picking up 2 wins but still failing to qualify. Sinclair also failed to qualify at the season-opening Oakville Fall Classic, only picking up 1 win. Both of these teams could use a nice result here against a strong international field. Plus they are in opposite pools so, in theory, we could see an all-USA SF or even championship final.
#W2W4:
Could the home nation monopolize the playoff bracket? There are 4 teams from Korea competing this weekend. 4 teams make the playoffs. 2 teams in one pool, 2 in the other. And look at the teams competing. Team Min Ji Kim was the surprise team of the season last year, winning a Curling World Cup leg and reaching the podium at the world championships...as a junior team. Team Eun-jung Kim rose to international fame during their Olympic run on home nation ice in 2018, ultimately winning a silver medal. Not to mention also being a 2-time PACC champ (2016, 2017). And do not forget about Un-Chi Gim. Gim reached the SF at the Shorty Jenkins two weeks ago and won the KW Fall Classic last weekend. They arrive back on home ice with the most momentum. The final team is skipped by Eun-jin Oh. While Team Oh may be considered the ultimate underdogs here, we have learned quickly to never count out a Korean curling team.
Could we see a Korean sweep?
Qualifiers: Team Tirinzoni, Team M. Kim, Team E. Kim, Team Cannon
Championship: Team M. Kim def. Team E. Kim
#CurlingStoreCashspiel (Tour 250)
Lower Sackville, NS
2018 Champion: Team Hilliard
Format: 11 team RR with 1 pool of 6, 1 pool of 5. Top 4 qualify.
Top Teams Entered: Team Birt
#Fav:
PEI's Team Birt is the highest ranking team competing this weekend, tabbing them as the pre-event favourite. But it is not just the ranking beside their name being the rationale behind the favourite tag. Birt has the advantage of having a few competitive events under her slider this season, compared to the competition who will be stepping on the ice for the first time. Birt reached the QF at their season-opening Stu Sells Oakville event and just missed the playoffs at the Shorty Jenkins. Last season saw Birt win a tour title later in the season, coupled with another finals appearance, so expectations continue to be high on this team this year. They will be outnumbered by rival Atlantic Canada contenders and home province fans in Nova Scotia but they may just get the last laugh on Championship Sunday.
#TeamUpset:
Last year's surprise champion Team Hilliard is back looking to #DefendTheIce. Hilliard knocked off fan favourite Colleen Jones in the final last season and will be looking to surprise many once again this year. The path will not be easy however as Hilliard is drawn into the same pool as #Fav Birt along with contender Team Breen and wild card former NS champ Virginia Jackson. She surprised people last year, can she do it again? Wearing the defending champ moniker is never easy.
#W2W4:
I love Atlantic Canada #wct events. When we get to see a few teams from the Atlantic Canada provinces come together and compete it is great for continued regional rivalry building. We often talk about the rivalries between provinces with a focus on Saskatchewan vs. Manitoba or Saskatchewan vs. Alberta or Alberta vs. B.C. but we rarely discuss the provincial rivalries off the Atlantic coast.
We will see the rivalries come to life this weekend though. It will be a Nova Scotia vs. PEI battle as those are the two provinces represented in Lower Sackville. PEI brings #Fav Birt and Team Morrow to the ice while NS counters with 9 top contenders.
#TeamBluenose has the numbers and statistical advantage but #TheIslanders have arguably the top contender. It is worth noting in the 4-year history of this event (with different head sponsor names mind you), only teams representing the host province have emerged with the title.
Qualifiers: Team Birt, Team Arsenault, Team Breen, Team C. Jones
Championship: Team Birt def. Team Arsenault
MEN
#UiseongCurlingCup (Tour 500)
Uiseong, South Korea
2018 Champion: New Event
Format: 10 tem RR with 2 pools of 5. Top 4 qualify.
Top Teams Entered: Team Dunstone, Team Howard, Team McDonald, Team McEwen, Team Shuster, Team Ulsrud
#Fav:
Team Dunstone is the highest ranked team competing in Korea, according to the #PowerRankings, so lets go with them as the favourite. They have the resume for the season to back it up too. A finals appearance at their season-opener, Stu Sells Oakville, certainly has helped bolster them up the rankings. They faltered a bit at the Shorty Jenkins, falling just short of qualifying. But this team has also proven to do quite well overseas. Last season they won a tour title in Qinghai, China. They also won the third leg of the Curling World Cup in Jonkoping, Sweden. International travel does not seem to bother them. From a rankings perspective this is a big opportunity for Dunny. Last year at this time the team won a #Tour250 event in Vernon, BC while their main competitors were competing at the #gsoc Elite X. While Dunstone loses the points from the tour win last year, so too will their #gsoc competitors with the exception being Dunny is here competing at a #Tour500 event now. HUGE opportunity to actually gain valuable ranking points on the competition with a deep playoff run. Remember #DunnyIsMoney after all.
#TeamUpset:
One of my favourite #TeamUpset contenders is competing here, Italy's Joel Retornaz. I am a huge Retornaz fan. I have talked to him at numerous events. I included him in the #MenOfCurling picks. Retornaz is truly one of the good guys in the sport. And often soars under the radar with fans and competitors at tour events. I don't know if people are maybe distracted by the supposed "bigger names" in the field or maybe they are still struggling to identify Retornaz without his epic beard?! Whatever the case, if the Italian Stallion wants to stay under the radar and make deep playoff runs I am here for it. The 2018 Euro bronze medalist owns an impressive 8-3 record on the season, reaching the QF at the Oakville Fall Classic (after going undefeated in the RR remember) and lost in a TB at the Stu Sells Oakville. This is a dangerous floater in the draw who is capable of knocking off anyone in this field. Do not sleep on Joel!
#W2W4:
For the women's preview we talked about the possibility of seeing an all-Korean playoff bracket. Could we see similar for the men? Well not completely given there are only 3 Korean teams entered and 4 playoff spots. But these are 3 strong teams representing the home nation. Chang-min Kim and SooHyuk Kim have developed a great Korean rivalry with one another. Chang-min Kim won the 2017 PACC and represented Korea at the home game Olympics in 2018. SooHyuk Kim has won 2 PACC titles (2002, 2015) and represented Korea at the world championships last season. The blog talked about building up rivalries this season, C. Kim vs. S. Kim is a great rivalry to keep your eyes on this season. Both are contenders. Both are proven champions. Both have Top 10 potential. C. Kim also reached a tour final already this season (Oakville Fall Classic). And what about Jongduk Park? Well he also reached a tour final earlier this season, losing the championship game to Team Morozumi at the ADVICS Cup. Each of these teams has playoff potential.
And what about another team who has found great success on Korean ice? USA's John Shuster! Shuster won his greatest achievement at the 2018 Winter Olympics, taking home a gold medal. He has fond memories of South Korea. Why not continue the momentum here and add more wins on South Korean ice? Shuster missed the playoffs at his only event of the season thus far (Stu Sells Oakville) but how many of you saw him winning in PyeongChang?
Qualifiers: Team Dunstone, Team Retornaz, Team Ulsrud, Team Shuster
Championship: Team Ulsrud def. Team Dunstone
#CurlingStoreCashspiel (Tour 250)
Lower Sackville, NS
2018 Champion: Team S. Thompson
Format: 9 team RR with 1 pool of 5 and 1 pool of 4. Top 4 qualify.
Top Teams Entered: Team S. Thompson
#Fav:
Going with the current provincial champ Stuart Thompson trying to #DefendTheIce here. Last season this was really the breakout event for the team. They started their season here, won the event and helped kick start the outstanding season they had, which included a Brier appearance and a finals appearance at the Stu Sells Toronto event.
Fast forward to this season and the narrative can be similar. Sure we saw the team open their season at Stu Sells Oakville, going winless, but now they are on home ice with a comfort level and defending a tour title. This is the opportunity to regain momentum for the season. It is never easy wearing the target on your back though so they cannot afford another slip-up against a *mostly* provincial rival field. Not to mention they are technically the two-time defending champions here, having also won the event in 2016 (not contested 2017).
#TeamUpset:
Last week the blog mentioned some top #NextGen competitors to lead the #TeamUpset watch...and it worked out pretty well for many. This week another contender could make a surprise playoff run. Matt Manuel is a 4-time NS junior champ (2015-2018), reaching the Championship Pool at the Canadian junior championship in 2017 and 2017. Both times he finished 1 win out of a TB spot for the playoff bracket too. Manuel has quickly become a potential next face to run the place for the Bluenose province. Last season was the transition year as we only saw the team compete at 2 #wct events but they did reach a SF. Now would be the perfect coming out party for the young team, ready to break through as a men's contender. We saw it with Stuart Thompson last year, another 4-time NS junior champ (2010-2014). Could Manuel be the next skip to make a big move?
#W2W4:
The Nova Scotia rivalries! These are the teams we should expect to see compete for the NS Tankard and the coveted trip to the Brier next March. Stuart Thompson sits atop the NS mountain. Jamie Murphy has been there many times and wants to reclaim the top stop. Kendal Thompson watched Stuart achieve the dream last year, can he do it this year? Chad Stevens has been oh so close in the past to the Tankard title but keeps falling short. Could this finally be his year? And never count out our #TeamUpset contender Matt Manuel. This should be a fun spiel to keep your eyes on rock heads.
Qualifiers: Team Murphy, Team S. Thompson, Team K. Thompson, Team Manuel
Championship: Team Murphy def. Team S. Thompson
#TallinnChallenger International (Tour 250)
Tallinn, Estonia
2018 Champion: Team Shalamitski
Format: 15 team RR with 8 qualifiers.
Top Teams Entered: NA
#Fav:
Hello Mukki! Are you ready for your close-up? This is a telling season for the young German skip. He guided Germany to the Euro playoffs last year. What can he do this year? Marc Muskatewitz has the makings of being the next elite German curler, someone who could guide the nation back into the Olympic conversation for 2022. But it really all starts with results this season. Was the Euro result last year a fluke? Or was it the start of a budding successful curling career? This is a winnable field for the German champs. Expect to see this team competing for the championship on Sunday.
#TeamUpset:
Last season Ilya Shalamitski skipped the first #wct title for Belarus at this event. It was a historic result for him and his team from Minsk. Many, this blog included, thought perhaps it could carry the team and nation to future historic results, even a possible promotion at the European Championships. Unfortunately the team was unable to replicate the magic from this event at the Euros on the same ice. Time to hit the reset and try again. Can the team #DefendTheIce and strike lightning on ice once again? Their win was one of the ultimate #TeamUpset tour victories of the season and a great progression towards the #growthesport movement. If they can follow it up with a playoff push once again this year, it would be a great message and motivator for underdog Euro nations.
#W2W4:
We have seen Harri Lill a few times already this season but on the mixed doubles circuit. Now we get to see him in action with his Estonian men's team competing on home ice. Last year at the European Championships Lill missed promotion to the A-division on home ice. It was a disappointing result, especially watching his MD partner Marie Turmann lead her women's team to promotion. This is a great shot at redemption for him and the team though. The path towards Euro 2020 A-division is within sight with the 2019 Euro's coming up in just under two months. This field, for the most part, is equivalent to a Euro B-division field. A strong result here, perhaps with a championship win in front of home fans, would go far in building momentum towards the ultimate goal of Euro promotion this year.
Qualifiers: Team Lill, Team Lottenbach, Team Muskatewitz, Team Schnider, Team Raev, Team Shalamitski, Team Pollanen, Team Verreycken
Championship: Team Muskatewitz def. Team Lill
MIXED DOUBLES
#ColoradoCurlingCup
Denver, CO
2018 Champion: New Event
Format: 20 team RR with 4 pools of 5. Top 8 qualify.
Top Teams Entered: Team Anderson/Dropkin
#Fav:
Top team entered. American ice. American duo competing in front of American fans. All the stars (and stripes) are aligned for a #wct victory for Sarah Anderson and Korey Dropkin this weekend. Straight up, this is the best team in the field. They have the best resume and are proven MD winners. They have big tour titles under their sliders together and have competed at the world championships and the Curling World Cup last season. This blog went on record in the past saying this would be the team to represent USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics and I still believe this to be true. Minus three teams, this is a field dominated by USA duos and hopefuls for a national championship. How else can you reinforce your dominance as the top team in your nation than going undefeated through a tour event on home ice and winning the tournament?
#TeamUpset:
#Broomzila has arrived in Denver! Susana Cole and Tijani Cole will represent the Super Eagles of Nigeria this weekend. They are the ultimate #TeamUpset flag bearers of the weekend. The duo made headlines last year with their debut at the world championships, picking up a RR W over France to finish 1-6. Not a bad debut at all considering other nations went winless. Sure they suffered some lopsided losses *cough* 20-0 vs. Czech Republic *cough* but it was a learning curve and by the time their final RR game spun its last rock they had a victory under the slider. Developing Member Associations have to start somewhere. This is another great opportunity for the duo towards improving and slowly develop Nigeria into a curling nation. Are they a threat to win in Denver? No. But I bet they will have tremendous fan support and interest. Who knows, maybe they can pick up a win or two along the way and surprise a few of their competitors?!
#W2W4:
We know all of you will be watching Johnny Mo return to the ice this weekend. Morris, the 2018 Winter Olympic MD champion, will be joined by Kira Brunton for this event. This is a formidable duo. We all know Morris' resume, being a double Olympic gold medalist. But Brunton is quickly becoming a #NextGen contender in the women's game. This is a great opportunity for her to learn from one of the best in the game but also establish herself as a legit threat for the future. Plus you know fans love seeing the Golden Boy Johnny Mo on the ice. He has personality. He has looks. But does he still have the winning pedigree after stepping back from the game to have a family?
Qualifiers: Team Brunton/Morris, Team Anderson/Dropkin, Team Stolt/Stolt, Team Stirling/Kingan, Team Good/Guy, Team Bear/Stopera, Team Workin/Workin, Team Clark/Bond
Championship: Team Anderson/Dropkin def. Team Stirling/Kingan
#BramptonCurlingCup
Brampton, ON
2018 Champion: New Event
Format: 20 team RR with 5 pools of 4. Top 12 qualify.
Top Teams Entered: Team Cottrill/Cottrill, Team Tuck/Tuck Jr, Team Desjardins/Desjardins
#Fav:
Do we just say "See previous MD preview posts" here? Katie and Shawn Cottrill are back on the ice once again this weekend. Are they the hardest working duo in the sport or what? If there is a tour event happening, they are entering. They already have one tour title to their credit this season. They recently moved up the Canadian MD rankings to sit #2 behind the current national champs Jocelyn Peterman / Brett Gallant. This duo appears to be going all in this season to win their first national championship, represent the Maple Leaf at the world championship and perhaps make a statement that MD specialists can thrive in the sport. It is not all about the so-called "elite" duos either. Adding another championship win this weekend would sure add to their statement.
#TeamUpset:
Lets keep with the #growthesport international theme here. There are two contending non-Canadian teams entered into this field. Ling-Yue Hung and Jason Chung will represent Hong Kong while Farzana Hussain and Rayad Husain will represent Guyana. Both are their current national championship duos. Both represented their heritage nations at the 2019 world championship (both going 1-6). Both just happen to also live in Canada. This is a great opportunity to see how far these teams have moved the needle towards becoming more competitive and helping to grow the sport for Hong Kong and Guyana respectfully. The world championship format has changed. No longer is it an open invite. Both of these teams, representing developing curling Member Associations, are no longer locks to compete at the world championship. If they want to get to the big ice, they are going to have to hit, guard, tick and runback their way into the field...the hard way. This is a big test. A strong result for either (or both) duos here would go far in gaining some momentum and confidence. Still flying the #TeamUpset flag of course but perhaps closing the gap a bit more with a playoff push.
#W2W4:
Outside of a few MD specialist duos, this is actually a fairly wide open field. A lot of the attention will fall on those familiar MD names like Cottrill, Desjardins, Tuck and Heggestad but do not be shocked to see a more unfamiliar duo make a playoff push and perhaps even capture the title this weekend. Mixed doubles is a crazy beast of a discipline. Remember the motto is "No Lead Is Safe" which quickly can translate into any team can beat any other on any given day. Plus in a field of 20 teams where 12 make the playoffs, a team could get hot at the right time and steamroll a playoff bracket. Can the "bigger name" teams prove they are the teams to watch or can one of the "unknowns" make a name for themselves?
Qualifiers: Team Tuck/Tuck Jr., Team Westlund Stewart/Stewart, Team Cottrill/Cottrill, Team Desjardins/Desjardins, Team Grandy/Janssen, Team Hussain/Husain, Team Hung/Chang, Team Wilson/Dow, Team Heggestad/Heggestad, Team Wasylkiw/Konings, Team Holyoke/Lawes, Team McGovern/Steep
Championship: Team Cottrill/Cottrill def. Team Tuck/Tuck Jr.
What say you rock head prognosticators? Agree with the predictions above? Disagree? Who are you cheering for? Share your predictions via social media using #TourLifePredictions and remember to tag your favourite teams.
And of course if you live in or around any city hosting a #wct event this weekend, head down to your local club and watch the action live in person. Take a few pics of the action. Snap some shots with your favourite teams. And share them on social media. The responsibility to #growthesport rests with us all.
#StayTuned
It is also worth mentioning Team Hasselborg and Team Wrana are competing in a Best of 7 series this weekend to determine who will represent Sweden at the 2019 European Curling Championships. Not only is this a huge honour to wear your nation on your back competing against the best on the continent but it is extra special this year as Sweden will also serve as the host nation. Live scoring can be found HERE.
The blog also updated the podcast page this week with a little #TBT to #TwineTimeFam member Laura Walker. Fresh off her first #wct victory with the new team last weekend and with the recent announcement of her husband, Geoff Walker, being a member of the 2020 #MenOfCurling calendar, perfect time to turn back the rock and look back at the great interview from last season. Listen to us discuss her MD success with #TwineTimeFam member Kirk Muyres, the gender (in)equality being part of the 2019 #WomenOfCurling calendar and so much more. Download the latest podcast episode HERE.
The blog returns next week for the #PowerRankings update. Which teams make the #INturn this week and which fall to the dreaded #OUTturn?
Enjoy the weekend!
Thannk you for sharing this
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