#PowerRankings Top50

#BetweenTheSheets: Top 50 Power Rankings

Taking an extended look at the mountain heading into 2020

Welcome to 2020!!

The new decade is upon us. Hope all of you were able to celebrate the new year in style and enjoy some time with family, friends and all your loved ones.

But as the calendar switches over, the work must continue. As an aside, have you put up your #MenOfCurling calendar? January is a little cheeky isn't it? 🍑

ICYMI the #TwineTime blog also released the #Top9of19. A countdown revealing the top blog posts of 2019. And which post happened to be #1? Why the #MenOfCurling calendar picks post of course. For a full recap, check out the countdown HERE.

Ok back to business. What better way to kick off 2020 then with the BIGGEST #PowerRankings blog post EVER!!

Normally each week the blog released the Top 5 with the next 5 named in the Hon. Mention section. But that just didn't seem like a grand enough gesture to welcome in the new decade. Go big or go home right?

For the first blog post of 2020 the blog reveals the TOP 50!! The Top 50 men's and women's teams on the Power Rankings heading into the second half of the season.

But that is not all...oh no, there is more.

For this special ranking post we also breakdown the FULL nation ranking (Top 53) and the Top 10 for mixed doubles. For the men, women and nation rankings, the number in parenthesis is where the team/nation was ranked at the beginning of the current season.

Where does your favourite team and/or nation fall on the mountain? At the top? Near the top? Somewhere in the middle? And have they made any progress through the first-half of the season, climbing up the rankings? Or did they take a tumble?

Take note, teams with (NEW) after their names after teams who are either completely new this season or made a line-up change in the off-season. Their points have been revised based on the World Curling Tour method for player/point allocation when leaving an old team and joining a new team. The team may not be considered "NEW" but they are "NEW" to the Power Rankings under the current line-up they compete. Makes sense?

Lets pull back the lens and take a broader look at the Power Rankings mountain.

#PowerRankings

MEN

1. Team Bottcher - 7825  (1)
2. Team Edin - 5415  (3)
3. Team Koe - 5225  (2)
4. Team Jacobs - 5020.25  (NEW)
5. Team Mouat - 4714  (4)
6. Team De Cruz - 4575  (7)
7. Team Epping - 4517.5  (NEW)
8. Team Gushue - 4341  (9)
9. Team Matsumura - 3377  (12)
10. Team Paterson - 2970  (6)
11. Team McEwen - 2760  (14)
12. Team Horgan - 2642  (NEW)
13. Team Schwaller - 2532  (17)
14. Team Dunstone - 2506  (11)
15. Team R. Whyte - 2470  (62)
16. Team Dropkin - 1935  (27)
17. Team Tardi - 1862.5  (NEW)
18. Team Howard - 1829  (10)
19. Team Harty - 1825  (64)
20. Team Gunnlaugson - 1774  (18)
21. Team Glukhov - 1647  (23)
22. Team McDonald - 1378  (15)
23. Team Ruohonen - 1375  (37)
24. Team van Dorp - 1369  (24)
25. Team Muirhead - 1350  (13)
26. Team Muyres - 1335  (16)
27. Team V. Roberge - 1300  (NEW)
28. Team C. Kim - 1280  (NEW)
29. Team Sturmay - 1249  (26)
30. Team Retornaz - 1199  (38)
31. Team Ulsrud - 1150  (NEW)
32. Team Calvert - 1137  (20)
33. Team Murphy - 1065  (39)
34. Team Shuster - 1045  (21)
35. Team Geall - 915  (NEW)
36. Team Bryce - 870  (81)
37. Team Cotter - 864.75  (NEW)
38. Team Dunnam - 945  (72)
39. Team S. Jones - 844  (102)
40. Team Richard - 826.25  (NEW)
41. Team S. Thompson - 818  (30)
42. Team Pahl - 815  (59)
43. Team Q. Zou - 799  (43)
44. Team Klima - 765  (63)
45. Team Fournier - 760  (35)
46. Team Chambers - 730  (47)
47. Team Lottenbach - 728  (78)
48. Team K. Thompson - 722  (40)
49. Team Stevens - 719  (51)
50. Team Grattan - 702  (80)

Top 10 looks pretty similar to the end of last year. The old iterations of Team Epping and Team Jacobs finished #5 and #8 respectfully. Safe to say it is becoming increasingly hard to crack the men's Top 10. But some teams have made steady climbs this season.

How about Scotland's Team Whyte and Alberta's Team Harty? Both finished outside the Top 60 last year. Both currently sit among the Top 20, closing in on that coveted #gsoc bubble. Outside of those two climbers, the Top 30 as a whole looks fairly consistent with teams swapping positions but the names remain the same.

Special props to Quebec's Team Roberge though. The former Quebec junior champs have made a successful slide onto the men's tour ice this season and find themselves ranked #27. They have been winning tour titles on home province ice and could be considered not only a dark horse but even a favourite heading into the Quebec Tankard.

A few other big climbers thus far include: New Brunswick's Team Jones (outside the Top 100, now #39), Scotland's Team Bryce (#36 from #81) and Switzerland's Team Lottenbach (#47 from #78).

Again, overall even the Top 50 look very similar compared to the end of last season. Who is your surprise team of the season thus far rock heads? Who do you think can still make the big climb towards the top? Or which team do you think might take a fall in the second half of the season?


WOMEN

1. Team Hasselborg - 6750  (3)
2. Team Tirinzoni - 6165  (4)
3. Team Fleury - 5488  (16)
4. Team Homan - 5424  (1)
5. Team Einarson - 5294  (2)
6. Team Fujisawa - 3870  (11)
7. Team Carey - 3556  (7)
8. Team J. Jones - 3372  (6)
9. Team Walker - 2998.5  (NEW)
10. Team Muirhead - 2860  (13)
11. Team Roth - 2255 (25)
12. Team M. Kim - 2234  (18)
13. Team Kovaleva - 2220  (5)
14. Team Silvernagle - 2181  (12)
15. Team Stern - 2075  (14)
16. Team Yoshimura - 2047  (9)
17. Team Cannon - 2035.5  (NEW)
18. Team Sidorova - 2015  (10)
19. Team Matsumura - 1980  (15)
20. Team Scheidegger - 1938  (8)
21. Team Koana - 1845  (51)
22. Team Rocque - 1725 (24)
23. Team U. Gim - 1500  (29)
24. Team Wrana - 1464  (20)
25. Team C. Brown - 1455  (28)
26. Team Sinclair - 1358  (55)
27. Team Schori - 1336  (48)
28. Team Robertson - 1176.75  (NEW)
29. Team K. Jones - 1138.5  (NEW)
30. Team S. Jackson - 1133  (30)
31. Team Zacharias - 1100  (NEW)
32. Team McCarville - 1097  (42)
33. Team Balsdon - 1069.75  (NEW)
34. Team Peterson - 1000  (45)
35. Team Jentsch - 992  (21)
36. Team Birt - 963  (38)
37. Team Feltscher - 955  (23)
38. Team Y. Han - 940  (209)
39. Team Skrlik - 930  (109)
40. Team Rumiantseva - 870  (33)
41. Team B. Richards - 805  (90)
42. Team E. Kim - 780  (NEW)
43. Team Murphy - 780  (57)
44. Team Ackland - 760  (62)
45. Team Horton - 666.75 (NEW)
46. Team Sturmay - 660  (47)
47. Team Brunton - 650  (81)
48. Team Anderson - 645  (39)
49. Team Y. Jiang - 645  (43)
50. Team Howard - 602.5 (NEW)

Most of the Top 5 remain the same. Similar for the Top 10, with many familiar names sitting near the top of the mountain.

But look at the high rising Team Fleury. From #16 at the end of last season to #3 this season. Quite the climb in a few months. But props to a few other teams among the Top 20 making moves, namely Team Fujisawa (up 5) and Team Roth (up 14).

For new teams, Team Walker is leading the way as having the best rookie season thus far. They currently sit within the Top 10 at #9. Props to Team Cannon as well for cracking the Top 20 at #17.

Some of the biggest movers up the mountain are Team Koana (up 30), Team Sinclair (up 29) and Team Schori (up 21). All three hovered around the Top 50 mark last season but have now cracked the Top 30. But making the biggest move is China's Team Y. Han, who finished last season outside the Top 200 and now sits #38. What a season this team is having. The future of Chinese curling and the team to lead the home nation at the 2022 Winter Olympics?

Special mention to Team Zacharias, competing on the women's tour for the first time after playing juniors. They sit just outside the Top 30 in their debut tour season. Impressive!! A nice dark horse contender in a tough Manitoba Scotties field for sure.

What about those who have lost their footing on the jagged mountain? A few teams remain among the Top 20 but have fallen outside the Top 10: Team Kovaleva, Team Yoshimura, Team Sidorova and Team Scheidegger. Team Jentsch and Team Feltscher have also slid back a bit from last season, both within the Top 25 and now clinging to remain in the Top 40. Can any of these teams turn it around the second half of the season and start the climb once again?

NATION

1. Canada - 4900  (1)
2. Sweden - 3595  (2)
3. Switzerland - 3490  (3)
4. Scotland - 2853  (4)
5. China - 2410  (5)
6. South Korea - 2215  (7)
7. Japan - 1620  (8)
8. Russia - 1575  (6)
9. Denmark - 1296  (10)
10. Norway - 1235  (9)
11. Germany - 1190  (12)
12. USA - 1140  (11)
13. Italy - 1030  (14)
14. Czech Republic - 660  (22)
15. New Zealand - 610  (16)
16. Australia - 535  (18)
17. Finland - 501  (20)
18. Hungary - 490  (26)
19. Slovakia - 470  (19)
20. Turkey - 455  (25)
21. France - 445  (23)
22. Belarus - 420  (24)
23. England - 400  (21)
24. Poland - 395  (28)
25. Latvia - 337  (17)
26. Estonia - 305  (13)
27. Hong Kong - 285  (27)
28. Slovenia - 270  (29)
29. Spain - 245  (15)
30. Austria - 240  (31)
31. Netherlands - 240  (30)
32. Ireland - 210  (34)
33. Kazakhstan - 205  (33)
34. Wales - 175  (32)
35. Chinese Taipei - 155  (35)
36. Bulgaria - 110  (37)
37. Romania - 110  (38)
38. Brazil - 75  (39)
39. Lithuania - 70  (36)
40. Belgium - 65  (40)
41. Croatia - 55  (41)
42. Qatar - 45  (44)
43. Guyana - 30  (45)
44. Greece - 25  (42)
45. Kosovo - 20  (52)
46. Nigeria - 15  (46)
47. Liechtenstein - 10  (47)
48. Israel - 5  (43)
49. Luxembourg - 5  (48)
50. Ukraine - 5  (49)
51. Andorra - 0  (NEW)
52. Mexico - 0  (50)
53. Saudi Arabia - 0  (51)

No movement among the Top 5. Little movement among the Top 10. And look at the point difference between #13 Italy and #14 Czech Republic. Safe to say we know which are the Top 13 curling nations in the world right now. And by a fairly wide margin.

The big movers thus far have been Czech Republic (up 8), Hungary (up 8) and Turkey (up 5). All three nations seem to be on the cusp of Euro breakthrough. For Czech Republic, they will have both men's and women's teams competing at the Euro A-division next season. Turkey's women will also be there.

On the flip side, three other European nations have stumbled down the mountain this season. Latvia (down 8), Estonia (down 13) and Spain (down 14) have all struggled compared to last year. Latvia was bolstered by their women's performance at last year's Euro's. Unfortunately the team struggled this year and was relegated for next year. Estonia's women were bolstered by their second place finish at the Euro B-division last year but failed to gain points in A-division this year; however, they did do enough to avoid relegation. And Spain, they were floundered by failing to replicate the silver medal performance last year at the World Mixed Curling Championships. When you fail to #DefendTheIce, you lose those points and pay the price on a shaky rankings mountain.

The second half of the season could see some movement, especially near the top with world championships coming up for men, women, junior, mixed doubles, senior and wheelchair. Can those nations who claimed gold last year defend the points or will they take similar tumbles down the mountain? And which nations could gain the most ground and make a push for the top spot?

What say you rock heads? Any nation you think could surprise in the second half of the season? Who do you think will finish with the #1 ranking?


MIXED DOUBLES

1. Team Skaslien/Nedregotten
2. Team Peterman/Gallant
3. Team Hasselborg/Eriksson
4. Team Anderson/Dropkin
5. Team Moskaleva/Eremin
6. Team Rupp/Wunderlin
7. Team Perret/Rios
8. Team Paulova/Paul
9. Team Westman/Ahlberg
10. Team Tuck/Tuck Jr.

Mixed doubles is tough to rank because there is still inconsistencies in comparing schedules. Some duos play a majority of the time in just this discipline while others also play regularly with their foursome team.

Right now though Norway's Skaslien/Nedregotten tandem has to be considered at (or near) the top of everyone's mixed doubles ranking. They already have three tour titles this season and have proven to be one of the most consistent mixed doubles teams over the past few seasons.

Canada's Peterman/Gallant are the defending world silver medal winners and also have collected two tour titles this season while the defending world champs, Sweden's Hasselborg/Eriksson, have not stepped on the ice much together, only once, but they did win the event (defeating Skaslien/Nedregotten in the final in Wisconsin).

If you are looking for a team to watch though, keep your eyes on Switzerland's Team Rupp/Wunderlin. Much of the mixed doubles focus from Switzerland has been on past world champions Perret/Rios but Rupp/Wunderlin are a strong contending team and a world championship threat as well. They won a tour title in Bern earlier this season and have a finals appearance in Germany.

Lets hope this discipline continues to grow and, in the future, we can have a more comprehensive tour schedule and ranking system in place.

Any mixed doubles teams you are watching out for rock heads? Who are your favs? Anyone not listed in the Top 10 above who should garner some attention?

As always, share your thoughts on any of the rankings above via social media or in the comment section below. Continue to #growthesport through continued conversation!

#StayTuned

Only a few days into the new year and we have a busy opening weekend of 2020 on the curling ice. Many top men's and women's teams are in Perth, Scotland for the Mercure Perth Masters.

Many top mixed doubles teams are enjoying the mountain views competing at the Qualico Mixed Doubles Classic in Banff/Canmore.

The blog will return next week with updated Power Rankings and discussing the results from this opening weekend.

Hope everyone had a great holiday season. Welcome to 2020!

Happy New Year!!