#PowerRankings Pre-Season

#BetweenTheSheets: The Fan Choice Top 10 Reveal

Who sits atop the #PowerRankings Mountain to start the season? 

Curling is back!

We may only be 3/4 of the way through August and, technically, still in summer but the curling rocks and rings have returned already.

What an opening weekend of action too.

We saw some #TeamUpset stories emerge in Baden and Leduc.

We saw what may be considered a surprising champion in Hokkaido.

And a mixed doubles event proving anyone can beat anyone and this is why we play the games.

BUT before we sort our rocks from the weekend, lets get to the BIG REVEAL.

The Fans Choice #PowerRankings!

Last week the blog invited curling fans to have their say in which teams should sit atop the mountain heading into the season.

Fans could select any team and would rank the teams from 1 - 10. There were over 30 responses to the pool, creating a solid fan sample size based solely off social media.

There were some very interesting results.

One team was a clear #1. Any guesses?

And while there was some consistency in naming the Top 10, there was quite some debate on positioning those teams.

Lets break down the results and reveal the Pre-Season Top 10. Note the number in parenthesis is the ranking of the team at the end of the 2019/20 season per the #TwineTime rankings.

#PowerRankings

WOMEN

1. Team Hasselborg (1) - The consensus #1...and it wasn't even close. Over half of the responses placed the #SwedishVikings with the top spot. Their average ranking from all responses was 1.7. Only one response placed them outside the Top 3. The Olympic champs finished the last full season on top and they start the new season at the same spot. No surprise here.
2. Team Einarson (4) - The defending Canadian champs JUST cling to the #2 spot by the narrowest of margins. While only pegged for #1 on one ballot, they were picked #2 on the majority of the responses. In fact they were placed in the Top 4 on almost every ballot, outside one random fan choosing them as #6. Their average ranking score was 2.79.
3. Team Tirinzoni (5) - The world champs were edged out of the #2 spot with an average ranking score of 2.97. The range of responses went from #1 to #6. Oddly enough the most common response was a #4 ranking?! Their ranking was also bolstered by the fact 7 ballots listed them at #1. Technically we could declare them sharing the #2 spot due to how small of a difference there is between them and Team Einarson. BUT, who likes a coward?!? We cannot have a ranking full of ties because we like everyone, right? No debate this team is for sure Top 3.
4. Team Homan (8) - Here is an interesting ranking. Team Homan was listed on the same amount of ballots as the Top 3. Their most common response was a tie between #1 and #3 and their average ranking score was 3.17. Yet here they sit #4. Their average ranking took a slight hit by the amount of responses placing them between #5 - #8. They are the only team in the Top 10 who received a ranking vote of #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, and #8 on at least one ballot. The consensus seems to be this is a top contending team but fans are unsure exactly where they rank overall.
5. Team Fleury (2) - The consensus seemed clear on the ranking for Team Fleury. The most common vote was #5 with an average ranking score of 6.5. Similar to the Top 4, they appeared on almost every ballot with a vote range of #4 - #10. In fact their average ranking score actually put them in a tie with....
6. Team J. Jones (6) - Never count out Jennifer Jones and fans agree. The legend also sat with an average ranking score of 6.5 on almost the same amount of ballots as provincial rival Fleury. What was the tie-breaker? Jones' most common vote response was #7, compared to Fleury at #5. Again, we could call both of these teams at a tie for #5 but we already declared ties suck.
7. Team Kovaleva (12) - A blog dark horse for many seasons finally getting some love from the fans. Russia's Team Kovaleva has often been discussed on this blog as being one of the best teams in the world to get the least amount of attention. Perhaps that is FINALLY changing after those great results at European and World Curling Championships. Kovaleva's most common vote response was a tie between #6 and #7 with an average ranking score of 6.86. We have a fan consensus on #7 folks.
8. Team Fujisawa (3) - While Kovaleva is finally receiving love, it was a bit surprising to see Japan's Team Fujisawa receive a bit less than expected. Are fans skeptical of a team with Olympic and world championship podium finishes? Fujisawa's most common response was a ranking of #8 with an average ranking score of 7.2. The range of votes came in from #4 - #10. Never a favourite but always a contender.
9. Team Muirhead (10) - While only appearing on half of the ballots, Eve Muirhead and her Scottish crew still land in the Top 10. The common response was a #7 ranking with a range of votes landing anywhere from #5 to #10. The average ranking score was 7.5. One might suspect this number would be higher had the team not, surprisingly, missed the playoffs at the 2021 World Women's Curling Championships. On the flip side, the ranking remains high regardless of that result because fans still believe this is a top contending team and the world championship result was maybe a one off due to a COVID world. Either way you spin the rock, Eve Muirhead remains one of the most popular athletes in the sport.
10. Team Walker (9) - The 2021 Scotties bronze medalists stay on the mountain and cling to the final spot. Sporting a few similarities to Team Muirhead, Walker did not appear on all the ballots but did have a solid average ranking score of 7.79. The highest common ranking response was #8 and the range of votes was #5 - #10. If there was any question whether the Scotties result could be considered a one-off, just ask the fans. The rockheads are rallying behind Team Walker and the fan voting results are proof.

A few comments for discussion:

• This may be the Top 10 but we have tier clusters within our Top 10. We have the overwhelming favourite (Hasselborg). We have the top challengers (Einarson, Tirinzoni, Homan). We have the batch of contenders (Fleury, Jones, Kovaleva). We have our dangerous threats (Fujisawa, Muirhead, Walker).
• The gap between each Top 10 tier is also interesting. Hasselborg has some breathing room above the challengers. The challengers have a healthy lead on the contenders. And the threats have some catching up to do.
• Teams receiving #1 votes included: Team Hasselborg (16), Team Einarson (1), Team Tirinzoni (6), Team Homan (7) and Team Sinclair (1). We see you Team Sinclair.
• Teams receiving votes from outside the end of season Top 20 included: Team E. Kim and Team McCarville. Kim received votes ranging from #7 - #10 while McCarville received a vote for #5.
• The only team outside the 2019/20 Top 10 to not retain a spot on the mountain was Korea's Team M. Kim. Kim did receive some votes with ballot responses ranging from #5 - #10. Kim would be the first name mentioned in the Honourable Mention category and thus would receive a #11 ranking, for those interested.

MEN

1. Team Edin (5) - The world champs are back on top, making it a #SwedishSweep on top of the mountain. King Niklas received votes on almost every ballot submitted with the most common response being #1. Team Edin had a vote range of #1 - #6 but finished with an average ranking of 2.0. The majority of responses placed this team at #1 or #2 hence their position at the top. But just barely above....
2. Team Mouat (4) - The Scottish boys fought hard at the world championship before coming up short to their Swedish counterparts. But they did finish strong inside the #IceBubble claiming a few slam titles, hence their strong push for the top spot. The majority of responses had Team Mouat at #1 or #2 with an average ranking of 2.7. The range of ballot responses was #1 to #7.
3. Team Gushue (2) - No question on which team occupies the #3 spot. The most common response for Team Gushue? #3. The average ranking for Team Gushue? 3.33. What was interesting was the range. The range response went from #1 to #8. Gushue did appear on more ballots than any other team though, showing fans collectively believe this is one of the top teams in the world.
4. Team Bottcher (8) - The Brier champs are making moves back towards the top of the mountain. There was a time during the 2019/20 season where Team Bottcher was the top ranked team. Remember this team actually finished the 2018/19 season with the #1 ranking on the #TwineTime mountain. And they are closing the gap on Canadian rival Team Gushue. Bottcher also had a common ranking response of #3 and a similar range of responses between #1 and #8. Bottcher's average ranking was 4.0, showing the main difference between Gushue and Bottcher was those #1 votes they received. Gushue received 4. Bottcher received 1.
5. Team Koe (16) - Never count out Koe! While Koe may not have had the best seasons on tour as of late, from his standard anyway, fans still believe this is a team to watch out for. The Brier runner-up received a vote on almost every ballot submitted. The most common vote was #4 with an average response of 4.7. The range of votes varied from #1 to #10. The team received at least one vote for every spot on the mountain, except #8. Weird?!? Two people selected this team as #9 and #10 but nobody voted #8?
6. Team Jacobs (1) - We have a fan consensus pick here folks. Team Jacobs received an average ranking of 6.0 based on the ballots. The most common ranking was a tie for #4 and #5 with the vote range coming from #1 to #10. What is interesting is the Northern Ontario champs received a lone #1 vote but did not receive any #2 or #3 votes.
7. Team De Cruz (11) - Consensus wins out yet again. The Swiss champs land in the #7 spot with the majority of ballot responses placing this team #7. Their average ranking score was 6.8 and the range of votes came from #4 - #10. When you look at the international lens of these rankings, De Cruz would fall right into playing for a medal. Seems legit considering they almost always reach the SF of every event. But to move up these rankings they are going to have to start winning those SF games it seems. Not that there is anything wrong with winning bronze.
8. Team Dunstone (10) - Speaking of bronze, the two-time Brier bronze medal winners are making a move up the mountain. Fans really have Saskatchewan's Team Dunstone pegged as the up and coming Canadian challenger behind their national counterparts listed above. Fan votes ranged from #5 - #10 with an average ranking of 7.45. Fans were a bit torn on exactly where to place this team though as the most common response was a tie between #6, #7 and #9. Hence you land at #8.
9. Team Epping (3) - Similar to what we saw analyzing the women's Top 10 mountain, Team Epping numbers show a slightly higher ranking BUT when compared to the numbers of their competitors they actually dip one spot lower. Epping's average ranking was 8.0 and the most common vote was #8. But here they are at #9? The range of votes gets tricky for the Ontario champs as they fall between #3 and #10. However there was only one #3 and one #5 vote with the rest being between #8 - #10, hence the #9 overall ranking. On the plus, those #3 and #5 rankings actually bumped them up one spot just ahead of...
10. Team Schwaller (7) - The second Swiss team to land on the mountain, they are becoming a Top 10 regular with this blog. And why shouldn't they? Podium result at their Euro appearance. Becoming a slam contender. Winning tour events (more on that below). You have to feel for this team too, robbed of competing at a world championship due to COVID in 2020. The average ranking for Team Schwaller was also 8.0, tied with Team Epping. The most common vote response was a tie between #8, #9 and #10 with a vote range of #4 - #10. Again, we could declare a tie for the #9 spot but...well you know.

Discussion comments:

• The fans have spoken and it is quite clear fans feel it is a two horse race for the top spot. Team Edin and Team Mouat account for 64% of the #1 vote. 
• The other teams receiving #1 votes include: Team Gushue (4), Team Bottcher (1), Team Koe (2), Team Jacobs (1) and Team Shuster (1). For comparison, Edin was voted #1 on 12 ballots, more than these 5 other teams combined.
• The fans seem united on believing Bottcher and Gushue are the top contending Canadian teams and, right now, the best bet to get Canada back atop the podium at world championships and perhaps the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics.
• Teams receiving votes from outside the Top 20 included: Team Glukov (#7), Team Tardi (#10) and Team Horgan (#6).
• There were two teams within the season-ending Top 10 unable to retain their spot in the pre-season ranking: Team McEwen and Team Matsumura. McEwen would be the first team listed under Honourable Mention, receiving the #11 ranking spot with a majority of ballot votes listing the team at #7 or #10. Unfortunately for them they were only included on 10 submitted ballots, hence the slight fall off the mountain. Matsumura only received one ballot vote, coming in with a #8 ranking.
• The up and coming team outside the Top 10 appears to be Alberta's Team Harty, showing up on a handful of ballots with an average ranking of 7.75. They would rank #14 right now, behind the USA combo of Shuster and Team Dropkin.

Now we know the pre-season #PowerRankings for our men's and women's teams. Thank you to those who voted and shared the link encouraging other fans to vote.

These rankings are a direct result of the voting by the fans, for the fans!!

How did the final results compared to your submitted ballot? Share your ballot and compare it to the final results using #PowerRankings. We want to hear from YOU!!

Now, as mentioned, the curling season did hit the ice this weekend. Some of our pre-season Top 10 teams were in action.

Lets look back on the results in a fine #TwineTime blog tradition...

#GunnerRunback

• The #BadenMasters proved to show home ice advantage for the Swiss as the championship final would be contested between two Swiss champions. In the end Team Schwaller knocked off Team De Cruz to claim the title. Both teams entered the final with identical 6-0 records, clearly the cream of the crop of the weekend. Consider this another result in the growing rivalry between these two teams. The Olympic qualification battle is going to be intense! Hmmm, seems Schwaller's ranking on the mountain might deserve a bump up now, no?
• At the #HokkaidoCurlingClassic, dark horse contender Team Koana continued their push as a Japanese threat when they knocked off Team Fujisawa in the final. Koana went undefeated on the weekend, finishing with a perfect 5-0 record. They knocked off Team Yoshimura (RR), Team Nakajima (SF) and Fujisawa to claim the title. Nakajima did pick up a bronze medal after defeating Team Yamamoto.
• For the men's event in Hokkaido, Team Matsumura also went a perfect 5-0 in claiming the season opening championship. Matsumura defeated rival Team Morozumi in the final. Matsumura's win cements him as the overwhelming favourite in Japan right now. Team Yamaguchi claimed bronze, knocking off Team Maeda.
• The #AlbertaCurlingSeries kicked off their inaugural event in Leduc this weekend with a men's and women's event. While it may be an Alberta series featuring Alberta teams, it would be a team from B.C. claiming the first title. Defending B.C. champs Team Corryn Brown claimed the title, knocking off #TeamUpset finalist Team Bertsch in the final. Brown was the only non-Alberta team in the field and they leave holding the oversized cheque. Strong start to the season for them as well, qualifying A-side and finishing with a record of 4-0. Two of those victories came over previous Alberta champs Team Scheidegger (A qualifier, SF).
• At the men's event in Leduc, Team Harty picked up right where COVID left them...in the winner's circle. Harty knocked off fellow up and coming Alberta challenger Team Sturmay in the final, after beating the previously undefeated team in the 1vs1 PPG. Harty finished the weekend with a championship cheque and a 5-1 overall record, having suffered a loss in the RR.
• Props to those teams who kicked off their seasons with playoff appearances. SF: Team Edin, Team Walstad (Baden), Team Scheidegger, Team Skrlik, Team Cross, Team Parent (Leduc) and QF: Team Ramsfjell, Team Stocker, Team Traub, Team Retornaz (Baden), Team Walker, Team Crough (Leduc)
• Mixed doubles hit the ice this weekend with a season opening event in Oakville, Ontario at the Cameron's Brewing Mixed Doubles Cashspiel. Keira McLaughlin and Tanner Horgan took home the title after defeating Kira Brunton and Brett Lyon-Hatcher in the final. McLaughlin/Horgan went a perfect 7-0 on the weekend to claim the championship.
• Other playoff duos in Oakville included: Desjardins/Desjardins, Wasylkiw/Konings (SF) and Gregory/Rettinger, Weagle/Epping, Tuck./Tuck Jr., Cheal/Cheal (QF). In case you are wondering, Jones/Laing failed to qualify after a 2-2 RR record and missing out due to the TB procedure. 6 teams finished 2-2, fighting for the final 3 playoff spots.
• Props to the Hamilton siblings on qualifying for the U.S. Mixed Doubles Trials after winning the qualifier event in Denver, CO over the weekend. The Hamilton duo, the defending US Olympic reps, knocked off Jamie Sinclair/Rich Ruohonen in the final.
• Special shout out to the junior champions over the weekend, claiming titles at junior tour events in Oakville and Morris, MB. The junior men's and women's champions were: Team Dylan Niepage, Team Isabelle Ladouceur (Oakville) and Team Jordan Johnson, Team Zoey Terrick (Morris).

#StayTuned

Did the weekend results shake up the #PowerRankings mountain?

Are you ready for another weekend of curling action?

The blog returns later in the week with updated rankings and a preview of this weekend's tour events.

Enjoy the week rockheads!