Power Rankings - W9

 #BetweenTheSheets: Power Rankings

Fredericton, Basel, K-W, Blaine hosted a packed curling weekend

What a weekend of curling action!

Most eyes were focused on the PointsBet Canada Invitational with fans hoping to cash in a cool $1,000,000 with a perfect #Sweep16 bracket.

The money was safe as nobody completed a perfect bracket. March Madness always teaches us upsets WILL happen. And they did in Fredericton.

But #PBInvitational2022 was not the only competitive curling event hitting the ice this weekend.

We have results from Basel, Switzerland, Blaine, MN and Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario for the men's and women's tour events.

Plus some mixed doubles results from Leduc, Alberta and Tallinn, Estonia.

What did we learn this weekend?

🥌 Draw to the button FTW is met with mixed results?

🥌 An all-Swiss final on home nation ice...but not the two teams some might have expected?

🥌 Mixed doubles holds true with the #ExpectTheUnexpected motto after surprise finalists in Tallinn!

Here is what you may have missed last weekend.

#TheRunback

Men

🥌 PointsBet Canada Invitational - Team Carruthers (MB) def. Team Dunstone (MB). #FiveAlive as the #5 seeds navigated a tricky path to the title, knocking off (12) Team Calvert, (4) Team Koe, (1) Team Gushue and (3) Team Dunstone.

🥌 PointsBet Canada Invitational Repechage - Team Sturmay (AB) def. Team Jones (NB). Sturmay followed up their tough extra end draw to the button elimination at #PBInvitational2022 with an undefeated run to the repechage title, going 4-0 qualifying A-side. The final was an A-qualifier rematch, also won by Sturmay.

🥌 KW Fall Classic - Team Fournier (ONT) def. Team Steep (ONT). Past Quebec champ Mike Fournier and his new team based out of Ontario go a perfect 7-0 to claim the title in their debut event.

🥌 US Open of Curling - Team Dropkin (USA) def. Team Casper (USA). Dropkin sports a perfect 6-0 record to claim the title. The final featured the two teams who were undefeated after the RR.

Women

🥌 PointsBet Canada Invitational - Team Jones (MB) def. Team Scheidegger (AB). #HighFive holding the winner's cheque as the #5 seeds knocked off (12) Team Kelly, (13) Team Sturmay, (1) Team Einarson and (6) Team Scheidegger to claim the $50,000 top prize.

🥌 Womens Masters Basel - Team Keiser (SUI) def. Team Jaeggi (SUI). Keiser went 7-0 to claim the title, including 5 wins over 2022 world championship reps Team Yildiz (TUR, RR), Team Dupont (DEN, RR), Team Constantini (ITA, RR & QF) and Team Tirinzoni (SUI, SF).

🥌 KW Fall Classic - Team Kitazawa (JPN) def. Team Howard (ONT). Kitazawa went 6-1 en route to the title, including avenging their RR defeat to Team Tabata (JPN) in the QF. Howard was undefeated entering the final, finishing with a 6-1 record as runner-up.

🥌 US Open of Curling - Team Ha (KOR) def. Team Strouse (USA). The Korean champions went 5-1 to claim the title, including knocking off USA 2022 Olympic reps Team Peterson in the SF.

Mixed Doubles

🥌 Curling Stadium Alberta Curling Series Mixed Doubles - Team Walker/Muyres (AB) def. Team Matsumura/Tanida (JPN). Laura Walker / Kirk Muyres go 4-1 overall in winning the championship, including avenging their only loss in the RR to Matsumura/Tanida in the final. The Japanese duo was undefeated heading into the championship match.

🥌 Tallinn Mixed Doubles International - Team Roenning/Braenden (NOR) def. Team Barone/Veidemanis (LAT). #TeamUpset final match up! Martine Roenning / Mathias Braenden went 3-2 in the RR to grab the 6th playoff spot while the Latvians went 2-3 in the RR to claim the 7th (and final) playoff spot. Both upset higher playoff seeds in the QF and SF to reach the championship. Roenning/Braenden knocked off both higher ranked Norwegian teams in the playoffs: Team Skaslien/Nedregotten (QF) and Team Ramsfjell/Ramsfjell (SF).

Quite the variety of representation in our winner's circle this weekend. We have Manitoba, Alberta and Ontario representing Canada but also winners from USA, Switzerland, Japan, Korea and Norway.

Further proof of the evolution of curling and showing how the sport truly is a global game.

Lets head to the mountain with a reminder the number in parenthesis below refers to last weeks rankings.

#PowerRankings

Women

1. Team Tirinzoni (1) - Dare we say the world champs looked...average? Or perhaps we just are tailoring expectations too high week in and week out? After almost a month off, the world champs hit the ice in Basel, lost a RR game and lost in the SF. And THAT is considered average.

2. Team Jones (7) - The blog warned you in the #PBInvitational2022 preview, this was the team to beat in the top half of the bracket, seedings be damned. They were not only the team to beat for the top half of the bracket, they took home the entire $50K championship. What a start to the season.

3. Team Scheidegger (6) - Speaking of warnings, the blog also said Scheidegger could be the #BracketBuster in Fredericton. Ding, ding, ding! The #6 seeds knocked off #3 Homan/Fleury and #2 Lawes to reach the final. And with #SuperSpare skip Kristie Moore. Plus they eliminated the monkey on their back of the SF wall they ran into in their first two events of the season. All in all, HUGE weekend for the Alberta foursome.

4. Team Hasselborg (2) - We did not see Hasselborg hit the ice this weekend so they take a small tumble down the mountain but are firmly entrenched in the battle for #1 this season. Bring on the slams!

5. Team Kitazawa (9) - How do you follow up your first title of the season the previous weekend? Go out and win title #2 of course! 2 events. 2 titles. 13-2 record in those events. 5 events overall this season. Qualifying every time with 2 SF and 1 QF result before this tour event winning streak. Have they got your attention yet? Could qualify for the slams soon.

6. Team Gim (3) - The Korean runners-up finally take a weekend off...only to prepare for another event this weekend in Vernon followed by their return to #GSOC ice at the BOOST National. I wouldn't want to draw them in North Bay.

7. Team Lawes (4) - They ran into the hot hand Kristie Moore and company, losing in the SF at the PointsBet Invitational. Hey, it happens and you cannot always win. Plus, it is always harder to maintain a high seed than ascend to become one. Small blip down the rankings but will be a major threat in North Bay.

8. Team Yoshimura (5) - When you reach 4 straight finals to start the season and then take some time off, the blog cannot knock you too far down the rankings. Bit disappointed not to see this team in the fields for either #GSOC event though. Remember they did reach a slam final before (2019 Masters).

9. Team Keiser (HM) - After reaching their first final of the season the previous weekend in Leduc, Switzerland's Team Keiser felt they had some unfinished business to take care of. They flew home, competed in Basel, reached their second straight final and this time took home the title. Finished 7-0 to win, including 5 wins against 2022 world championship teams, is reason to take notice. Not to mention the 12-2 record between their last 2 events. Is this the team who is ready to become the big challenger to Tirinzoni this season? Excited to see how the young #NextGen team does at the upcoming slams, having qualified for both the BOOST National and Tour Challenge Tier I.

10. Team Ha (NR) - The Korean champs hit a small rough patch at the beginning of September, missing out on the playoffs at back-to-back events. But they seemed to have got their groove back, reaching the QF last weekend and winning the title this past weekend in Blaine, MN. They will play one more event in October before the big Pan Continental Curling Championship starting Oct. 31.

Hon. Mention: Team Homan, Team Einarson, Team Grandy, Team E. Kim

Men

1. Team Schwaller (1) - Hard to knock them off the top of the mountain just because they take some time off to prepare for the slam in North Bay. Will the rest help or hinder them though?

2. Team Carruthers (7) - Seems fitting both #PBInvitational2022 winners receive the same rise up Power Rankings mountain. Carruthers had a tournament of a lifetime in winning the $50K and knocking off 2 MB rivals (Calvert, Dunstone) and some guys named Kevin Koe and Brad Gushue.

3. Team Retornaz (2) - The mountain is kind to teams who take time off. Italy's Retornaz deserves a bit of a break after back-to-back tour titles. Ready to see Joel back on #GSOC ice? The team will compete at the BOOST National and Tour Challenge Tier I, following up their slam debut at the 2022 Players' Championship near the end of last season.

4. Team Bottcher (5) - Sure they lost to Dunstone in the SF but they still reached the SF. A win in Okotoks followed by a SF result in Fredericton is a strong start to the season. This will be a dangerous team at the BOOST National in two weeks.

5. Team Dunstone (HM) - Revenge was the name of the game for The Sheriff in Fredericton. Dunny finally took down rival Bottcher, who knocked him out in the SF the previous weekend in Okotoks and broke his Brier heart in the 2021 SF. The SF was great, unfortunately revenge played against The Sheriff in the final when Carruthers defeated him, revenge for the B-qualifier loss in Okotoks.

6. Team Gushue (HM) - First event of the season and a SF result is a solid opening start. Remember Epping and Carruthers have already been on the ice a few times this season so the SF finish is a positive result by comparison. Sure they would have loved to win but it is all about a steady progression towards the Brier and trying to #DefendTheIce. We will see them at all the slams this season too of course.

7. Team Koe (4) - Not the result many expected from Team Koe, eliminated in the QF by eventual champion Carruthers. Many, the blog included, really saw this team being a championship favourite so the result was a bit shocking. But alas, only one event and no major concerns while the new team goes through the "feel out" process. Bring on the slam ice to see what they can do.

8. Team Flasch (9) - The #Sweep16 game vs. Team Sturmay was a back and forth affair and brought us our first draw to the button extra end result. Colton Flasch made it count and lightning hit the ice. Unfortunately they ran out of steam in the QF vs. #2 Bottcher but they lived up to their seeding and, because of the last draw drama, they take a small jump up the mountain.

9. Team Dropkin (NR) - USA's Korey Dropkin returns to the Top 10 following the US Open of Curling championship win. We saw Dropkin previously reach the #10 spot a few weeks ago but fell out after failing to qualifying in Leduc. Well Mr. Dropkin apparently did not like the drop as he went out and won his next event. It only seems fitting to bring the team back on the mountain...and bump them up a spot to a new season high spot of #9. October will be an interesting month for the team as they play the BOOST National and Tour Challenge Tier II (weird they are not in Tier I considering they will just have played a slam) before representing USA at the Pan Continental to close out the month. To say October is make or break for their season may be understatement.

10. Team Sturmay (NR) - The coveted #10 spot on the mountain is starting to become a reserve spot for teams who win a title but perhaps go unnoticed in doing so. Hello Team Sturmay! Not only did vice Kyle Doering create the PB Invitational Repechage event but his team ended up competing and winning it. And this after the tough draw to the button loss to Flasch in the Sweep 16. The Repechage SF win vs. McEwen was a nice boost for the young Alberta team too. Consider them a threat at the upcoming Tour Challenge Tier II.

Hon. Mention: Team Walstad, Team Edin, Team Whyte, Team Fournier

What say you curling fans? Share your thoughts on the Top 10 or even a Top 5 on social media or in the comments below.

And, ICYMI, the fields have been announced for both season-opening #GSOC events: BOOST National and Tour Challenge.

The draw schedule for the BOOST National, kicking off next Tuesday October 4, can be found HERE. 

To check out the field for the Tour Challenge Tier I and Tier II events, visit the announcement page HERE.

The blog will dive more into both fields with event preview posts in the future.

#StayTuned

As we head into October and the first official month of Fall, the number of tour events begins to ramp up and teams slide right into their season schedules.

There are EIGHT (8!!!) men's tour events taking place this upcoming weekend, from Estonia to Newfoundland to Ontario to Manitoba to Alberta to B.C.

The women's tour will be equally busy with SEVEN tour events this weekend, from Sweden to Newfoundland to Ontario to Manitoba to Alberta to B.C.

Bring on the Fall rush...