Tour Challenge Preview

#BetweenTheSheets: Tour Challenge Preview

Setting a record with 64 teams competing

Knock, Knock

Who's there?

Orange

Orange who?

Orange you glad it's Tour Challenge Time?!

The same joke was used back in the 2019 Tour Challenge preview so I thought it was time to bring it back from the dead.

Some of you may not have laughed and would prefer it stay dead.

Hey, you cannot please everyone all the time but the "little blog that could" will try.

The Tour Challenge is one of my favourite events of the curling season. I love the Tier I and Tier II concept. I love bringing together this many high-quality teams to one event.

Plus my favourite colour is orange so I love the orange rings. 🟠

Again, a comment made in 2019 I will resurrect here but these orange rings really do look like a Tide pod sometimes.

What can you do while watching the Tour Challenge? Laundry of course...

As we saw with the Boost National a few weeks ago, the #gsoc field has expanded to 16 teams.

For the Tour Challenge, this means we have 16 men's and women's teams competing in the Tier I and 16 men's and women's teams competing in the Tier II.

We are making #HIStory / #HERstory with the expanded field folks.

It should be worth noting the Tier II teams were selected based on the next 11 teams after Tier I qualification from the world rankings and then 5 regional teams selected by the Grand Slam of Curling.

Of those 10 spots (5 men + 5 women), 9 of them were filled by Alberta teams with the other being from B.C. (Team Gauthier).

Given how strong all 64 teams are, I doubt nobody is complaining with an expanded field. Remember, in 2019 the Tier II did feature 16 men's and women's teams as well.

Heck, there are probably another 4-8 teams who are not in this field but we could make arguments for.

Just check out the recent #PowerRankings post for more info. 😉

On the downside, what this expanded field means is we once again have the same format of play from the National where teams are placed in pools but actually never play their fellow pool members in the RR.

Instead we see the pool battle format where Pool A battles Pool B and Pool C battles Pool D.

This is still slightly confusing. Why have pools as your "pool" actually does not dictate your opposition, which is the entire premise of the pool system?

The blog commented about making a slight moderation to this format a few weeks ago, suggesting removing the fourth draw and inserting a #Sweep16 draw instead.

We will not rehash this discussion here but, ICYMI, check out the full suggestion HERE.

Format of play aside, we have one massive slam to discuss with 64 teams competing. No time to waste.

Pebble the ice, polish those stones. Bring on the Tour Challenge Preview!

Note: For this preview, since the teams are not actually competing against their pool opponents, there is no point in doing a pool preview. Instead, the 16 teams will be seeded for the preview based on their current world ranking (qualification cutoff was Sept. 12 but we will use current ranking). On the positive, this way all 64 teams are included. The teams actual world ranking position is parenthesis.

#TourLifePredictions

Tour Challenge

Grande Prairie, AB

2021 Champions: Not Held. (2019 Champions: Team Jacobs, Team Hasselborg (Tier I), Team Dropkin, Team M. Kim (Tier II))

Format: 16 team RR with 4 pools of 4. Top 8 qualify.

Tier I

MEN

1. Team Gushue (1) 

Schedule: Brunner, Whyte, Carruthers, Mouat

The Boost National champs arrive in GP as the favourites, riding a 7-match winning streak and an overall season record of 9-1. They can earn revenge on their lone loss of the season as well with a #PopcornMatch RR game vs. Carruthers.

Anything short of a playoff appearance for this team is considered a disappointment.

2. Team Edin (2)

Schedule: Hoesli, Flasch, Koe, Bottcher

They may have lost the National final to rival Gushue; however, look at what they have done in their last three events. Three straight finals. Two titles. And an overall record of 19-2. The National loss actually ended their 12-match winning streak. One streak ends, another begins?

The 1-3 record to start the season in Baden sure seems like a LONG time ago now.

3. Team Bottcher (3)

Schedule: Walstad, Schwaller, Retornaz, Edin

Given the schedule you may think they are playing in a world championship this week. If Bottcher is going to continue the streak of playoff appearances this season, they need to take down the world apparently.

Three events down this season. One title. One SF. One QF. They have the full gambit thus far. Only concern might be they are going in reverse order to what you want. CF -> SF -> QF. Can they put the train back on the championship track?

4. Team Mouat (4)

Schedule: Horgan, Epping, Dunstone, Gushue

When we talk about #TeamUpset it is usually in the positive manner. But sometimes it can be the opposite.

Who would have thought heading into the second #gsoc event of the season, the Scottish lads would be 2-6 overall, failing to qualify at either of their two events of the season and posting back-to-back 1-3 records?

And no disrespect to them or the teams who have beat them but this is quite a shocker to see the team struggle.

You have to think this is a minor hiccup on the road and perhaps a bit of Olympic silver medal winning hangover. They will regain their groove soon, right?

Will this be the event?

Even if struggling, Mouat is not a name I would want to see on my schedule. Watch out for that #PopcornMatch against Gushue to end the RR. Could have playoff implications.

5. Team Dunstone (5) 

Schedule: Whyte, Brunner, Mouat, Carruthers

Is Matt Dunstone's favourite number 4? Apparently this team knows how to always reach the Final Four of an event.

SF in Okotoks. F in Fredericton. SF in North Bay. ?? in GP. Expect another playoff run at the minimal.

The Sheriff is tricky to play against. Is he going to go undefeated to take home a title? Probably not.

He will suffer one or two losses, maybe, along the way. But when will they come is the question?

If you are his opposition, you do not like your odds with how hot this team is playing right now. But one of those four will score a W...the question is which one and will it impact the playoffs?

6. Team Carruthers (6) 

Schedule: Epping, Horgan, Gushue, Dunstone

The National result was a small hiccup but this team has the game to get back on track. Remember they won the PointsBet Invitational on top of reaching a final in Leduc to start their season and a QF in Okotoks.

We have #PopcornMatch potential with their schedule as we see former teammates clash when they play Horgan and write another chapter in the growing MB rivalry vs. Dunstone. Not to mention they are the only team to defeat Gushue this season and draw them once again here.

7. Team Retornaz (7) 

Schedule: Flasch, Hoesli, Bottcher, Koe

The "feel good" story of the season has to be Italy's Joel Retornaz. This team is on a roll this season, posting an impressive 25-8 record. At one point they were on a 15-match winning streak, which included picking up back-to-back tour titles in Scotland and Switzerland.

Sure they fizzled a bit in North Bay, going 0-4, but perhaps a bit of the #gsoc nerves got the best of them. It can happen to anyone when stepping on that slam ice.

They rebounded nicely last weekend in Stroud, going 3-0 in the RR before losing to eventual champ Schwaller in the QF. 

8. Team Koe (8)

Schedule: Schwaller, Walstad, Edin, Retornaz

Three events, three qualifications, one final, no titles...yet?!

The blog has mentioned in past Power Rankings posts how this team looks like they are still feeling out the process of a new team. And they look very calm and relaxed while doing it. Or maybe they are just all really quiet guys? #TeamChurchMice

Either way, no concern with how strong this team is. Their success still falls a bit on the comfortable factor of vice Tyler Tardi. Once he fully hits his stride, which we all know he is capable of, this will be a dangerous team.

They reached the QF in North Bay and losing to eventual champ Gushue and SF finisher Dunstone are not bad losses.

9. Team Flasch (9)

Schedule: Retornaz, Edin, Walstad, Schwaller

Another team who has to take on the world to make the Tour Challenge playoffs. This is a team who can get on a roll and go far, remember the 2022 Brier?!

But they can also struggle and get trapped in their own heads, extinguishing the lightning from hitting the ice.

They followed back-to-back SF results earlier in September with back-to-back QF results leading into this event, including surviving the TB at the National.

The schedule is not kind and avoiding another 2-2 record and TB placement may be tough..but not impossible either.

Plus the SK champs may have a little luck on their side as vice Catlin Schneider celebrated his birthday on Monday (Oct. 17) as a prelude to the competition.

10. Team Schwaller (10)

Schedule: Koe, Bottcher, Hoesli, Flasch

Which team shows up in GP?

The one who just won their third title of the season last weekend in Stroud or the one who went a surprising 1-3 in North Bay at the National?

This is a team very capable to making a run to a slam final. Heck, outside of the National result, this team has reached the SF or better in each event this season.

They are on a five-match winning streak so if they can park the disappointment in North Bay, they should be the playoff threat we all expect in Grande Prairie.

And take notice of the Swiss #PopcornMatch vs. Hoesli. Switzerland is not a slam dunk for Team Schwaller this season folks.

11. Team Whyte (11) 

Schedule: Dunstone, Gushue, Horgan, Epping

The blog remains bullish on Scotland's Team Whyte and stands by the pre-season prediction of this team being the dark horse of the season.

Thus far they have reached three straight QFs before succumbing to a 1-3 record in North Bay. But they did end on a win (vs. Schwaller) so, technically, they arrive on a winning streak.

The key will be how they perform in those first two RR games. Dunstone and Gushue are not playoff threats here, they are major championship contenders. If Whyte has any shot at a playoff, they need to split those opening games and gain some confidence.

12. Team Brunner (13) 

Schedule: Gushue, Dunstone, Epping, Horgan

This will be their SEVENTH event of the season folks. They are curling as much as possible..and racking up those airline points. They have competed in Switzerland, Scotland, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario. And they have not had many weekends off. Fatigue concern?

The QF result at the Boost National was their first qualification of the season but they could not follow it up in Stroud, finishing 1-3. They seem to start events strong but then go through a lull mid-event and suffer a few losses in a row.

The grand slam schedule is never kind and no team can afford any lull if they want to make the playoffs.

13. Team Walstad (14)

Schedule: Bottcher, Koe, Flasch, Hoesli

Norway's Team Walstad may be the "under the radar" team in this competition.

Did you know they are 21-5 on the season? They have reached three finals this season? They have two championship wins under the slider, including their last event in Tallinn two weeks ago.

We don't often see the team compete on Canadian ice so fans may be a bit lukewarm on getting behind them but this is not stranger team either. They are quite capable of knocking off any team in this field and making a playoff run.

Lets also remember Walstad himself is a former finalist at this event, losing the 2017 final to Gushue in Regina (I was there for that game).

Pay attention to the #PopcornMatch vs. Flasch. This game could be the difference maker for a possible playoff/TB spot.

14. Team Hoesli (15)

Schedule: Edin, Retornaz, Schwaller, Walstad

The #NextGen / #TeamUpset from North Bay returns for another slam and is looking to go at least one step further.

The young Swiss lads turned some heads when they knocked off Howard and Flasch at the National but succumbed to the pressure of the TB, losing to Flasch.

They did compete last weekend as a tune-up, reaching the QF in Stroud. It was their fourth qualification of the season from six events (one being the TB loss so give half a point?).

They will still wave the #TeamUpset flag but picking up wins in GP should be less surprising than it was in North Bay.

15. Team Epping (16)

Schedule: Carruthers, Mouat, Brunner, Whyte

The new look Team Epping has struggled a bit out of the hack thus far. They did reach the QF in Okotoks and at the #PBInvitational and a SF in Leduc but also failed to qualify at their opening two events. The results are getting better but it has been an up and down rollercoaster.

They are 13-9 on the season. We know they have the talent to make deep playoff runs. Will this be the event they put it all together at a #15 seed?

16. Team Horgan (17)

Schedule: Mouat, Carruthers, Whyte, Brunner

When Team Howard declined their invite in the field, Team Horgan must have shipped a few bottles to their Southern Ontario friends. A spot opened up in Tier I and Team Horgan walked right through the door.

We have not seen this new team a ton this season, having competed in only three events. But they have reached the QF round twice, in Leduc and Stu Sells Toronto.

They are 9-8 for the season so this will be a good litmus test for how ready this team really is to take on the best in Canada and the world.

Qualifiers: Team Gushue, Team Dunstone, Team Edin, Team Koe, Team Bottcher, Team Schwaller, Team Mouat, Team Walstad

#TourChallenge Tier I Championship: Team Dunstone def. Team Koe

WOMEN

1. Team Hasselborg (1) 

Schedule: Jentsch, Gim, Fujisawa, Jones

The defending champs (from 2018) have some curling fans scratching their heads after the National results, where the team went 1-3 and missed the playoffs.

Not what we are used to seeing from the #SwedishVikings.

Cause for concern? Not quite yet. It will depend how the rebound in GP.

Remember it was only their second event of the season and they won the title in their season-opener in Oslo.

We will have a #PopcornMatch candidate as well with Hasselborg vs. Gim. Gim took it to the Swedes in North Bay, winning 10-4. Can Hasselborg earn revenge?

2. Team Einarson (2)

Schedule: Keiser, Scheidegger, Tirinzoni, Lawes

A championship final appearance at the National and a SF appearance at #PBInvitational to start the season has the Canadian champs looking like they have not missed a beat from last season.

Championship wins are not the be all, end all of sports. Consistency and strong results week in, week out are what builds momentum and confidence. Team Einarson should come to GP with both in spades.

They have also shed the demons from their losses. In Fredericton they lost to Jones in the SF only to beat them in the RR in North Bay.

Also in North Bay, they lost to Fujisawa in the RR but then eliminated them in the SF.

Look who they draw in the RR in GP? The same team who beat them for the title in North Bay: Team Tirinzoni.

#PopcornMatch 🍿🍿🍿

3. Team Tirinzoni (3)

Schedule: Carey, Peterson, Einarson, Kim

Speaking of the world champions and National winners, it seems weird to see Tirinzoni not be ranked #1 in the world, no?

They are 35-5 on the season. They have won 4 titles. They won back-to-back-to-back titles. And their record in the month of October is 20-1!!

Rankings be damned, this is the #1 team in the world. They sit atop the Power Rankings. And they are the #Fav heading into Grande Prairie.

Until someone can beat them, and beat them consistently, they are the overwhelming favourites week in and week out on tour.

4. Team Lawes (4)

Schedule: Peterson, Carey, Kim, Einarson

If consistency is the playbook, Lawes is a co-author (Tirinzoni would be the main author here).

Back-to-back finals to start the season, including a tour title at the Mother Club.

Back-to-back SF results, including the National a few weeks ago.

The #4 ranked team...reaching the Final Four...in all four events played.

Might as well pencil them into the SF now, yet?

5. Team Fujisawa (5) 

Schedule: Duncan, Wrana, Hasselborg, Homan

You may not know it but Fujisawa has also played only four events this season, winning back-to-back titles to open their season in Japan back in early September.

They have followed that up with a QF result in Vernon and the SF result at the National.

Overall they are 16-4 on the season and once again are a major slam champion threat. Can they finally get over the #gsoc SF monkey on their back though?

Interesting RR schedule as they once again draw Wrana and Homan, two teams they defeated in the RR in North Bay.

Their schedule is also full of #PopcornMatch potential as they draw the two strong Swedish teams bookended by two strong Ontario teams.

And they will play on Alberta ice.

6. Team Homan (6) 

Schedule: Gim, Jentsch, Jones, Fujisawa

People are still hyper-critical of this new look team and the debate rages on who exactly is in charge here: Tracy Fleury or Rachel Homan?

But how overly concerned should we really be? Maybe they find a communication style that seems odd to those watching but works for those competing?

They reached a final in their season opener and made the QF in North Bay so it cannot be all doom and gloom here.

The #PopcornMatch of Fleury/Homan vs. Jones will be fun to watch and may be a de facto play-in game.

Plus, if we combine the names of the backend for this team, do we call them Team Homey?

7. Team Jones (7) 

Schedule: Wrana, Duncan, Homan, Hasselborg

Speaking of the #PopcornMatch, Team Jones went on a rollercoaster ride in North Bay. Win the opener, lose two in a row, win a must-win elimination game, win a must-win TB and then go out in the QF to the eventual champ.

When they won the Saville Shoot-Out and #PBInvitational back-to-back, everyone was ready to claim them as the best in the land.

The fireworks have sizzled a bit in their last two events, missing the playoffs at Stu Sells Toronto and the QF in North Bay. They are a modest 5-6 combined in those two events.

No cause for concern as the five women sort it all out and figure out the fine details now on playing together. This will be a big event to see which team they really are heading into the bulk of the season.

8. Team Gim (8)

Schedule: Homan, Hasselborg, Wrana, Duncan

If you religiously follow this blog (and why wouldn't you!!), you know the blog's bias towards this team.

I have been saying it for a few seasons now, ever since seeing them compete for the first time live at the Autumn Gold a few years ago. This is a tricky and dangerous team to play against. And the blog said they should be a Grand Slam of Curling regular in the near future.

Fast forward to this season and here they are as regular fixtures on the #gsoc ice. And they are here to stay folks.

Sure they lost the Korean final to start their season but look what they have done since: Tour Title, SF, SF, SF, DNQ, SF, QF, QF.

And those last two events at from the National and in Swift Current last weekend.

They are leading the tour in events played as the Tour Challenge will be event #10, including the Korean Championships. WOW!

10 events between June to October with no events in July.

And remember they reached the Champions Cup final at the end of last season in May.

This is a team I would not want to play right now. And love the National RR rematch #PopcornMatch in GP vs. Hasselborg coming up this week.

9. Team E. Kim (9)

Schedule: Scheidegger, Keiser, Lawes, Tirinzoni

The world silver medal winners from Korea have not had the year many were probably expecting given how last season ended.

They lost in the SF of the Korean Championships to open their season. They lost in the SF of Stu Sells Toronto.

And then the wheels have fallen off a bit. A 1-3 result at the National followed by a 3-3 overall record in Swift Current last weekend, losing the B-side and C-side qualifier games.

When this team is on fire, they are ON FIRE!

But when they cool off, they are as cold as the ice they play on.

Capable of a playoff run here and equally capable of another 1-3 finish.

Which team shows up?

10. Team Keiser (10)

Schedule: Einarson, Kim, Carey, Peterson

Martina Hingis was referred to as the "Swiss Miss" when she burst on the scene and started winning slams.

Do we call the #NextGen stars from Switzerland Team Swiss Miss?

This team is on fire this season and have completely earned their Top 10 ranking.

The Tour Challenge will be their 8th event of the season. They have reached one final, two SF and two QF (which includes the National).

There may be a slight cause of concern as they arrive in GP off missing the playoffs in Swift Current last weekend but perhaps fatigue is starting to set in a bit as well. They have been doing A LOT of travelling to play in those events: Scotland, Norway, Canada, Switzerland, Canada again.

If they do not succumb to the travel fatigue, they could continue making waves on the ice and push for another slam playoff spot. Incredible! 

11. Team Scheidegger (11) 

Schedule: Kim, Einarson, Peterson, Carey

Casey Scheidegger. The #gsoc ice has missed you! It has been a hot Pumkin Spice Latte minute since we have seen Scheidegger on slam ice (Last slam: 2019 Champions Cup).

And the fans are ready for her triumphant return.

With a new team in front of her, Scheidegger could be the dark horse playoff threat in GP.

They reached the SF at their opener in Edmonton and another SF in Leduc the next weekend before that amazing run to the final in Fredericton.

Ok, sure Casey wasn't playing and #SuperSpare Kristie Moore took control but it is still the same core 3 members of the team.

We have not seen them on the ice since the run in Fredericton so they will need to catch up quick, especially since their opposition has a few more recent events under the slider.

A dangerous #11 seed here who could make a deep playoff run.

12. Team Carey (12) 

Schedule: Tirinzoni, Lawes, Keiser, Scheidegger

Team Carey started their season looking like a Manitoba threat, reaching the SF in Martensville. Since that result, the team has failed to qualify.

Their most recent result was the tough TB loss to Jones at the National. On the positive, they started the event 0-2 but rebounded with two much needed wins to crawl back into the playoff hunt and force the TB game.

And those opening two games were against Hasselborg and Tirinzoni so not bad losses at all.

However, in the three events since Martensville, the team has a combined record of 4-7. They need to find ways to win.

They draw both Swiss teams again, having split with them in North Bay. A split again could put them in a position for a playoff spot.

13. Team Wrana (13)

Schedule: Jones, Fujisawa, Gim, Jentsch

Fans have been waiting for a few years to see if Wrana can make a legit charge at Hasselborg in Sweden.

At the Euro Qualifier, Hasselborg dispatched them in quick order to retain their spot as the leading #SwedishVikings.

But Wrana is catching up!

They reached a TB in North Bay. They finished 3rd at the Oslo Cup. They reached the QF in Basel.

A small hiccup in the road last weekend in Swift Current, finishing 3-3 and failing to qualify.

But this team is becoming a #gsoc regular now. Remember they did reach two QFs last season.

14. Team Jentsch (14)

Schedule: Hasselborg, Homan, Duncan, Wrana

Germany's Team Jentsch is a great example of a team who started the season strong but has stumbled on ice as of late and is looking to rejuvenate their season. Could it be in GP?

They opened the season with a tour title in Scotland and a SF result in Quebec. Since then though? Struggle Bus.

Saskatchewan. Switzerland. Ontario. Saskatchewan again. 4 events. 4 DNQ. And this included the 0-4 record in North Bay.

We know the pressure is on them to do well with German Curling Federation watching their every move. Now would be a great time to turn the season around and make a playoff push at a slam event.

15. Team Peterson (15)

Schedule: Lawes, Tirinzoni, Scheidegger, Keiser

We have not seen much of USA's Olympic reps this season. This will be only their third event of the season, having reached the SF at the US Open of Curling and losing a TB at the National.

Scheduling may be their biggest obstacle right now. You are playing event #3 but your opposition is playing event #5 or #6 or so on. More slides on the ice, more rocks thrown at the house, more advantages to your opposition before stepping on the ice.

However, as mentioned, they did go 2-2 in North Bay and lost a TB to Gim.

The schedule gods wanted to punish them though apparently as we get repeat #PopcornMatch candidates when Peterson takes on the Swiss teams of Tirinzoni and Keiser once again.

Those 2 losses in North Bay? Yup, to the two Swiss teams.

16. Team Duncan (18)

Schedule: Fujisawa, Jones, Jentsch, Gim

The last team in the field is searching for wins right now. They are currently riding a 6-match losing streak, dating back to their SF loss at their season opening event in Quebec late August.

They went 0-1 in Fredericton and 0-4 in North Bay. And look at their schedule in Grande Prairie.

They will be in tough to end the losing streak but we also give props to any team who can qualify for a slam event. And, as we know, any team in this field can beat any other team on any given day.

Team Duncan should toss on Any Given Sunday, bring out that aggression to win and toss this entire event on its head by going 4-0 in the RR and making the playoffs as the #1 seed.

Hey, anything can happen, right?!?

Qualifiers: Team Hasselborg, Team Homan, Team Fujisawa, Team Gim, Team Lawes, Team Scheidegger, Team Tirinzoni, Team Einarson

#TourChallenge Tier I Championship: Team Tirinzoni def. Team Einarson

Tier II

MEN

1. Team Dropkin (12) 

Schedule: Jacques, Kim, Hartung, Sturmay

The defending champs are back to #DefendTheIce. Weird, no?

Dropkin is the last champion of the Tier II back in 2019 and is coming off a historic SF run at the National in North Bay.

Yet here he is back on Tier II ice yet ranking #12 in the world. They may have a slight chip on their shoulder this week...and who would blame them.

They will be overwhelming favourites to make a deep playoff run.

And watch out for the #PopcornMatch to end the RR against #2 seed Team Sturmay.

2. Team Sturmay (20)

Schedule: Tao, Asselin, Wiebe, Dropkin

Speaking of, the blog's Power Rankings have been watching this team over the past few weeks and they are making a climb. Sure they are ranked #20 in the world but their consistency earned them a spot on the Power Rankings Top 10.

This is a dangerously strong team who can make a run to this championship.

Since their PointsBet Invitational extra end loss to Flasch, they have not lost a game.

They won the Repechage event and followed it up with a tour title in Airdrie two weeks ago. They are on a 10-match winning streak.

But they end this RR with some #PopcornMatch candidates vs. Wiebe and Dropkin.

3. Team McEwen (21)

Schedule: Gauthier, Sluchinski, Shuster, Hostmaelingen

Mike McEwen in Tier II.

Ryan Fry in Tier II.

It almost seems impossible to read, yet here we are.

The results reflect the ranking though as the new team has struggled with consistency this season.

They reached the SF at their season opener in Martensville but failed to qualify in Leduc, got blitzed at the #PBInvitational, lost the SF at the Repechage and went 1-3 at the National.

Overall they sit with a surprising record of 9-11 and have only 3 wins since mid-September.

Is it a minor slump for a new team? Possibly.

Do we all believe the question is "when" this power team returns to form? Sure.

But are we starting to ask "if" at this point? Quietly perhaps.

A strong run here can silence those little, yet growing, voices.

4. Team Stocker (23)

Schedule: Sluchinski, Gauthier, Hostmaelingen, Shuster

Speaking of young #NextGen teams out of Switzerland, Tier I has Hoesli and Tier II has Stocker.

You may be familiar with Jan Hess, who used to skip but now throws fourth stones for Yves Stocker as skip (throwing third stones).

This is a deceptively strong young team. They struggled early in the season, failing to qualify in their first four events. But since then...two QF results and a SF result last weekend in Champery.

They have found their groove now and have some momentum. Plus many Canadian teams may not be as familiar with them. Hess is a world junior bronze medal winner though (2018) and this team may fly under the radar with all the Alberta teams competing in this event.

5. Team Hartung (24) 

Schedule: Asselin, Tao, Dropkin, Wiebe

Which team shows up in GP?

The team who went 0-5 in Martensville to start the season or the team who won the title in Leduc at the start of October?

Those are the only two events we have seen this team compete and they have exact polarizing results. Winless or champion. Nothing in between thus far.

Their schedule is not going to be easy either with Dropkin the #Fav and Wiebe / Asselin both considered dark horse challengers.

My guess is this team may have some Swedish support behind them though from Team Hasselborg (IYKYK).

6. Team Wiebe (25) 

Schedule: Kim, Jacques, Sturmay, Hartung

Looking for a dark horse challenger in the field? How about Manitoba's Team Wiebe?

If you follow the Power Rankings, you may have noticed this team has made an appearance in the Top 10 / Honourable Mention section of the mountain this season.

And for good reason after reaching a SF in Leduc and winning the Mother Club in Winnipeg.

They dipped a bit a few weekends ago at the Atkins Curling Classic, missing the playoffs with a 2-3 record.

But this team is capable of rebounding and making a deep run here. Just look at the list of names they defeated in Leduc en route to a SF finish: Kleibrink, Tao, Dropkin, Gauthier, Hoesli.

Sound familiar?

7. Team Shuster (26) 

Schedule: Webb, Kleibrink, McEwen, Stocker

Yes, they are still here folks. You may not remember them as we have not seen much of them since the Winter Olympics but Team Shuster is back and ready to roll.

They have competed at two events this season, reaching the QF in Stirling to start the season and losing in a TB a few weeks ago in Vernon.

The team has the talent to win this event. Heck, we could see an all-USA final vs. rival Dropkin.

But we could also see them flame out early. We really do not know what we will see this week.

What we do know is having another strong #gsoc men's team from USA in the mix is always great for #growthesport.

And damn what a great #PopcornMatch playoff game we could get vs. The Young Bucks.

8. Team Asselin (27)

Schedule: Hartung, Sturmay, Jacques, Kim

We always love seeing representation from #Labelleprovince on #gsoc ice...even if it doesn't happen very often.

Time for Team Asselin to plant their flag in the house and make their move.

Remember that tough blow out loss to Howard in Fredericton? Either do they...

The boys went 6-0 to claim the title in Valleyfield at the beginning of October and reached the SF at an event in Ottawa two weeks ago.

And if you are looking for a #PopcornMatch with this team, how about their entire RR schedule? Each of those games stakes up as a must see and will have huge playoff implications.

If they can survive their draw, watch out!

9. Team Sluchinski (29)

Schedule: Stocker, McEwen, Kleibrink, Webb

You know those midlevel seeds who are a bit unknown because they play close to home but are equally as capable of surprising the entire field and making a deep playoff run?

Say hello to Team Sluchinski!

They won a tour title in their season opener in Leduc, reached the QF at another Leduc event, DNQ in Okotoks but rebounded with a SF result in Airdrie.

And when you look at the DNQ in Okotoks, look who they lost to: Koe, Hoesli (x2). Both Tier I teams.

Under the radar perhaps but they love some Alberta ice!

10. Team Hostmaelingen (30)

Schedule: Kleibrink, Webb, Stocker, McEwen

Another #NextGen #TeamUpset flag bearer? Heck yeah, bring it on!

If you follow the blog you may be a bit familiar with the young Norwegian team. They earned some praise when they reached the SF at their season opening event, Baden Masters.

They also reached the QF at the Oslo Cup in early September, where they had two losses all event to some guy named Niklas Edin.

And at the recent Nordic Curling Tour stop in Jonkoping, Sweden, they reached the QF.

While they may have failed to qualify in Stirling at the end of August, they did defeat Dropkin and Stocker for their two wins.

This is a very strong #NextGen team who could surprise you this week folks. Keep your eyes on them.

11. Team C. Kim (40) 

Schedule: Wiebe, Dropkin, Tao, Asselin

It has been a quiet season for Korea's Team Kim. They have not played in any major World Curling Tour events and they started their season in June with a run to the Korean Curling Championships final, only to be upset by Team Jeong. The same team they beat in the RR 8-1.

But lets also remember seeing this team compete at the 2022 world championship, where they just missed the playoffs with a 6-6 record.

Of those 6 wins, 4 were against playoff teams: Sweden (Edin), Italy (Retornaz), Scotland (Waddell) and USA (Dropkin). Had they knocked off even one team who finished below them, they would have been in the playoffs.

They can beat anyone in the world. They can lose to anyone in the world.

Which means every one of their RR games has #PopcornMatch potential as being a decider, for or against, towards a playoff spot.

12. Team Jacques (51) 

Schedule: Dropkin, Wiebe, Asselin, Tao

It has been a .500 season thus far for Team Jacques, based out of Edmonton.

They have an overall record of 7-7. They have played in three events and have qualified once.

But that qualification was a QF finish in their last event in Airdrie a few weeks ago.

If they continue their trend and curl .500 this week, it would put them at 2-2 and possibly a shot at a TB or even the playoffs.

Sometimes all you need is to play .500 ball to give yourself a chance.

13. Team Gauthier (53)

Schedule: McEwen, Stocker, Webb, Kleibrink

If .500 ball is to give you a chance, Team Gauthier will need to clean up their stat sheet to make the playoffs here.

Overall they are 7-11 on the season but are coming off a QF appearance this past weekend in Abbotsford. So they are trending in the right direction.

But, even in qualifying, they finished with an overall record of 2-2, making the playoffs with a 1-2 RR record.

1-3 will not get you a playoff spot here. 2-2 will be close.

Can this team put it all together for four straight games to make a playoff push? That is the Tier II question?!

14. Team Kleibrink (54)

Schedule: Hostmaelingen, Shuster, Sluchinski, Gauthier

It has not been a kind season for the new look team from Calgary. They have failed to qualify in their 5 tour events, sit with an overall record of 7-15 and already made a lineup change in saying goodbye to Dustin Kalthoff while welcoming Joshua Kiist.

Could a Tier II slam in GP be the medicine the doctor ordered to heal this team? It cannot hurt!

A bit unknown what to really expect from the team heading into the Tour Challenge. Can they play spoiler? Make a surprise playoff run? Go 0-4?

Anything and everything is on the table here.

15. Team Webb (66)

Schedule: Shuster, Hostmaelingen, Gauthier, Sluchinski

No team will receive more fan support this week than the home town boys of Team Webb. They curl out of Grande Prairie and should have a ton of fans in the stands.

But don't think they are here on home club name alone.

They reached a SF at their opening event in Leduc in August and a few weeks ago reached the final at the second event in Leduc. They love the Northern Alberta ice and getting to curl in front of family and friends can be a big motivator, even for a #15 seed.

16. Team Tao (70)

Schedule: Sturmay, Hartung, Kim, Jacques

Another #NextGen team who you may be familiar with if you follow the Canadian junior curling scene.

Johnson Tao is coming off a runner-up finish at the 2022 Canadian Junior Curling Championships. This is an up and coming team making their slam ice debut.

Are they a threat to win the title? Probably not as the #16 seed and least experienced of the field.

But we all know that a #16 seed can still make some noise.

Overall on the season the team is 5-5, having reached the SF at their last WCT event in Leduc at the beginning of October.

One advantage is they are familiar with some of their opponents, having played Sturmay and Hartung already this season.

The disadvantage is they are 0-3 in those games.

Qualifiers: Team McEwen, Team Sluchinski, Team Shuster, Team Hostmaelingen, Team Dropkin, Team Wiebe, Team Kim, Team Sturmay

#TourChallenge Tier II Championship: Team Sturmay def. Team Dropkin

WOMEN

1. Team Grandy (16) 

Schedule: Kelly, Skrlik, Sturmay, Dupont

The new team based out of B.C. started the season on fire, reaching their opening event final and following it up with a tour event title in Martensville.

They had some early season/mid-season blues in September, failing to qualify in three straight events.

But they righted the ship last weekend in Swift Current, reaching the QF.

And they are on the cusp on Tier I qualification. A strong result in the Tier II plus at the Autumn Gold at the end of the month and they could be in Tier I formation.

They have a tricky draw in GP though. Get excited for those bookend #PopcornMatch draws vs. Kelly and Dupont.

2. Team McCarville (19)

Schedule: Skrlik, Kelly, Dupont, Sturmay

So they Scotties runner-up went from Tier I to Tier II in a matter of a few weeks. And, in that time, they actually did not play any events before qualifying for the Tier I nor any events since North Bay.

Inactivity can cost you on the rankings mountain I suppose when others are playing week in, week out.

However, as we know, Team McCarville does not mind. They plan their schedule for them, not to amass ranking points. If they qualify for a slam, awesome. If they don't, the world keeps spinning.

Love the positive outlook.

They went 1-3 at the National but did finish the event with a win (def. Duncan). Expect a playoff appearance from the experienced squad.

3. Team Sturmay (21)

Schedule: Moore, Hunkin, Grandy, McCarville

Could we see a Sturmay Sibling Slam?

Both Sturmay teams will compete in the Tier II and both should be considered playoff contenders.

Selena and her team were the #BracketBusters in Fredericton when they knocked off Team Carey in the #Sweep16. But they have done more than that this season.

They reached a final in their season opening event in Leduc. They arrive in GP fresh off another SF result in Leduc at the start of the month.

Expect some #PopcornMatch kernals to fly in their RR games vs. Grandy and McCarville. If they want to make a playoff push they MUST defeat AT LEAST one of those teams, who both happen to be seeded right about them. 

Ouch!

4. Team Dupont (23)

Schedule: Hunkin, Moore, McCarville, Grandy

The Danish champs are back on slam ice, following their appearance at the Champions Cup last season.

And skip Madeleine Dupont is back...pink jacket, coloured nails and all!!

The team has become a fan favourite with their pre-game routine dance moves, in-car dance moves, on the dance floor dance moves...ok so they have dance moves everywhere.

We have seen them on the ice at one WCT sanctioned event, the Womens Masters Basel at the end of September, where they reached the SF.

Experience is a factor nobody in this field can trump them on with the Dupont sisters having played more games then most teams combined.

#PopcornMatch? Those opening two RR games. If they can start strong and go 2-0, they should be in the playoffs. Slip up and they might not be able to recover.

And one thing we love about this team is they do not take themselves or the game too serious. Just follow them on IG to see for yourself!

5. Team Black (25) 

Schedule: Farmer, Crough, Galusha, Watling

Looking for your dark horse playoff qualifier? How about Nova Scotia's Team Black?

They gave Rocque a battle in Fredericton. And their only tour event this season was last weekend in Halifax, where they won the championship.

They arrive in GP fresh off a title and a four-match winning streak.

And we have seen them on Scotties ice. We know they are capable of big wins.

A possible #PopcornMatch awaits in the RR against Galusha too.

Many people may not be talking about them entering this event but everyone may be talking about them on Championship Sunday.

6. Team Galusha (28) 

Schedule: Gray-Withers, Martin, Black, Rocque

#PolarPower in the GP!

It has been a quiet early portion of the season for the team from NWT. They reached the QF at the opening Saville Shoot-Out and lost in their opener vs. Scheidegger at the #PBInvitational.

Unlike some of their opposition, ice is rare to find in NWT, especially in September, so the training is often dry land and not a lot of slides and tossing rocks.

However, when looking at who the team beat in Edmonton to start the season (Skrlik, Martin, Rocque), those are some familiar Tier II names.

Who have they lost to this season? Scheidegger (x2) and Homan.

Beating the Tier II teams. Losing to the Tier I. Overall, sets them up good for a possible playoff spot here.

7. Team Rocque (29) 

Schedule: Crough, Farmer, Watling, Galusha

It feels a bit weird seeing Kelsey Rocque in the Tier II field, no?

Last time we saw her on slam ice she was playing in the SF of the 2021 National.

Back in 2019, at this very event, she reached the QF. And the two years prior, she reached the QF stage at both Tier II events.

And here she is once again back in the Tier II fighting to rejoin her place in Tier I territory.

The new look team started their season at the Saville Shoot-Out, going 3-2 but missing the playoffs.

We saw them in Fredericton knock off Team Black in a fun #Sweep16 contest before falling to Team Einarson in the Elite Eight.

This is a good team though and should be considered a strong playoff contender.

8. Team Watling (30)

Schedule: Martin, Gray-Withers, Rocque, Black

Kristy Watling and her five woman rotation is a perfect example of a team who sets a schedule a bit outside the comfort zone in an attempt to move up the rankings and reach this exact event.

Watling, like many Manitoba-based teams, generally will spend much of their season competing at Manitoba tour events. And there is nothing wrong with that. Those events has many top ranked teams and the competition level is quite high.

However, this season Watling has travelled to Martensville, Edmonton and Swift Current while also competing at the Mother Club in Winnipeg.

Sure the team failed to qualify at any of the events outside of Manitoba, reaching the SF in Winnipeg, but they are getting out there, winning games and earning points.

And they are not going 0-for at these events. They are going 2-3 or 3-2 and just missing the playoffs by one game or by a TB procedure.

They were not handed a great schedule, drawing four tough RR games. The backend especially will be very tough but if they get on a roll and start 2-0, look out!

9. Team Kelly (31)

Schedule: Grandy, McCarville, Moore, Hunkin

Part of me just wants to pick Andrea Kelly to win this championship because, full transparency, I have always been a huge fan of hers. I have never met her. She does not know I exist. But I am still a massive fan of her game.

When the team made the deep playoff run at the Scotties last year, no curling fan across the country could be upset by it. It rejuvenated the love the sport for many and showed why we play the games. Any team is capable of a deep playoff run at major events, not just those top ranked front runners.

We saw Kelly compete in Fredericton as the home team and gave eventual champs Team Jones a run for their money in the #Sweep16.

We also saw them compete at Stu Sells Toronto, where they reached the QF. And this time they beat Jones before being eliminated by Kim.

The schedule gods did them no favours though. Look at those opening two games.

Expect a #PopcornMatch vs. McCarville.

10. Team Gray-Withers (36)

Schedule: Galusha, Watling, Farmer, Crough

Bring on the #NextGen champions!

Team Gray-Withers started their season winning the U25 Next Gen Classic in Edmonton and followed it up with a QF appearance at Saville and a tour title in Leduc.

Oh, you are not familiar with them? You will be by the end of this slam folks!

11. Team Hunkin (37) 

Schedule: Dupont, Sturmay, Skrlik, Kelly

Consistency plagued this team earlier in the season, sporting similar L-W-L-W-L-W-L type of results in their opening two events.

However, when the calendar turned to October, the team started finding their rhythm. They went 4-0 in Vernon to qualify for the SF before losing to Kitazawa (as many have this season).

They will have some confidence know, something which maybe was lacking early in the season.

Their #PopcornMatch comes right out of the gate vs. Dupont. A win there and a possible playoff/TB spot in within their grasp. Lose and the road just got longer and harder.

12. Team Farmer (39) 

Schedule: Black, Rocque, Grandy, Martin

With Eve Muirhead retiring and her team no longer in tact, there is a massive void to be filled in Scottish women's curling. Who is going to fill that void is left to be seen.

Beth Farmer is hoping her name is the one getting the call. But she is going to need to start producing results to get there.

The new team has struggled at times this season. They have competed in 4 events but have yet to qualify. They own a season record of 3-14, including going 1-3 last weekend in Swift Current. 

Earlier in the season they were on a 7-match losing streak.

I don't say these stats with any disrespect. They are here and the blog has massive respect for any team who competes on tour and qualifies for a slam.

The point being they are going to be considered a #TeamUpset in this field, against teams who are having stronger seasons thus far.

On the flip side, maybe it is the mounting pressure of opportunity in Scotland and perhaps a bit of feeling out a new look team.

Before going to critical, lets see how they compete this week in GP.

13. Team Martin (40)

Schedule: Watling, Galusha, Crough, Farmer

Saskatchewan will be represented in the Tier II women's event with Nancy Martin and her new team making the trip to GP.

The team does have two QF results this season but also missed out on the playoffs last weekend in Swift Current.

They have a season record of 11-10 so they are a game to the good overall.

A .500 record in this field should buy you a possible TB spot. They just need to find those two wins.

14. Team Skrlik (42)

Schedule: McCarville, Grandy, Hunkin, Moore

Another young team the blog has been keeping an eye over the past few seasons.

Kayla Skrlik has the potential to be one of the teams to beat in Alberta in the future. From #NextGen to provincial champ to Scotties? Why not?

Ok, maybe we jump ahead a bit too quick for 2022 but this is a team capable of making some noise on this slam ice.

They have reached the QF of their past two events so they have some momentum and confidence on their side right now. And QF losses to Kitazawa and Gim are not bad losses considering both are highly praised on the Power Rankings.

A surprise #14 seed?

15. Team Crough (58)

Schedule: Rocque, Black, Martin, Gray-Withers

Welcome another #NextGen team making their GSOC debut!

We saw Crough compete at the season opening U25 Next Gen Classic, missing the playoffs with a 2-3 record.

However, in their last event at the beginning of August in Leduc, they reached the SF.

This is a team who can step on the ice and act like a sponge. Soak it all in, do your job, feel no pressure and let the water drip where it drips.

Experience can sometimes mean more than championship wins.

16. Team Moore (66)

Schedule: Sturmay, Dupont, Kelly, Skrlik

Last time we saw Kristie Moore on the ice she was declaring herself as a #SuperSpare champion, leading Team Scheidegger (her former team) to the final in Fredericton.

But we must remember Moore also skips her own team. They have only played two events this season and have failed to qualify in both.

They are 3-6 for the season, meaning we can expect them to pick up at least one win but can they collect the much-needed second win to stay in the playoff hunt?

Qualifiers: Team Grandy, Team McCarville, Team Dupont, Team Kelly, Team Black, Team Rocque, Team Gray-Withers, Team Sturmay

#TourChallenge Tier II Championship: Team McCarville def. Team Black 

There you have it rock heads. What say you? Who are you cheering for?

Will we see a new Grand Slam of Curling champion crowned?

Can Team Hasselborg #DefendTheIce? Will Team Tirinzoni continue to dominate?

Will Team Gushue go back-to-back with slam titles?

And who will survive the Tier II and make the move onto Tier I ice in the future?

Remember you can stay up to date with all the results and standings on the event page HERE.

#StayTuned

With 64 teams competing this week, without question the Power Rankings mountain will see movement based on the results.

The updated Power Rankings will be released next week.

Also, we will celebrate our first world champion of the season when the 2022 World Mixed Curling Championship wraps up in Scotland this upcoming weekend.

Remember to stay up to date with all the #WMxCC2022 results at the event page HERE.

And you can get the full blog preview of the event HERE.

BIG NEWS: There may be a NEW PODCAST interview sliding into your hack VERY SOON!! Any guesses on who? They are competing this weekend in GP.

Until then, for all the teams competing in Grande Prarie this week, good luck and good curling.