#BetweenTheSheets: Previews, Previews, Previews
Preview of the WMDQE2022, CSCC2022 plus major tour events
Previews?
Are we talking about previews?
You better believe we are talking about previews....
Welcome to the BIGGEST, MOST COMPREHENSIVE Preview Post EVER!!
The opening weekend of December may be one of the biggest weekends of the curling season.
We have the World Mixed Doubles Qualification Event.
We have major tour events in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.
We have a huge mixed doubles event starting today in Winnipeg.
Plus we have the 2022 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championships starting Sunday in Nova Scotia.
You want event previews? We got event previews....
With such a packed curling calendar this weekend, where do we begin?
As in fine #TwineTime tradition, we start on international ice with the return of World Curling Federation's World Mixed Doubles Qualification Event.
The WMDQE2022 will take place in Dumfries, Scotland and will welcome 26 nations competing for 4 tickets to the 2023 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship next April in Korea.
Worth mentioning, the following nations have already clinched a spot in the 2023 championship based on the final standings at the 2022 world championship: Scotland, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Canada, Sweden, Italy, USA, Japan, Hungary, Australia, Denmark, Czech Republic, Estonia, Korea and England.
Dust off those sliders, here we go...
#WMDQE2022 Preview
Dumfries, Scotland
2021 Qualifiers: Not held (Last event held in 2019)
Format: 26 teams divided into 4 groups with 2 groups of 7 and 2 groups of 6. Top 2 in each group qualify for the playoffs.
Group A
Nations: China, Chinese Taipei, France, India, Lithuania, Portugal, Wales
#W2W4:
This is a group of opportunity for all 7 nations competing. To say this group is wide open may be an understatement.
If we look back to the 2019 qualification event, China and France went 5-1 while Lithuania and Wales went 1-5. India and Portugal were not even competing.
Enter 2022 and we not only have new nations but mostly new duos as well.
Chinese Taipei brings the same team that competed in 2019, where they went 3-3 in the RR to just miss the playoffs due to DSC.
We have not seen China on WCF ice in years so it will be interesting to see if they can live up to their high standards after not competing against the world's best for so long.
France will have Eddy Mercier, fresh off an ECC 2022 B-Division bronze medal win.
India will have P. N. Raju on the ice, fresh off a PCCC 2022 B-Division silver medal win.
And Portugal's "couples that curl together, stay together" tandem of Steve Seixeiro and April Gale Seixeiro have been competing at MD tour events in Canada and have started to put Portugal on the map.
In fact, Steve is fresh off competing at the #ECC2022 B-Division, where he skipped the national team to a 2-5 record and secured their spot in the B-Division for 2023.
This group may be the most unpredictable and could produce a #TeamUpset result or two.
#PopcornMatch:
France vs. Portugal (Draw 4) - Mercier bested Seixeiro at Euro's, can Seixeiro flip the script here? If so, it could go a long way towards Portugal qualifying for the playoffs.
China vs. Chinese Taipei (Draw 4) - Taipei have been here before, getting a slight taste of playoff potential. If they can knock off rival China early on in the RR, they could ride the momentum to the playoff bracket.
China vs. France (Draw 13) - This will be the final RR game and could have huge playoff implications. If either (or both) struggle early, this could become a de facto elimination game OR decide top billing in the group.
Projected Standings: 1. China 2. Portugal 3. France 4. Chinese Taipei 5. India 6. Lithuania 7. Wales
Group B
Nations: Ireland, Latvia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania
#W2W4:
Welcome to the #GroupOfDeath!
Every event has to have one and Group B takes the honour this time.
This is a very experienced group, just look at the teams competing:
Lisenka Bomas / Wouter Gosgens (NED), Courtney Smith / Anton Hood (NZ), Daina Barone / Arnis Veidemanis (LAT), Adela Walczak / Andrzej Augustyniak (POL), Alison Fyfe / John Wilson (IRE)
Ireland, Romania and #TeamOranje Bomas competed at this event in 2019, with Ireland just missing the playoffs with a 4-2 record, Bomas finishing 3-3 (partnered with Bob Bomas) and Romania going 2-4 (including a RR loss to Ireland).
These are teams who are competing on the MD tour and have found success.
Latvia is ranked #26 in the world. Poland is #43.
Both New Zealand players are coming off #HIStory and #HERstory moments at the Pan Continental Curling Championships where both men's and women's teams won tickets to the world championships. Can they make it 3 for 3 for the Kiwi's?
Remember NZ was relegated to this event at their 0-9 finish at the 2022 world championships but with a different team. Pressure on Smith/Hood to get them back to world championship ice.
5 of these teams could make a case for not just qualifying for the playoffs here but actually securing world championship tickets.
But, alas, only 2 will advance. Again, welcome to the Group of Death!
#PopcornMatch:
Netherlands vs. Poland (Draw 2) - What a way to kick off the group with a high stakes popcorn match. The result WILL factor into the final standings and who advances. Loser won't be out but the H2H loss could hurt you in that TB procedure.
New Zealand vs. Netherlands (Draw 4) - These two teams have the most "recognizable" names to the average curling fan and this game should attract some attention. The winner will be in a good spot early on while the loser will have their backs against the wall already.
Latvia vs. Poland (Draw 4) - Similar to above, here we see the two highest ranking teams in the group face off early. Winner will have the inside track towards the playoffs.
New Zealand vs. Poland (Draw 13) - Another high stakes match, this time to end the RR. Will this be an elimination game? Will it decide 1st place in the pool? Who knows? But it WILL impact who advances.
Projected Standings: 1. New Zealand 2. Poland 3. Latvia 4. Netherlands 5. Ireland 6. Romania 7. Mexico
Group C
Nations: Austria, Finland, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Slovenia
#W2W4:
This should be a fun group to watch.
Finland will be the overwhelming favourites with Lotta Immonen / Markus Sipila having competed at the 2022 world championships and being relegated after their 2-7 RR record.
Don't let that record fool you though. They are also ranked #63 in the world and could roll through the competition.
Is this the year of Guyana? Ray Husain just skipped the national men's team to a PCCC B-Division gold medal, earning 2023 A-Division promotion.
The brother / sister (Farzana Hussain) combo also competed at this event in 2019, missing the playoffs with a 3-3 record.
And watch out for Austria's Hannah Augustin / Martin Reichel. They also competed at this event in 2019. They reached the playoffs with a 5-1 RR record but lost a qualifier game to Korea. They will be back with revenge on their mind and looking for that one extra win to book a world championship spot.
And of course always take note of #Broomzilla Nigeria with Susana Cole / TJ Cole. They are also back and looking to improve on the 0-6 RR record for 2019.
This group may be very close and should come down to final RR games to decide who advances.
#PopcornMatch:
Austria vs. Finland (Draw 1) - Huge opportunity for both #Fav teams to get out of the gate with a W over a major contender. And, even for the team who takes the L, they still have 4 other RR games to play to crawl back up the standings.
Austria vs. Guyana (Draw 5) - Could this game decide the second qualifier? If Finland is the #Fav in the group, this game could determine who joins them in the playoffs. They are both very close in the world rankings as well with Guyana at #143 and Austria at #155. HUGE game!!
Finland vs. Guyana (Draw 8) - Should either team slip up against the Austrians earlier in the RR, this is the game to catch up and knock down a fellow contender. This game could decide who is a contender and who is just a challenger.
Projected Standings: 1. Finland 2. Austria 3. Guyana 4. Kazakhstan 5. Slovenia 6. Nigeria
Group D
Nations: Croatia, Spain, Hong Kong, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine
#W2W4:
Is this another 3 nation race group for 2 playoff spots?
At the initial glance, it sure appears so.
Spain should be considered the #Fav in the pool with Oihane Otaegi / Mikel Unanue having competed at the 2022 world championship, finishing 2-7 in the RR and being relegated to this event.
On the positive, they are ranked #51 in the world and are a very experienced MD pairing.
Hong Kong should not be underestimated though. Ling-Yue Hung / Jason Chang competed at this event in 2019 and just missed the playoffs with a 3-3 RR record due to H2H TB.
Plus Hung and Chang just skipped their national teams at the Pan Continental Curling Championship with Chang winning B-Division bronze.
And we have learned over the past few seasons to never bet against Turkey anymore. They remain the fastest growing competitive nation with both national teams not only earning their spots in ECC A-Division but now booking their tickets to the world championships.
Similar to the Kiwi's above, can Turkey go 3 for 3 this season?
Dilsat Yildiz competed at this event in 2019 (with former partner Ugurcan Karagoz). The duo went 6-0 in the RR but lost the A and B qualifier games, with the B qualifier loss to China coming in an extra end.
Of course, thanks to their national world ranking, Yildiz did compete at the 2022 world championship (with Muhammed Zeki Ucan) and finished 1-8 to be relegated to this qualification event.
Yildiz is now partnered with Bilal Omer Cakir and they have been finding success on the MD tour. They are ranked #130 in the world and should be a playoff threat here once again.
Experience leads the main contenders here. But which experienced team can outhit and outdraw their opposition just enough to secure a playoff spot?
#PopcornMatch:
Hong Kong vs. Turkey (Draw 5) - If Hong Kong is going to make a playoff push, they need this W. They play Turkey and Spain back to back but draw Turkey first. Turkey is ranked #130 in the world as previously mentioned. But Hong Kong ranks above them at #123. This game could decide the second playoff team in the group.
Spain vs. Turkey (Draw 12) - What a way to end the RR! Could both be undefeated heading into this match, playing for 1st place in the group? Could both already have secured playoff spots? Or could one, or both, have taken surprise losses earlier and needing this W to qualify? A de facto elimination match?
Projected Standings: 1. Spain 2. Turkey 3. Hong Kong 4. Slovakia 5. Ukraine 6. Croatia
Playoff Contenders: China, Portugal, New Zealand, Poland, Finland, Austria, Spain, Turkey
#WMDCC2023 Qualifiers: New Zealand, Finland, Turkey, Spain
Agree? Disagree? Is there a dark horse nation you think could surprise the field? Who is your #Fav to snag a ticket to Korea?
Share your thoughts on social media or in the comment section below.
And stay up to date on all the results at the official event page HERE.
One preview down...but we said at the top of this post we were talking previews, as in plural.
Bring on the tour action.
#TourLifePredictions
MEN
DEKALB Superspiel
Morris, MB
Format: 20 triple knockout with 8 qualifiers
2021 Champion: Team Gunnlaugson
#Fav:
Matt Dunstone is coming home!
If you have follow Team Dunstone on social media, you would have seen their "coming home" video as the boys return to Manitoba ice.
To say the team is jazzed up for this event might be an understatement. They want to cement their names as the Manitoba front runners and this is a perfect chance to do so on home ice.
Plus they are coming off a huge tour win in Red Deer a few weeks ago against a very stacked field.
And maybe #HIStory is on the side of the skipper? Dunny won this event in 2014 and 2018. Every four years? Hmmm, that would add up to another title in 2022, right?!
#TeamUpset:
Any team with an opening draw bye cannot be considered a #TeamUpset. So that leads designating our flag bearer to one of the teams competing in the opening 4 games Friday morning.
Watch out for Sweden's Team Nyman.
Canadian curling fans may not be as familiar with this team as they generally compete in Europe and on the new Nordic Curling Tour. They currently sit #3 on the Nordic Curling Tour rankings, ahead of rival Team Edin.
But they have found great success on the new tour, including a tour win in Prague a few weeks ago.
In the past two months they have collected the trifecta of playoff appearances: QF (Bern), SF (Champery) and champion (Prague).
If you have a chance to give this team a watch, take advantage. And their opposition better not be overlooking them because they do not play in Canada often.
#W2W4:
This is an iconic tour event. Each season teams and fans look forward to the DEKALB Superspiel because you know the competition level is fierce and the event attracts some of the best teams in the world.
This year will be no different with big name teams from Manitoba (Dunstone, Carruthers, Wiebe, Calvert, Chambers), Saskatchewan (Hartung, Kleiter), Alberta (Sturmay) and USA (Shuster, Dunnam, Smith). And of course Sweden's Nyman.
There are 12 teams listed above already who have legit playoff aspirations. And another 8 teams who are just as capable of knocking off a few of the front runners and making a playoff push.
Jason Gunnlaugson will try to #DefendTheIce with Team Carruthers. Reid himself is a former champion here too, having won the title back in 2015.
This is going to be a fun event to watch unfold.
Qualifiers: Team Dunstone, Team Carruthers, Team Sturmay, Team Shuster, Team Wiebe, Team Nyman, Team Kleiter, Team Hartung
Championship: Team Dunstone def. Team Carruthers
Curling Stadium Alberta Curling Series
Leduc, AB
Format: 12 team RR with 3 pools of 4. Top 4 qualify.
2021 Champion: New Event
#Fav:
You know the team who has been making the most noise at these Alberta Curling Series events?
Did you say Team Vavrek?
If not, maybe you should have.
And they have had tremendous luck in Leduc.
At the previous two events held here (late October, early November), Vavrek reached both championship finals. They won their season opener event here in October. They opened their season with a 9-matchin winning streak.
At their last event in Calgary a few weeks ago, they qualified once again and finished with a QF result.
They are 13-3 on the season and have been earning HM nods in the weekly #PowerRankings for some time. Is this the event where they finally make a climb into the Top 10?
#TeamUpset:
Can #PolarPower be #TeamUpset?
On name and resume alone, Jamie Koe is never a Team Upset flag bearer.
But, this is the first event of the season for the NWT foursome and they are up against teams who have been competing on Alberta Curling Tour ice for a few weeks/months now.
We know this is a strong team who can compete, and beat, any team in the field. But will the lack of competitive ice time work against them here?
This event is really a tune up for them towards the upcoming NWT Championship and, hopefully, another berth in the Brier.
If they can make a playoff push this weekend, it will be a huge success.
#W2W4:
Alberta is starting to look very interesting. Team K. Koe and Team Bottcher are going to be considered the favourites of course.
But Team Sturmay and Team Sluchinski are coming along as main challengers.
And now Team Vavrek has staked claim as being a contender.
Could another team, or teams, competing in this event put the Alberta men's field on notice with a championship run?
Qualifiers: Team Jacques, Team Tao, Team Vavrek, Team Libbus
Championship: Team Vavrek def. Team Libbus
Stu Sells Brantford NISSAN Classic
Brantford, ONT
Format: 24 team triple knockout with 8 qualifiers.
2021 Champion: Team Mooibroek
#Fav:
Glenn Howard is going to draw the attention of curling fans at this event and will be considered a championship challenger. Plus he is a two-time champion here (2009, 2018).
But is his team the #Fav? Hmmmm, not so fast?!
A team they beat to start their season at the #PBInvitational might actually be the hottest team coming into this event.
Quebec's Team Asselin is burning up the ice this season.
They already have one tour win (Valleyfield), another championship final (last weekend in Clermont) and 2 SF results, one being Tour Challenge Tier II.
Oh and Asselin himself just won a Canadian championship, skipping Team Quebec to the mixed title in Prince Albert.
#TeamUpset:
Have you heard of Alex Champ and his team from Kitchener-Waterloo?
If not, maybe you should start taking notice...as should other teams competing in Ontario.
Want to talk about teams gaining momentum through the season? Team Champ should be in the discussion.
Last weekend they lost their opening 2 game, navigated the #CSideGrind and won the entire event in Cookstown.
Chalk up back-to-back tour wins for the young team, following their win the previous weekend in Port Elgin.
This team is on fire and getting very little talk about how well they are playing.
Watch out for them folks.
#W2W4:
This is a very stacked field with some big names competing...many you have seen on Brier ice.
Glenn Howard. Felix Asselin, Mike McEwen. Mike Fournier. Tanner Horgan. Greg Smith. Mark Kean.
There are also strong up and comers: Alex Champ, defending champ Sam Mooibroek, Owen Purcell, Landon Rooney.
And there are some very familiar Ontario tour names: Pat Ferris, Jason Camm, Rob Ainsley, Dayna Deruelle, John Willsey, Sam Steep, Cory Heggestad, Travis Fanset, Fraser Reid.
These are all names of teams who have found tour and/or Brier success in the past and are looking to gain momentum heading into the second half of the season in 2023.
There are only 8 playoff spots up for grabs but a double handful of quality teams competing on the ice.
Some big names are NOT going to find their names on the playoff bracket.
Qualifiers: Team Howard, Team Asselin, Team Horgan, Team Purcell, Team Fournier, Team Mooibroek, Team McEwen, Team Champ
Championship: Team Asselin def. Team Horgan
WOMEN
DEKALB Superspiel
Morris, MB
Format: 20 team triple knockout with 8 qualifiers.
2021 Champion: Team Holland
#Fav:
Manitoba may dominate the field but an Alberta team may get the last laugh come championship Monday.
Casey Scheidegger's team is looking nothing like "new" thus far this season.
In fact, they have reached back-to-back tour finals heading into this event and have 3 finals on their season resume.
Add in a trio of SF finishes and this team is one of the most consistent on tour.
Ok sure the concern might be 3 finals and 0 tour titles but the title rock has to spin their way eventually, right?
#TeamUpset:
I would not want to draw Abby Ackland this weekend if I was any of these opposing teams.
Ackland has quietly put together a solid resume this season, reaching 2 tour finals and 2 QF.
Similar to our #Fav team above though, they may have 2 finals but also 0 titles.
They may be a modest 24-22 on the season but if you take away their season opening event (0-5) and their last event (1-3), the record looks better.
It just will be a question of which team shows up?
The one who reached back-to-back finals in September/October or the one who struggled last weekend and failed to qualify in Red Deer?
#W2W4:
Similar to the men's event, this is a staple event on the women's tour. Morris often attracts some of the biggest names in the game and the 2022 edition is no different.
Joining Scheidegger and Ackland will be Team Jones, Team Grandy, Team Sturmay, Team Kelly, Team Brown, Team Martin, Team Barker, Team Rocque and defending champs Team Holland.
Keep your eyes on Amber Holland. The team will attempt to #DefendTheIce but are also working with a slightly altered team. Second Karlee Korchinski suffered a possible season-ending injury in a fall at the Autumn Gold.
They have brought in #SuperSpare Cristina Herman into the fold and the team has found success, having reached the QF in Red Deer and SF last weekend in Regina with her.
Is Herman's addition to the team building from QF --> SF --> F?
Qualifiers: Team Jones, Team Scheidegger, Team Grandy, Team Kelly, Team Ackland, Team Barker, Team Rocque, Team Holland
Championship: Team Scheidegger def. Team Grandy
Curling Stadium Alberta Curling Series
Leduc, AB
Format: 16 team RR with 4 pools of 4. Top 6 qualify.
2021 Champion: New Event
#Fav:
A former #TeamUpset flag bearer has made the transition to #Fav championship contender.
Team Skrlik has been a team many people, this blog included, have been talking about for a few seasons as being the up and coming Alberta threat.
We have patiently been waiting for the big breakthrough season and this appears to be the time.
Skrlik dominated the field at the home ice Autumn Gold, qualifying A-side and knocking off "big name" teams like Jones, Jaeggi and Gim before a QF loss to Jones.
Of course their next event in mid-November they won the tour title in Okotoks.
Sure they hit a rough patch of ice in Red Deer, failing to qualify with a 2-3 record, but this seems more like a blip on the schedule than a trend.
Expect another deep playoff run in Leduc.
#TeamUpset:
We have not heard alot about Nicky Kaufman this season but perhaps we should start talking about her team from Edmonton.
Sister Jessie Hunkin has been making moves this season and gaining attention as a possible Alberta Scotties threat but sister Nicky might not be too far behind.
This will be Kaufman's third event of the season so they are a bit behind the 8 ball on competitive ice team; however, look at their results of those two events.
They reached the QF at the end of October and won the tour title at the beginning of November.
Both events were Alberta Curling Series events. Both were held in Leduc.
Why stop the momentum now? And could we see a Jessie vs. Nicky playoff battle?
#W2W4:
This is an Alberta heavy field. 15 of the 16 teams are from the home province, with many competing out of curling hotbed Edmonton.
With Scheidegger, Sturmay and Rocque choosing to compete in Morris, the door is open for another Alberta team to start making a name for themselves and build momentum as another Alberta Scotties playoff threat.
This event feels like a mini-Alberta Scotties qualifier. The teams who make it the furthest may just become top challengers for the provincial championship.
Qualifiers: Team Skrlik, Team Hunkin, Team Crough, Team Kaufman, Team Sherrer, Team Hilker
Championship: Team Skrlik def. Team Hunkin
Stu Sells Brantford NISSAN Classic
Brantford, ONT
Format: 20 team RR with 5 pools of 4. Top 8 qualify.
2021 Champion: Not Held (Last Champion: Team Harrison - 2016)
#Fav:
Korean Kontrol?!
Korea's Team Gim and Team Kim headline this field.
Gim is on fire this season, having already won 2 events this season (both being in Alberta) and having 5 SF and 2 QF results, including at both #GSOC events with a QF (National) and SF (Tour Challenge Tier I) finish. The Korean Championships runner-up's have been climbing the #PowerRankings as well, currently sitting #5.
Team Kim has played less events but has produced strong results as well, including SF at Stu Sells Toronto and QF at Tour Challenge Tier I (losing to rival Gim).
Both teams are also using this event as a tune-up for next week's WFG Masters.
Could we see an all-Korean final in Brantford?
#TeamUpset:
Whitby for the win?
Danielle Inglis' team has been one of consistency this season.
5 events played. 5 qualifications. 4 QF results. 1 championship final.
They have played, and in many cases defeated, most of the teams in this field.
Yet Team Inglis still seems to not get as much attention heading into these bigger tour events.
Perhaps they need that one breakout performance or "big win" to gain some traction with more curling fans.
With this event being a pool format, Inglis will be very familiar with her opponents and should have a very strong shot at the playoffs.
A deep run here could cement the team as an Ontario Scotties dark horse challenger.
#W2W4:
Canada vs. The World...an on-going theme on tour this season.
The Koreans will be strong. Add in Switzerland's Team Jaeggi and the betting line may become International vs. The Field.
Jaeggi did reach the Autumn Gold final a few weeks ago (losing to Gim) and has looked very strong this season.
However, the field also has some strong Ontario-based teams.
Team Ladouceur. Team Inglis. Team Mann. Team Duncan. Team Howard. Team Auld. Team Harrison. Team Wasylkiw.
And do not forget the always dangerous #PolarPower of Team Galusha.
Who would you pick?
Qualifiers: Team Gim, Team Kim, Team Jaeggi, Team Galusha, Team Inglis, Team Ladouceur, Team Mann, Team Duncan
Championship: Team Gim def. Team Kim
NATIONAL
2022 Everest Canadian Senior Curling Championship
Format: 20 team triple knockout with 8 qualifiers.
2021 Champions: Men - Alberta (Team White), Women - Saskatchewan (Team Anderson)
MEN
#W2W4:
Is the 2022 edition a 2021 remix?
Of the 14 teams competing in 20222, 8 will return from competing last year.
Interestingly enough though, all 3 podium finishers in 2021 are NOT competing in 2022.
We will not only crown a new champion but a completely different podium.
However, that is not to say Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan should not be considered podium threats again this year.
There are some familiar names on the competition list too. Randy Neufeld (MB), Terry Odishaw (NB), Al Hackner (NOnt), Francois Roberge (QC), Randy Bryden (SK), Wes Craig (BC), James Pahl (AB) and Howard Rajala (ONT) to name a few.
Hackner is a name everyone is familiar with and he is a previous Canadian senior champion (2006).
Neufeld won a Canadian senior title in 2015 and reached the final again in 2016.
Take note of Ontario's Rajala as having reached two Canadian senior finals in the past and losing both (2013, 2017). Third time's the charm?
And Roberge was 5th in 2019 and 4th last year. Will he continue his climb and finally reach the podium?
Roberge (QC), Odishaw (NB) and Keith Ryan (NL) are the only returning Championship Pool teams from 2021.
Championship Round: Quebec, Northern Ontario, Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta
Playoff Qualifiers: Ontario, Northern Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba
Championship: Quebec (Team Roberge) def. Ontario (Team Rajala)
WOMEN
#W2W4:
To say this field is stacked would be an understatement. Literally every team in the field is chalk full of experience.
Just look at these names:
Sherry Anderson. Jo-Ann Rizzo. Theresa Breen. Sharon Cormier. Shelly Bradley. Sandy Comeau. Terry Ursel. Chantal Osborne. Laura Phillips. Diane Foster. Laura Eby. Geneva Chislett.
Feels like a Scotties field, no?
Sherry Anderson is trying to accomplish an almost unthinkable act. She already has the #4peat and will attempt to accomplish the #5Alive in winning her 5th straight Canadian senior title. Winning 4 in a row is amazing. Can she make it 5 at #CSCC2022?
This might be one of the hardest fields she has been up against though. If she pulls it off, move her into the Curling Hall of Fame now.
If not, any of those other names mentioned above could trip her up and "steal" her championship and end her #HERstoric run.
Also, small props and good luck to fellow curling podcasters Lori Eddy and Mary Chilvers (2 Girls and a Game) who will be competing as the front end for Team Ontario (Rizzo).
Pay attention to how the round robin plays out here. Pool A seems WAY more wide open while Pool B is a #PoolOfDeath.
Pool A has 4 province/territories who failed to advance to the Championship Pool in 2021.
Pool B has 5 province/territories who did reach the Championship Pool last year.
Championship Round: Saskatchewan, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Quebec
Playoff Qualifiers: Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia, Manitoba
Championship: Saskatchewan (Team Anderson) def. Ontario (Team Rizzo)
Stay up to date with all the #CSCC2022 action, results and updated standings at the event site HERE.
Lets also give mention to the massive Winnipeg Open - Mixed Doubles Super Series already underway. Since the event has already started, it is not fair to give a full preview with predictions.
However, the 25 team field is stacked with high profile international teams like: Scotland's Dodds/Mouat, Norway's Skaslien/Nedregotten, Australia's Gill/Hewitt, Switzerland's Perret/Rios and Rupp/Wunderlin and Albrecht/Wozniak, Estonia's Kaldvee/Lill, Korea's Kim/Jeong, Japan's Matsumura/Tanida, Germany's Schoell/Harsch and USA's Anderson/Richardson.
But do not think Canada is not STRONGLY represented as well: Walker/Muyres, Weagle/Epping, Peterman/Gallent, Birchard/Morris, Einarson/Einarson, Homan/Tardi and many others.
What a field. What an event. It should be fun to watch how that one plays out.
#StayTuned
You wanted previews right? #TwineTime gave you PREVIEWS this week folks. Yowie Wowie...
Hope you stuck through the read and made it to the end. If so, congrats and THANK YOU!!
Feel free to share this post with your curling friends and followers as well.
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So much action to keep your curling eyes on this weekend rock heads.
To those competing at any event this weekend, good luck and good curling.
And remember, we have the next #GSOC event hitting the ice next week too.
Welcome to December!
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