Power Rankings - W10

 #BetweenTheSheets: Power Rankings - W10

Who survived the #FallFrenzy?

We welcomed the Fall season last weekend and survived (hopefully) some Fall Frenzy on ice.

What an action packed weekend of curling!!

From epic upsets to #DefendTheIce results to monumental comebacks to a changing of the guard, this weekend really saw everything and anything we could ask for out of the sport.

Now we try to catch our breath and look back on the weekend that was.

With so much curling to watch, and so many teams hitting the ice, the Power Rankings must be due for their first major shakeup of the season.

S2324 W9 - Fall Frenzy

 #BetweenTheSheets: Fall Frenzy

11 events hit tour ice this weekend

The first day of Fall occurs on Saturday September 23.

While the world prepares for a season of pumpkin spice lattes, Thanksgiving turkey, Halloween scares and the subtle colours of red, orange and brown, the curling world prepares for a frantic frenzy of curling tour action.

DYK brown is actually not a colour but rather just a very, very, very dark shade of orange? No, seriously...check THIS out. #TheMoreYouKnow

There will be 6 men's events and 5 women's events hitting the ice this weekend, taking place across Canada and in the USA.

Top teams hit the ice, some making their season debuts.

And others will look to build on early season success...or turnaround early season stumbles.

Bring. It. On.

Plus...we are approaching slam season!!

Oh...don't forget the social media flavour of the month for the sport too. What a debate going on...but more on that below (ATB Okotoks Classic preview, #W2W4 section if you want to jump ahead LOL)!!

Power Rankings - W9

#BetweenTheSheets: Power Rankings - W9

The emergence of #TeamUpset?

If you are a loyal #TwineTime blog reader (and of course you are, right? 🤣), you are familiar with the #TeamUpset term.

The blog started the #TeamUpset reference years ago, previously noted as the "Dark Horse" in the preview posts.

A #TeamUpset is a team who is entered into an event, often ranked outside the Top 20 or 25, and is a team who may not be considered a title contender but a playoff challenger.

Fast forward to this past weekend and we are seeing those #TeamUpset challengers making deep playoffs runs and becoming tour title contenders.

S2324 W8 - Get Well Soon Ben Smith

 #BetweenTheSheets: Get Well Soon Ben Smith

Plus the return of the world champs

Photo Credit: Team Hood Facebook Account

The curling season rolls on.

This weekend we see the return of the women's world champions, Team Tirinzoni.

There is a stellar women's field ready to hit the ice in Basel.

We also see a few international teams from New Zealand, Germany and Guyana making their tour debuts.

A lot to get excited about.

But, before we do so, we were also reminded this week that curling is not the be all, end all of life.

Curlers are humans after all. And this week we, as a curling community, shifted our fandom to positive vibes for one of our athletes.

Power Rankings - W8

 #BetweenTheSheets: Power Rankings - Week 8

Canada vs. The World: Who is Winning?

Last week's #TourLifePredictions blog post previewed a full slate of World Curling Tour events across Canada.

The focus was on the emerging Canada vs. The World theme we are seeing in the sport.

International teams are not only competing in more tour stops in Canada (due to Canada offering more tour events perhaps but that is a whole other discussion) but are they also winning more compared to the home nation teams?

And, we are not only seeing an increase in international teams but also international representation.

This past weekend saw teams from Scotland, Korea, Japan, USA, Mexico and Portugal compete.

We will be seeing more representation at tour events later this month with Sweden, Germany, New Zealand and Guyana for example.

Open those welcoming arms Canadian curling fans...the world is coming!

So when the last rock stopped spinning on weekend action, who did come out on top: Canada or The World?

S2324 W7 - Coming To Canada

 #BetweenTheSheets: Coming To Canada

Tour Life Shifts to Canadian Ice

Welcome to Canada!

While we may not be declared the "official" country to the sport of curling, Canadians certainly have self-appointed the title onto their Maple Leaf home nation.

The World Curling Tour is heading into Week 7 of tour life. We have seen a number of events take place in Europe and Asia in the opening weeks.

And yes, a few tour stops in Canada.

But now things get serious.

The world is #ComingToCanada...and they want to take home all the tour titles along the way.

Power Rankings - W7

 #BetweenTheSheets: Power Rankings - Week 7

Swiss Sweep and Swedish Defense highlight Oslo Cup

The Nordic Curling Tour made their first stop of the season last weekend in Norway for the Oslo Cup.

Sweden's Team Hasselborg and Team Edin came in trying to #DefendTheIce.

One was successful. The other was not.

And, in the end, it was another European country having the last laugh with a sweep of the men's podium.

Plus we celebrated the next slide in the #NextGen movement with the U25 #NextGen Classic in Edmonton.

Labour Day weekend was anything short of a rest for the curling world.