#BetweenTheSheets: Welcome To Rocktober
The pre-slam weekend has rocks rolling everywhere
#TourLifePredictions
ICYMI, the updated #PowerRankings were released earlier this week. Check out the new Top 10 HERE.
Take note with the updated Power Rankings, a mixed doubles mountain has emerged and the Power Rankings range continues to grow.
Bring on those previews and predictions.
WOMEN
Insitu Players Open
Dundas, ON
2022 Champion: New Event
Format: 24 team RR with 4 pools of 6. Top 8 qualify.
#Fav: Team Tirinzoni
They have been perfect on the year already, why not continue the trend in their pre-slam tune-up?
Seriously.
They are 14-0 on the season and won both tour events entered.
Even without the reigning world champion moniker tied to them, they would be considered the #Fav here.
Talk about a giving opposition a real scare in Rocktober!
Going undefeated in Dundas might be difficult though. The Pool A draw presents challenges like Scotland's Team Morrison, Korea's Team Ha, Denmark's Team Dupont and Canada's Team Inglis and Team Wasylkiw.
#TeamUpset: Team Hardy
No team might be up against a tougher wall in this competition than Ontario's Team Hardy.
Look at their opposition in Pool D: Team Hasselborg, Team Wrana, Team Kitazawa, Team Yoshimura, Team Armstrong.
To even have a sniff at a playoff spot you are going to have to take down Sweden and Japan.
Hardy has played in 3 events this season, reaching the playoff round at the Stu Sells Tankard in Oakville to start their season. They are 6-8 on the season overall.
All the numbers, and the draw, line up against them.
But isn't that what makes a #TeamUpset fun to watch?!?
#W2W4
The obvious first glance will be to see how those team competing in next week's Tour Challenge perform this weekend.
Team competing at the #gsoc event will want to have a good result in Dundas to build momentum towards Niagara Falls.
But also keep an eye on the on-going topic of discussion the blog has focused on this season: Canada vs. The World.
There are 10 Canadian teams in the field. This means Canada is actually outnumbered this weekend, drawing 13 international teams.
To boot, we have 5 Asian teams and 8 European teams.
Consider this a bit of a continental rumble to see which continent can have bragging rights.
This is a very strong field with many of the team teams in the world entered.
#PopcornMatch
Team Tirinzoni vs. Team Morrison - Draw 3: What a start to Pool A action featuring #ECC2022 silver and bronze medal winning teams.
Team Jones vs. Team E. Kim - Draw 5: Kim is coming off a championship performance last weekend and looks to be closing in on that Olympic form we saw a few seasons ago.
Team Dupont vs. Team Tirinzoni - Draw 6: A rematch of the 2022 European Curling Championships gold medal game, won by Dupont.
Team Kitazawa vs. Team Yoshimura - Draw 9: A classic battle for Japanese bragging rights...and could have huge qualification implications.
Team Jones vs. Team Lawes - Draw 10: No explanation needed!
Team Hasselborg vs. Team Wrana - Draw 13: Again, do we need an explanation here?
Qualifiers: Team Tirinzoni, Team Gim, Team E. Kim, Team Wrana, Team Morrison, Team Grandy, Team Lawes, Team Hasselborg
Championship: Team Tirinzoni def. Team Wrana
Match Town Trophy
Jonkoping, SWE
2022 Champion: Team Schwaller
Format: 8 team RR with 2 pools of 4. Top 4 qualify.
#Fav: Team Schwaller
The champs are back to #DefendTheIce.
And do not undersell them if you are not as familiar with Xenia Schwaller and her Swiss team.
They struggled at their 2 opening tour events of the season in Oslo and Basel but rebounded nicely at the Shorty Jenkins, reaching the SF.
In Cornwall they picked up wins over higher ranked teams like Team Ha and Team E. Kim.
This is also a great opportunity for them to make a move up the Nordic Curling Tour rankings, where they currently sit tied for 9th overall.
And if you are not familiar with the Nordic Curling Tour, #TwineTime has you covered highlighting the tour in a blog post earlier this season.
#TeamUpset: Team Dryburgh
Moa Dryburgh may not be the most familiar name to casual curling fans, especially coming from Stockholm, Sweden where the sport is dominated by names like Hasselborg and Wrana.
But if you are looking for a dangerous #NextGen team to push those "elite" names in Sweden in the upcoming years, Moa Dryburgh is the name on your lips.
Dryburgh is the two-time defending Swedish junior champion, winning a world junior championship silver medal in 2022.
We saw this team compete in Oslo at the Oslo Cup to kick off their season, where they reached the QF.
Along the way they also knocked off higher ranked teams like Italy's Team Constantini, Switzerland's Team Schwaller and Scotland's Team Munro.
Do not underestimate the skills of a #NextGen team, as we know!
#W2W4
This is the second event in the Nordic Curling Tour schedule, following up the success of the Oslo Cup at the beginning of September.
If you are not familiar with the Nordic Curling Tour, #TwineTime has you covered highlighting the tour in a blog post earlier this season.
And while the names at the top of the rankings (Hasselborg, Rorvik, Wrana) are not here competing, it is an opportunity for teams chasing for the top to gain some ground and valuable points.
Dryburgh sits #6. Schwaller is #9. Fellow competitors Team Kubeskova (#12) and Team Kaldvee (#13) also gained points in Oslo.
And all of these teams are eligible for the bonus tour prize money. This prize money is to help #growthesport and is awarded only to teams who sit outside the Top 25 of the world rankings.
You may not think there is a lot to play for at this event, but for the teams competing there is a great opportunity to gain points and make a move for extra cash on the season.
#PopcornMatch
Team Dryburgh vs. Team Kaldvee - Draw 4: Opportunity for the winner to book a spot in the playoffs. Plus Kaldvee could look a bit different as the Estonian skipper will be competing in Canada at a mixed doubles event rather than with the women's team here.
Team Schwaller vs. Team Kubeskova - Draw 7: Both may already have playoff spots solidified heading into this final RR draw but playing for 1st in the pool is still worth fighting for.
Qualifiers: Team Dryburgh, Team Schwaller, Team Moberg, Team Kubeskova
Championship: Team Dryburgh def. Team Schwaller
Alberta Curling Series - Event 1
Beaumont, AB
2022 Champion: New Event
Format: 19 team RR with 3 pools of 5 and 1 pool of 4. Top 8 qualify.
#Fav: China
Yes, I know I listed a country and not a team but can we just co-fav both Chinese teams in the draw?
From #TeamUpset in the preseason to #Fav in October, this is the trajectory Team Han is on.
And a trajectory this blog said would happen.
They have played 3 tour events. They have qualified in all 3. They have 1 title to their slider and 2 SF results, including last weekend at the Stu Sells Tankard.
After starting the season ranked #116 in the world, they are now sitting #45. That is not just an upward trajectory, that is a rocket jetpack on their backs!
But do not count out Team Wang either.
They now find themselves moving from #154 in the summer to #55 this week.
Similar to their Chinese compatriots, they have also played 3 tour events and own a tour title. Last weekend at the Stu Sells, they reached the QF.
Could we see an all-Chinese final brewing in Beaumont?
#TeamUpset: Team Ford Johnston
Familiar with the name Atina Ford Johnston?
If you are a fan of curling and a fan of Sandra Schmirler, you should be.
Ford Johnston won the 1998 Olympic gold medal with Team Schmirler in Nagano as their alternate.
She has a similar result with the team at the 1997 world championship.
And now she is back on the ice curling out of Calgary with Shannon Morris, Sheri Pickering and Cori Morris.
You are also probably familiar with the name Cori Morris. Another Saskatchewan-born curler, Morris represented Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics with Team Cheryl Bernard, winning a silver medal.
When you have that type of resume on your team, oh yes, you are going to get a mention in the preview.
They will have a tough path to the playoffs, drawing tricky Alberta teams in Team Purcell and Team Wytrychowski alongside Korea's Team Park and Japan's Team Tabata.
But Olympic medal winners always deserve respect, a shoutout and a watchful eye as competitors.
#W2W4
Alberta vs. Asia!
Alberta will have home ice advantage in Beaumont and statistical advantage in more teams competing.
Asia will have the advantage with teams ranked higher, having played in more events and owning a few tour titles.
China's Han and Wang will be tough competition.
Japan's Team Nakamura is coming off a finals appearance at the always competitive Autumn Gold Curling Classic last weekend in Calgary.
Japan's Team Tabata has also won a tour event back in August and has qualified in 4 events this season.
On the flip side, Alberta should be led by Team Sturmay. They have 2 QF results under their sliders this season and while the did not qualify in Calgary last weekend, they left with a positive 4-3 record overall in losing B and C-qualifier games.
And maybe keep a #TeamUpset eye on Alberta's Team Bowman. Remember they almost knocked off Team Cameron in their opener in Calgary last weekend. And while they may have gone 0-3, losing to Cameron, Tabata and Korea's Team Kim are not "bad losses" either.
Can the home province produce a champion in the inaugural edition of this new event?
Or do we see yet another chapter written towards the season-long story of Asian Domination Era?
#PopcornMatch
Team Tabata vs. Team Purcell - Draw 2: This could be a key matchup out of Pool B towards qualification.
Team Nakamura vs. Team Wang - Draw 6: A classic Japan vs. China battle on the ice. Two nations with just a steep of a sports rivalry, in all sports, as Canada vs. USA. And both are having a great season.
Qualifiers: Team Sturmay, Team Tabata, Team Han, Team Nakamura, Team Bowman, Team Purcell, Team Hartwell, Team Wang
Championship: Team Han def. Team Nakamura
MEN
Insitu Players Open
Dundas, ON
2022 Champion: New Event
Format: 24 team RR with 4 pools of 6. Top 8 qualify.
#Fav: Team Mouat
When you sit atop the #PowerRankings, are the defending world champions and already have 2 tour titles under the slider this season....yup, you are going to be labelled a #Fav.
The lads are 18-2 on the season but did see their remarkable 16-match winning streak come to a surprising end in the QF at the Shorty Jenkins, losing to Quebec's Team Asselin.
On the positive side, it just means they may be looking to start another winning streak.
The draw should play to their favour for a playoff spot, with no disrespect to their opposition of course.
But who knows, Asselin wasn't expected to beat them either and they did.
#TeamUpset: Team Menard
Speaking of teams who could surprise Mouat, what about another Quebec-based team?
And one with a high-profile name recognition?
Welcome Jean-Michel Menard to the ice once again folks.
Yes, the same Menard who won the 2006 Brier, the 2006 world championship silver medal and the defending world mixed curling champion.
While his fellow provincial counterpart is now over in Scotland preparing to #DefendTheIce for Canada (and Quebec!), Menard will be joined in Dundas by Team Asselin vice Martin Crete.
Name recognition and resume alone earns respect from the blog for this make-shift team.
But wouldn't it be something to see Menard make a playoff run at this event against some of these top world ranked teams?
#W2W4
See women's #W2W4 preview above?
Seriously though, this is another top tiered tour event with strong international representation to push Canadian home nation teams.
Canada will only have 10 teams in the field, compared to 14 international.
Europe is strongly represented once again, fielding 10 teams.
Korea and Japan will each have 2 teams in the field for an Asian quad overall.
Keep your eyes on Pool D.
Canada's Team McEwen is the lone maple leaf represented and draws the #PoolOfDeath with Sweden's Team Edin, Scotland's Team Waddell, Korea's Team Park and Switzerland's Team Schwaller and Team Hoesli.
Pool D is STACKED not only with talent but with teams who have put together solid starts to their seasons.
4 of those teams are going home early. A few are going to go home with losing records overall.
Yowie Wowie!
#PopcornMatch
ALL OF POOL D: No joke, as noted above. This pool is stacked. Each game is HUGE!
Team Morozumi vs. Team Yanagisawa - Draw 2: Always like a classic all-Japanese rivalry game between 2 teams playing really well right now. This could have huge playoff implications for the loser.
Team Retornaz vs. Team Whyte - Draw 2: How is this for an opening game for both teams? Winner should feel more confident about a playoff spot out of the hack. Loser will luckily still have games in hand to regroup. Blockbuster opener though!
Team Bottcher vs. Team Koe - Draw 4: No explanation needed!
Team Whyte vs. Team Bryce - Draw 8: Whyte is on fire this season, actually leading the YTD rankings. But Bryce has also played well. A great Scottish rivalry game.
Qualifiers: Team Mouat, Team Bottcher, Team Retornaz, Team Edin, Team Gosgens, Team Koe, Team Whyte, Team Schwaller
Championship: Team Bottcher def. Team Mouat
Match Town Trophy
Jonkoping, SWE
2022 Champion: Team Nyman
Format: 15 team RR with 3 pools of 5.
#Fav: Team Nyman
Sweden's Fredrik Nyman is back to #DefendTheIce in Jonkoping.
Having home nation ice advantage is certainly a good start too.
Nyman is making strides this season, currently sitting #30 on the world rankings.
The team is also coming off a championship final appearance a few weekends ago in Tallinn, Estonia.
Plus this event is their tune-up event for next week's #gsoc Tour Challenge, where they will compete in the Tier II competition.
They currently sit T5th on the Nordic Curling Tour rankings, after reaching the QF at the opening Oslo Cup event.
If you have not been paying attention to this team yet, now would be a good time to start.
#TeamUpset: Team Wrana
Do these names sound familiar together: Wrana, Hasselborg, Eriksson?
No, this is not the formation of Swedish mixed super team.
This is the Swedish men's senior champions and the 2016 and 2017 World Senior Curling Championships gold medal winners. The team also won silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022.
Team Wrana also represented Sweden at the 2023 world senior championship, reaching the playoffs but falling in the QF to eventual silver medal winners Scotland.
Mats Wrana, Mikael Hasselborg, Anders Eriksson and Gerry Wahlin are here to compete with the "young guns" of the Nordic Curling Tour.
Wrana is on the path to returning to the world senior championships with an aim at reclaiming their world title.
Do not be ageist folks. This is a very strong curling team capable of a deep run this weekend.
#W2W4
This is a very interesting field. We have some Swedish up and comers and developmental teams in the field.
Pay particular attention to Sweden's Team Landelius and Team Westerberg.
But we also have some strong competition from neighbour European countries.
Denmark's Team Krause. Finland's Team Kiiskinen. Norway's Team Harstad and Team Lindstroem.
And similar to previously mentioned for the women's preview #W2W4, this is a great opportunity for teams in this field to make a move up the Nordic Curling Tour rankings and push for the bonus prize money.
#PopcornMatch
Team Wrana vs. Team Kiiskinen - Draw 3: A classic Sweden vs. Finland matchup in any sport is fun but this one could go a long way in determining playoff advantages...and it is the opening game for both.
Team Landelius vs. Team Krause - Draw 3: Both should like their chances to qualify here but getting out of the hack with an opening game win sure builds some momentum and confidence.
Team Krause vs. Team Vilandt - Draw 5: When was the last time we saw an all-Danish match at a World Curling Tour / Nordic Curling Tour event?
Team Nyman vs. Team Harstad - Draw 7: This could decide top spot in Pool C. And might even be a preview to a playoff rematch?
Qualifiers: Team Landelius, Team Wrana, Team Nyman, Team Krause, Team Kiiskinen, Team Harstad, Team Lindstroem, Team Westerberg
Championship: Team Nyman def. Team Landelius
Alberta Curling Series - Event 1
Beaumont, AB
2022 Champion: New Event
Format: 9 team RR with 1 pool of 5 and 1 pool of 4. Top 2 in each pool qualify.
#Fav: Team Hirata
After starting their season playing every weekend in Japan, winning a tour title and reaching another final, Hirata took September off to regroup and rest.
Fast forward to October and they have hit Canadian ice ready to make some noise.
We saw them last weekend in Airdrie, reaching the QF.
After opening the season with a #64 world ranking, they now sit #43.
This is a good opportunity for them to add some more ranking points and maybe make a deep playoff run.
#TeamUpset: Team Hood
#W2W4
5 Canadian teams.
4 Asia-Pacific teams.
This weekend should shape up to be a continental rivalry.
And with Canada now thrust into the newly formed Pan Continental region, and seeing the success of Asian nations already this season, can Canada keep up and re-establish themselves as a curling powerhouse?
Look, the names on the back are important. But the representation matters as well.
4 Alberta teams will be competing on home ice, looking to pick up a tour title.
And never forget the #PolarPower from up north. Jamie Koe will be on the ice competing this weekend as well with his NWT team.
#PopcornMatch
Team Zou vs. Team Koe - Draw 4: A good test for the northern lights team. Koe draws Hirata in their opener and Zou in the 2nd game so going at least 1-1 after 2 games might be required to have a shot at the playoffs.
Team Hood vs. Team Webb - Draw 5: The winner of this game should be sitting in a good position for a playoff spot.
Team Hirata vs. Team Zou - Draw 7: This could decide first place in Pool B.
Team Hood vs. Team Fei - Draw 9: If Team Hood wants to make a playoff push here, a W over Fei might be needed. But the current world junior champions are not going to be an easy game for them.
Qualifiers: Team Fei, Team Hirata, Team Hood, Team Zou
Championship: Team Hirata def. Team Zou
MIXED DOUBLES
Mixed Doubles Super Series
Chilliwack, B.C.
2022 Champion: Team Martin / Griffith
Format: 24 team RR with 4 pools of 6. Top 8 qualify.
#Fav: Team Matsumura / Tanida
Chiaki Matsumura and Yasumasa Tanida opened their season last weekend in Sherwood Park.
They went 8-0 to claim the title.
With that kind of momentum, how could you put any other team in the field in this #Fav spot?
Plus, they are the inaugural team to sit atop the blog Power Rankings.
Now comes the pressure of sitting in the #1 spot and retaining your viewpoint atop the mountain.
The Japanese duo is a force to be reckoned with though. They are VERY good. And should be considered an early world mixed doubles podium threat.
The draw to the playoffs is kind for them this weekend so expect another deep run.
#TeamUpset: Team Zheng / Pietrangelo
Welcome #NextGen as #TeamUpset!
Ontario's Jessica Zheng and Victor Pietrangelo have already been the surprise stars of the early part of the MD season.
They lost the U25 #NextGen Mixed Doubles final in Edmonton to start their season and reached the final the following weekend in Boucherville, Quebec.
They even sit #9 on the Power Rankings.
But this will be their first real test against top ranked MD teams.
Just look at who they draw in their first two games: Estonia's Team Kaldvee/Lill and Australia's Team Gill/Hewitt.
This will be a great test for the #NextGen duo to see how they perform against higher ranked, more experienced competition.
But do not underestimate them either.
#W2W4
ICYMI, mixed doubles is now part of the weekly blog #PowerRankings.
Pressure on mixed doubles teams!
The players and fans asked for it. #TwineTime heard the call and a new mountain range was formed.
But now the teams need to perform and make their move up the mountain towards the coveted #1 spot.
Ok, I jest (slightly) in thinking teams actually are fighting for the top of a blog Power Rankings but it is kind of exciting.
This is a stacked MD field in Chilliwack, bringing together some of the best MD duo's in the world.
We want to see the discipline of mixed doubles continue to grow. One way in doing so is to promote the discipline and support the tour events.
And that includes this very blog expanding coverage and including MD tour events in the weekly #TourLifePredictions.
Imagine finally seeing a Grand Slam of Curling mixed doubles event folks?!
Hmmm, wouldn't that be a fun addition to The Masters or Canadian Open or even a season-ending Players' Championship.
#PopcornMatch
Team Kaldvee/Lill vs. Team Zheng/Pietrangelo - Draw 1: As mentioned above, a great opportunity to see how the #NextGen Canadians can hang with one of the most experienced teams in the field.
Team Armstrong/Griffith vs. Team Cotter/Cotter - Draw 2: An all-BC battle on home province ice...and between two teams have been playing great already this MD season. This should be a great game.
Team Matsumura/Tanida vs. Team Walker/Muyres - Draw 4: The curling schedule gods were not kind to both of these teams. They just faced off in the finals last weekend and now draw one another in the RR here?
Team Gill/Hewitt vs. Team Kaldvee/Lill - Draw 9: Huge game between two very experienced duos..and a game that should have major playoff qualification implications.
Team Armstong/Griffith vs. Team Martin/Laycock - Draw 10: Both teams already have won tour events this season. Both teams find themselves on the inaugural Power Rankings. And both will battle in the final RR game, potentially fighting for a spot in the playoffs?
Qualifiers: Team Gill/Hewitt, Team Perret/Rios, Team Armstrong/Griffith, Team Walker/Muyres, Team Kaldvee/Lill, Team Westman/Ahlberg, Team Martin/Laycock, Team Matsumura/Tanida
Championship: Team Walker / Muyres def. Team Armstrong / Griffith
Note there are additional tour events happening this week in Swift Current, SK, St. Paul, MN, Stroud, ON and Selkirk, MB not previewed above. This is one action-packed weekend in Rocktober!
For all the teams competing this week, good luck and good curling.
#StayTuned
The blog will be back with a second helping of preview posting this week as the World Mixed Curling Championships hit the ice in Scotland on Saturday.
The #WMCC2023 Preview deserves its own blog post though as we get ready to crown a world champion baby!
The mountain is always watching 👀👀
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