Power Rankings W9

#BetweenTheSheets: Power Rankings - Week 9

Welcome to the Swiss Alps

What a wild weekend of curling action.

The results really showcased how global of a sport curling can be.

We saw Asian teams continue to dominate.

We saw Canadian teams capitalize on home ice advantage.

We even saw a #TeamUpset championship win.

We saw American teams making moves.

And the #1 mixed doubles team silenced any doubters with their performance in Calgary.

Overall, there were 7 different nations picking up tour titles this weekend. And 8 nations were represented in championship finals.

But, as the blog projected in last week's Power Rankings post, Switzerland has seized the day.

We may need to rename the Power Rankings the Swiss Alps as Swiss teams have moved to the top of the mountain and now occupy the #1 spots.

How did the weekend results shake up the mountain?

And where do some Canadian teams stand heading into this week's PointsBet Invitational?

#TheRunback

🥌 Mother Club Fall Curling Classic (W) - Team Ueno (JPN) def. Team McCarville (NOnt): Watch out for the depending Japanese champions folks. After seeing many of their main national rivals pick up tour titles already this season, it was time for Team Ueno to make their mark. And they did so with an undefeated weekend! After posted a 4-0 RR record, they reached the final with playoff wins over Team Terrick (QF) and defending champion Team Strouse (SF). McCarville took a different path to the final. After squeaking into the playoffs with a 2-2 RR record and surviving the TB procedure, they picked up playoff wins over Team Carey (QF) and Team Miura (SF). And they did so competing as a team of 3!

🥌 Mother Club Fall Curling Classic (M) - Team Sampson (USA) def. Team Smith (MB): In the #TwineTimePreview for this event, the blog said Team Sampson had entered the chat for being a USA contender and was a #TeamUpset flag bearer this weekend. Hellooooo Ethan Sampson! The team from Chaska, MN qualified for the playoffs with a 3-1 record, surviving a very tough pool, and picked up playoff wins over Team Sinnett (QF) and Team Calvert (SF). Home team, Team Riley Smith, suffered only one loss this weekend but it unfortunately came in the final. After qualifying for the playoffs with a perfect 4-0 record, they secured playoff wins over Team Forrester (QF) and Team Walter (SF) to remain undefeated heading into the final.

🥌 Alberta Curling Series Major (W) - Team Gim (KOR) def. Team Cameron (MB): It may be the shortest amount of games possible to claim a title but, in the end, Team Gim was left hoisting the trophy. After qualifying A-side in the triple knockout and earning a SF bye, Gim collectively only needed 4 wins to secure the championship. They earned an early A-side bye as well being the #1 seed in the event and only needed the one playoff victory over #CSideGrind qualifier Team Sturmay in the SF to make the final. The road was a bit longer for Cameron, qualifying out of the B-side and knocking off #CSideGrind qualifier Team Yoshimura (QF) and A-qualifier Team Wang (SF) to reach the final.

🥌 ATB Okotoks Classic (M) - Team McEwen (SK) def. Team Shuster (USA): Make it a perfect 6-0 weekend for Sask champs Team McEwen on neighbouring Alberta ice. In fact, heading into the final, both finalists were a perfect 5-0 on the weekend after both qualified for the playoffs via the A-side. For McEwen, the playoff path to the final included wins over #CSideGrind qualifier Team Maeda (QF) and B-qualifier Team Brunner (SF). For Shuster, their playoffs wins were over #CSideGrind qualifier Team Morozumi (QF) and fellow A-qualifier Team Dropkin (SF).

🥌 KW Fall Classic (W) - Team Rozon (ON) def. Team Kim (KOR): Welcome to the #TeamUpset result of the weekend. Breanna Rozon and her team from Oshawa, ON may have surprised a few people with their championship win. And it wasn't an easy path to the title either. Rozon squeezed into the playoffs with a 2-2 RR record. Their playoff wins were over Team Rizzo (QF) and Team Hardy (SF). For Team Kim, they qualified for the playoffs with a 3-1 RR record and scored playoff wins over Team Artichuk (QF) and Team Kitazawa (SF).

🥌 KW Fall Classic (M) - Team Epping (ON) def. Team Yanagisawa (JPN): Another triple knockout event, another final between two A-qualifiers. Both Epping and Yanagisawa took the shortest path possible to the championship game, each going 3-0 to qualify for the playoffs. For Epping, their playoff path to the final included wins over #CSideGrind Team Dunnam (QF) and B-qualifier Team Kean (SF). Yanagisawa's final path included playoff wins over #CSideGrind Team Hirata (QF) and B-qualifier Team King (SF).

🥌 Womens Masters Basel (W) - Team Tirinzoni (SUI) def. Team Hasselborg (SWE): It was a perfect weekend on home ice for Team Tirinzoni, as the successfully #DefendTheIce with a 7-0 record. After going 4-0 in the RR, Tirinzoni scored playoffs victories over Team Dupont (QF) and Team Henderson (SF). Hasselborg qualified for the playoffs with a 3-1 RR record and their path to the final included playoff wins over Swedish rival Team Wrana (QF) and Team Schwaller (SF).

🥌 Match Town Trophy (M) - Team Bryce (SCO) def. Team Nyman (SWE): Chalk up a perfect 7-0 weekend for Scotland's Team Bryce and add Match Town Trophy Champs to their season resume. After going 5-0 in the RR, Bryce's path to the final included victories over Team Chabiicovsky (QF) and Team Hostmaelingen (SF). Nyman qualified for the playoffs with a 4-1 RR record and reached the final with wins over Team Vaderstad (QF) and Team Harstad (SF). Fun fact: Pool A ended up with 5 of the 6 teams having identical 3-2 RR records. There were 9 teams overall with 3-2 RR records and the LSD TB procedure finalized the 5 teams who qualified for the playoffs to join the 3 qualifiers with better RR records. WOW!

🥌 Mixed Doubles Super Series - Calgary (MD) - Team Kaldvee / Lill (EST) def. Team Walker / Muyres (CAN): The #1 ranked Estonians proved why they remain the MD team to beat this season, taking home the title against a stacked field in Calgary. Overall, the duo went 7-1 on the weekend, including a 5-1 RR record and a SF victory over Team Koana/Aoki on their road to the final. Canada's Walker/Muyres had a slightly more bumpy road to the final, squeezing into the playoffs with a 4-2 record and needing to win their final 2 RR games to stay in the playoff hunt. They picked up playoff wins over Team Perret/Rios (QF) and defending champs Team Matsumura/Tanida (SF).

The blog had a solid weekend of #TwineTimePredictions from last week's preview post.

🥌 Mother Club Fall Curling Classic (W) - 6 of 8 playoff qualifiers.

🥌 Mother Club Fall Curling Classic (M) - 6 of 8 playoff qualifiers.

🥌 Alberta Curling Series Major (W) - 5 of 6 playoff qualifiers, including the champion (Gim).

🥌 ATB Okotoks Classic (M) - 6 of 8 playoff qualifiers, including one finalist (McEwen).

🥌 KW Fall Classic (W) - 6 of 8 playoff qualifiers, including one finalist (Kim).

🥌 KW Fall Classic (M) - 6 of 8 playoff qualifiers, including both finalists (Epping, Yanagisawa).

🥌 Womens Masters Basel (W) - 7 of 8 playoff qualifiers, including both finalists (Tirinzoni, Hasselborg).

🥌 Match Town Trophy (M) - 5 of 8 playoff qualifiers, including both finalists (Bryce, Nyman).

🥌 Mixed Doubles Super Series - Calgary (MD) - 5 of 6 playoff qualifiers, including one finalist (Walker/Muyres).

Of the 68 playoff qualifiers this weekend, the blog correctly predicted 52 of them, for a correct prediction rate of 77%.

With all the tour events this weekend, having a high prediction rate AND correct on 9 finalists has the blog feeling a bit more confident.

But, there was only one correct champion prediction (Team Gim - Alberta Curling Series Major) so there is lots of room to improve.

On the positive, 3 events had correct finalists but the blog predicted champion ended up losing to the blog predicted finalist. Oh so close...

With the results of this past weekend fresh in our minds, lets go climb the Swiss Alps 😉

Remember, the parenthesis number behind each team is where they were ranked in last weeks Power Rankings post.

#PowerRankings

MEN

1. Team Schwaller (1)

Last Week: Did Not Compete (DNC)

The mountain cannot knock the Swiss team off the #1 spot for taking a weekend off. How they do in the upcoming #GSOC Tour Challenge event might decide if they retain their ranking though.

2. Team Mouat (2)

Last Week: DNC

Similar to above, all eyes will be on Mouat heading to PEI for the Tour Challenge.

3. Team McEwen (6)

Last Week: Okotoks Classic - Champions

Make it back-to-back tour titles over the past few weeks for the Sasky champs. And they are on fire heading into the #Sweep16. Are they the new #Fav?

4. Team Muskatewitz (3)

Last Week: DNC

The Germans were back home preparing for their upcoming #GSOC debut at the Tour Challenge. Although they will be competing in the Tier II.

5. Team Hoesli (4)

Last Week: DNC

An always dangerous up and coming Swiss team. Lets get them on some #GSOC ice and see if they can live up to their Power Rankings position.

6. Team Gushue (5)

Last Week: DNC

A similar small slip down the mountain for Team Gushue as seen by the handful of teams above them. Not because of anything they did but more of a reward for what Team McEwen did.

Here is a team who many will list as the #Fav this week in Calgary at the PointsBet Invitational. You know they will have a ton of fan support.

7. Team Whyte (7)

Last Week: DNC

Is this the season Team Whyte picks up a #GSOC title?

8. Team Retornaz (8)

Last Week: DNC

Speaking of teams winning #GSOC titles, after last year's phenomenal slam results, all eyes will be on Italy's Team Retornaz once slam season starts.

9. Team Carruthers (9)

Last Week: DNC

Do you think anyone is as excited for this week's #Sweep16 as Reid Carruthers?

The two-time champ will eye a #3peat. Who saw that coming when this event first started?

10. Team McDonald (10)

Last Week: Mother Club Fall Curling Classic - SF

The #NextGen team retains their Top 10 spot with another deep playoff run, this time at the Mother Club.

Everyone will be watching them this week at the #Sweep16. Can they make some noise and shock the system?

Honourable Mention: Team Sampson, Team Yanagisawa, Team Shuster, Team Bryce, Team Epping

WOMEN

1. Team Tirinzoni (2)

Last Week: Womens Masters Basel - Champions

After watching their male counterparts ascend to the top of the mountain last week, Tirinzoni rebounded from their finals loss and defended the ice in Basel. Their reward? Enjoying the views from the Swiss Alps as the #1 team on the mountain.

2. Team Hasselborg (3)

Last Week: Womens Masters Basel - Finalist

Team Hasselborg followed up their Euro qualifier domination with a deep playoff run in Basel. They ran into familiar Euro rival Tirinzoni in the final though and came up just short of the title.

But they did knock off Swedish rival Team Wrana once again, this time in the QF.

3. Team Homan (1)

Last Week: DNC

An argument could be made for all 3 of these top teams to share the top spot...but that is not how we do things at the Power Rankings.

The Homan Empire drops from the #1 spot, not because of inactivity or their results, but out of respect for the weekend results of the two teams who leapfrogged them.

They can regain some ground quick though this week at the #Sweep16 in Calgary.

4. Team Gim (6)

Last Week: Alberta Major Series - Champions

The Power Rankings have been asking the question the past few weeks, when will Team Gim secure another tour title?

It wasn't a question of "If" but rather a question of "When". And they silenced the question this weekend. Welcome back to the Top 4.

5. Team Tabata (4)

Last Week: Alberta Curling Series Major - QF

Only a few week's ago, Japan's Team Tabata was atop the mountain. Now they sit #5.

Some may see this as a steady drop but don't take the negative eye test approach. They remain one of the most consistent teams on tour this season and a dangerous team to face.

It is tough to stay ranked above Tirinzoni, Hasselborg, Homan and Gim too. Respect!

6. Team Fujisawa (7)

Last Week: Mother Club Fall Curling Classic - QF

Another weekend of curling, another playoff appearance for Japan's Team Fujisawa.

With Gim winning a title this weekend, is Fujisawa the next team the Power Rankings starts asking "When", not "If", they will win a tour title this season?

7. Team Constantini (8)

Last Week: Womens Masters Basel - SF

The Italians replicated their result from last year in Basel, posting another SF finish. We saw their male counterparts win slams last season, will this be the year for the Italian women to do the same?

8. Team Schwaller (9)

Last Week: Womens Masters Basel - SF

Well, that is one way to eliminate the bad taste of a missed playoff weekend.

After failing to qualify the week prior, Schwaller returned to their winning ways with a SF result on home nation in Basel.

And they continue to prove how dangerous they are.

9. Team Skrlik (5)

Last Week: DNC

A team with home ice advantage this week at the PointsBet Invitational and arriving with a ton of confidence and momentum. 

How deep in the bracket can they go?

10. Team Ueno (NR)

Last Week: Mother Club Fall Curling Classic - Champions

The Power Rankings have been keeping a keen eye on Japanese curling this season. And now we welcome our 3rd Japanese women's team to this week's Top 10.

Hard not to include the defending Japanese champions after an undefeated run to the title in Winnipeg, which included 2 wins over defending champion Team Strouse (RR, SF).

Honourable Mention: Team Kitazawa, Team Yoshimura, Team Thevenot, Team Rozon, Team McCarville

#StayTuned

Are you ready to fill out your brackets for the #Sweep16?

The blog will return TOMORROW (Tuesday) to break down the PointsBet Invitational.

Who are the #BracketBusters to watch out for?

It is all about the numbers 👀👀