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#BetweenTheSheets: Welcome Back

The "unofficial" opening weekend of the season

Welcome Back!

College football returned to the gridiron last weekend.

NFL hits the turf this weekend.

And kids were welcomed back to the hallowed halls of school.

It must mean Fall is in the air...and curling is welcomed back into our lives.

Ok, we all know curling tour action has been back for over a month now.

But now the sport returns to Canadian ice in September.

Japan has been a focal point of tour action for a number of weeks.

European curling hotspots have also been the button of outstanding curling.

The target is now set on Canada as East and West will play host to the "unofficial" opening weekend of the curling season.

Are you excited?

If we are talking curling in early September, we must be talking about Edmonton, Alberta and Oakville, Ontario.

Many teams use the Saville Shootout and Stu Sells Oakville Tankard as the launching events for their season.

And while European and Asian teams may have been hitting the competitive ice for a few weeks, Canadian curling fans are getting ready to cheer on their own hometown athletes.

Unlike professional sports who have a declared Opening Night or Opening Weekend, curling doesn't really have an official declaration to the start of the season.

Each team decides when they want to slide out of the hack. Some choose those early events in August. Others wait until early September. A few hold off a bit longer until the middle of the month.

Without a technical "start" date for the sport, it can sometimes be confusing as to when rockheads start getting excited for the return to ice. We may even forget that, technically, this is already Week 7 in the season.

From an NFL comparison, we would already be near the half-way point.

But curling season is longer. It starts earlier. It ends later. And not every team starts at the same time, competes each week or plays for a W/L record.

It is what can make curling unique, for the good or the bad I suppose.

If we did have to declare a "Welcome Back" weekend though, it would be this weekend with the annual "Prime" tour events in Edmonton and Oakville.

So lets dive right into the action.

ICYMI, the #PowerRankings have been UPDATED based on last weekend's results. Many of the teams within the new look Top 10 will hit the ice this weekend. Others who many feel are Top 10 worthy may will also take to the ice for the first time this season.

Which side wins out overall? The teams who have been competing already this season or the teams making their season debuts?

#TwineTimePreviews

WOMEN

Saville Shootout

Edmonton, AB

2023 Champion: Team Homan (skipped by Heather Nedohin)

Format: 20 team RR with 4 pools of 5. Top 8 qualify.

#Fav: Team Gim

The Korean champions have a distinct advantage over a majority of the field this weekend seeing as they are one of the teams who have already played a competitive event this season.

While the bronze medal result in Japan a few weeks ago may not have been the "perfect" start to the season, they were playing quality opposition against top Japanese women's teams.

We saw what Gim has done the past few seasons and they have shot up the rankings because of their consistent results. And they enter this season with a few major goals: Repeat as Korean champions, Repeat as Pan Continental Champions, Qualify Korea for the 2026 Winter Olympics, Extract revenge on the 2024 world championship SF loss.

The first goal has been accomplished. The second goal is coming up in October.

Now is the build-up towards achieving those goals.

They are in a winnable pool, drawing main challengers Team Cameron and Team Tabata. And they did just defeat Tabata in Japan a few weeks ago.

But remember, Tabata did just win a tour title last weekend so watch out.

They also will face the newly announced Team Silvernagle and Saskatoon's Team McCartney.

A deep playoff run is in the cards for the Koreans.

#TeamUpset: Team Reese-Hansen

The Victoria, B.C. team is entering this event with a hot hand.

Last weekend they won the U25 #NextGen title...in the same building. Advantage? It could be!

Now we will see if they can keep the momentum going into this weekend against top ranked women's teams.

And talk about being handed a #PoolOfDeath.

Look at their opposition: Team Einarson, Team Sturmay, Team Brown and Team Plett.

Add to it the fact each team faces the 4 other teams in their pool PLUS 1 other team from another pool, guess who the "other" team is they face? USA's Team Peterson.

Congrats on being the top #NextGen team this season. Your first reward? An event the next weekend where you draw 3 teams ranked in the Top 18 and 4 of the Top 30.

They will be tested BUT at least they have confidence and competitive wins under the slider.

Will it help though against that deadly lineup?

#W2W4

If you are wondering why there is no mention of Team Homan and why they are not defending their title in Edmonton, Rachel Homan is hitting the mixed doubles ice this weekend with partner Brendan Bottcher. They are competing at the SaskTour event in Saskatoon.

LOTS to watch this weekend though, even without the defending/world champions.

We have a few top teams making their season debuts: Team Einarson, Team Peterson, Team Lawes, Team Sturmay.

We have the handful of strong Japanese teams who appear to be in early season form: Team Tabata, Team Fujisawa, Team Kitazawa.

But all eyes will be on Pool A, as mentioned above.

Not just because of the lineup but also because Team Einarson returns to the ice.

People will want to see how they enter the new season fresh off how last season ended. And the team probably is chomping at the bit to put last season behind them and get off to a winning start this season.

Of note, Krysten Karwacki is listed at the lead position this weekend.

Briane Harris is still the listed lead on all team accounts and team website though.

The team, especially Harris, is still awaiting 'The Court of Arbitration for Sport' ruling on whether Harris will be eligible to rejoin the team this season or not.

This is an international court and a ruling can take up to a year to process and finalize, meaning we may not have a decision on Harris' eligibility in 2024.

Will this lineup and on-going issue cause more gossip and rumors and distractions?

A deep playoff run will help silence those arena voices though.

Stu Sells Oakville Tankard

Oakville, ON

2023 Champion: Team Ha

Format: 24 team triple knockout with 8 qualifiers.

#Fav: Team Ha

Lets give respect to the champions, who return to Oakville trying to #DefendTheIce.

They have some positive vibes from a returning champion perspective based on results we have seen on tour recently.

Last weekend Team Hasselborg and Team Hoesli defended their titles in Norway. Why can't Ha do the same in Canada?

Ha did reach the Korean championship final in June, losing to main rival Gim.

And last weekend they reached the playoffs in Japan, only to falter in the SF but still pick up the bronze medal game win.

No championship is easy to defend of course and this one will be no exception to the rule, given the strong lineup of competition.

And last year this event was a RR format. Now it is triple knockout. Will that help or hinder the defending champions?

To qualify out of the A side, they draw Team Mann in their opener and may face Team Yoshimura and Team Constantini to book an early playoff ticket.

No easy path for the champions.

But lets still give them the respect of being the #Fav...and they have been playing well early in the year.

#TeamUpset: Team St-Georges

What will we see out of Quebec's Team St-Georges this season?

One only knows...

Jamie Sinclair will be taking up the vice position.

This weekend Lisa Weagle is slotted into the lead position.

And earlier this week, skip Laurie St-Georges announced, with partner Felix Asselin, they are stepping away from their mixed doubles aspirations even though they are a top ranked team and had a good shot at the trials.

What is going on in St-Georges land?

If the focus is to truly elevate the success of the women's team, this is a perfect weekend to see the plan come into action.

They open with another young team who has high aspirations, Team Ladouceur. Survive the opener and you may find yourself against last weekend's runner-up in Oslo, Team Schwaller.

This is going to be a pressure opening weekend for the young skip and the new look team. They will need to come out of the gate strong to get their season off to the right slide.

Lets give a secondary shoutout here to Team Artichuk. They made a playoff run at the U25 #NextGen event last weekend, falling in the SF after an undefeated RR.

Did they gain some momentum and confidence heading into this weekend and ready to play "spoiler" against their higher ranked opposition?

#W2W4

This should be a fun event to follow.

For one, we get to see our first triple knockout of the season. Earlier events in Asia and Europe have used the RR format but now we get to see how teams survive the knockout brackets.

Yes, curling fans and teams are familiar with both formats but some prefer one over the other. And one format may favour some teams over others as well.

Plus, triple knockouts have a higher probability of unexpected results. A #TeamUpset, or a few, could emerge and make surprise playoff pushes.

But this is also a strong international field.

We have eyes on strong Euro teams, like Switzerland's Team Schwaller (finalist last weekend), Italy's Team Constantini and Scotland's Team Henderson and Team Morrison.

Remember, Henderson already has a tour title to their credit.

Japan's Team Yoshimura is also in the field and also has a tour title under the slider from a few weeks ago.

The new look Team Skrlik reached a tour final last weekend.

Team MacMillan made the SF in Scotland a few weeks ago too.

And we have the dangerous return of China's Yu Han. Han skipped her own team last year, earning promotion to the upcoming Pan Continental A-Division.

She has joined forces with Rui Wang this season to create a sort of Chinese super team, building towards Olympic qualification.

They may just be the most dangerous team in the entire field.

Home province hopes might fall on the brooms of Team Duncan and Team Inglis, two Ontario teams who have proven to be great rivals on the ice but also consistent playoff threats at tour events.

Oh yes, there will be LOTS to watch this weekend in Oakville.

MEN

Saville Shootout

Edmonton, AB

2023 Champion: Team Bottcher (now Jacobs)

Format: 20 team RR with 4 pools of 5. Top 8 qualify.

#Fav: Team Koe

This may be a slightly controversial #Fav given how the season ended for Team Koe last year.

And Team McEwen, being the higher ranked team in the field, probably has a case to be made for earning the #Fav label. But they did struggle in Scotland to start their season. Had they qualified and/or made a deep playoff run, perhaps this would be a different discussion.

But, an event in Alberta on AB ice, we side with Kevin Koe.

Ok, the Brier last year is one to forget on the overall resume of Mr. Koe.

So what does the team do this year?

After ALL the gossip over the summer about changes possibly coming for the team, they did the exact opposite. Nothing!

Smart play? Bad move? Time will tell.

And the time starts now in Edmonton at Saville.

The RR opposition is not a daunting lineup for the experienced team, drawing Teams Wipf, van Amsterdam, Jacques, Dunbar and Maeda.

A playoff ticket should be well within their sights. Where they go once there though is anyone's guess.

For a team looking to eliminate the leftovers of a season ago and start this season on the right slide, a deep playoff run is almost a must this weekend.

On paper, easily one of the best teams in the field. Can they get back to putting it all together on the ice?

#TeamUpset: Team McDonald

Koe comes in with unknowns. But Manitoba's Team McDonald knows they are bringing massive amounts of momentum and confidence onto the ice.

Last weekend, in this exact venue, McDonald won the U25 #NextGen Classic. They went 6-1 on the weekend, earning their RR loss revenge vs. Team King in the championship final.

We already have known for a few years this is one of the most talked about up and coming junior teams entering the men's game.

They are now #NextGen champs and looking to keep the momentum going.

To do so, they are going to have to fend off a trifecta of experienced skips: Mike McEwen, Steve Laycock, Brent Pierce.

And a fellow #NextGen challenger in Team Libbus.

Similar to the women's U25 champions mentioned above, the curling draw gods did them no favours with this event.

But you cannot make a name for yourself, earn a #TeamUpset flag bearer position and rock the house by sitting in the back beating up teams ranked lower than you either.

This is an all-win situation for Team McDonald. Pick up a few W's and make a playoff push, chalk up another successful weekend.

But even if they falter, doing so against the lineup sitting in front of them will not be a negative but more of an experience to grow from.

#W2W4

When you analyze the entire field of this event, it almost looks like a battle between experience and up and coming.

You have experience in the likes of Kevin Koe, Reid Carruthers, Mike McEwen, Steve Laycock, Aaron Sluchinski, Brent Pierce and Yusuke Morozumi.

You have the up and comers like Rylan Kleiter, Jordan McDonald, Johnson Tao, Chase Sinnett and Ethan Sampson.

Which side wins the day?

Keep your eyes on those young American boys. Remember Sinnett knocked off Sampson in the Icebreaker Challenge final last weekend in Morris, MB. Both teams will be arriving in Edmonton with momentum.

Stu Sells Oakville Tankard

Oakville, ON

2023 Champion: Team Mouat

Format: 28 team triple knockout with 8 qualifiers.

#Fav: Team Mouat

There are many questions for Team Mouat to answer heading into this event:

• Can they #DefendTheIce?
• Can they #3peat, having also won the title in 2021 (event was not held in 2022)?
• Can they win their 3rd straight tour title of the season?
• Can they keep their undefeated season record, currently sitting at 14-0?

Yup, so many questions.

They are just that good.

Earning an opening round bye is also an advantage as their path to the playoffs gets a bit easier.

Their opening game could draw Team Epping while their path to A-qualification could see them face Oslo Cup champion Team Hoesli and possibly Team Schwaller or fellow Scots Team Craik.

Not the easiest of pathways to the playoffs for the defending champs. But given how they are playing right now, and the confidence they have, every team just looks like another team to them. 

#TeamUpset: Team Mooibroek

Sam Mooibroek's U25 #NextGen finals run came to an end last weekend, losing out in the SF.

But the 2022 champion and 2023 runner-up can still take positives out of the result.

Team Mooibroek once again looks a bit different this year compared to last, a trend we have seen over the past 3 years.

This year the team added Ryan Wiebe, who skipped his own team out of Manitoba last season.

Could the two-skip backend combo be the difference maker?

While they may not have reached the final in Edmonton last weekend, they still qualified for the playoffs. A positive for sure, especially when adding a backend player and a player who is going from calling the shots to playing vice for another skip.

This is still a very dangerous #NextGen team.

Remember, last year Mooibroek did make the playoff bracket at this event after making the final in Edmonton.

Why can't lightning strike twice in Oakville in back-to-back years?

The opening game against Nova Scotia's Team Manual should be a fun one, and evenly matched, with the winner advancing to face Switzerland's Team Schwaller.

#W2W4

Besides the excitement of a triple knockout, as already mentioned above in the women's preview section?

A slight difference in the men's format though as the Top 4 seeds earn opening round byes: Team Mouat, Team Whyte, Team Gushue, Team Schwaller.

If seeding holds true, these 4 teams should be facing off in A-qualifiers with Mouat vs. Schwaller and Whyte vs. Gushue.

Winners to the playoffs, losers to B-SF games.

But if these are the 4 teams to earn A and B qualifier spots in the playoffs, that leaves 4 #CSideGrind playoff tickets up for grabs.

And 24 remaining teams fighting for them.

Mouat, Whyte and Schwaller have already been on competitive ice this season so a playoff spot is expected.

We have yet to see Gushue compete but...it is Brad Gushue so bet against him at your own peril, even early in the season.

Who can lay claim to those final 4 playoff spots? Can anyone surprise the Top 4 before the playoffs?

Teams Hoesli, Craik, Muskatewitz and Yanagisawa have had solid starts to their seasons.

Team Dropkin has a few events under the slider as well and is always dangerous.

Team Casper, Team Waddell and Team Gosgens have proven to be "surprise" playoff teams at tour events in the past too.

Yikes, what about the Canadians? Can they contend with this international star power this weekend?

This may be an event where we get the answer to whether starting your season a bit earlier pays off or not.

Could those teams who started in Asia and Europe be a bit tired by the time they arrive in Oakville?

Or will those teams, mostly Canadian teams, still have some ice rust on the sliders?

#TwineTimePredictions

Saville Shootout

Qualifiers (W): Team Einarson, Team Lawes, Team Gim, Team Fujisawa, Team Peterson, Team Kitazawa, Team Tabata, Team Sturmay

Qualifiers (M): Team Koe, Team Carruthers, Team McEwen, Team Sluchinski, Team Maeda, Team Kleiter, Team McDonald, Team Morozumi

CHAMPIONSHIP (W): Team Gim def. Team Einarson

CHAMPIONSHIP (M): Team Koe def. Team McEwen

Stu Sells Oakville Tankard

Qualifiers (W): Team Yoshimura, Team Schwaller, Team Wang, Team Constantini, Team Inglis, Team MacMillan, Team Ha, Team Duncan

Qualifiers (M): Team Mouat, Team Whyte, Team Gushue, Team Schwaller, Team Hoseli, Team Craik, Team Mustkatewitz, Team Yanagisawa

CHAMPIONSHIP (W): Team Wang def. Team Yoshimura

CHAMPIONSHIP (M): Team Whyte def. Team Mouat

#StayTuned

The #PowerRankings mountain will surely see a shake up after the big events in Edmonton and Oakville this weekend.

Remember curling teams, the blog is always watching 👀👀

And thank you to those curling fans who reached out and commented on the #NoTroll post from last weekend. I greatly appreciate your positive feedback.