Curling

[Josh 11,573]

3 hours ago, intoronto said:

8/10 being contenders for gold is insane. 

I forgot about Koana/Aoki, if they qualify it's 9/10

[Josh 11,573]

Team Kleiter lost in the final of the Western Showdown to Mouat in a nail-biter. 
 

Great result though, definitely a team to keep an eye on for the upcoming Olympic quads. Still very young team. 

[intoronto 6,474]

Jacobs loses in extra ends to McEwen at the Grand Slam in Saskatoon. Meanwhile, Homan beat Constantini  8-1

[Josh 11,573]

8 hours ago, intoronto said:

Jacobs loses in extra ends to McEwen at the Grand Slam in Saskatoon. Meanwhile, Homan beat Constantini  8-1

It was a shootout actually, he would've had hammer if it went to an extra end. So not ideal, but can't read too much into it.

[Josh 11,573]

Homan gets shutout at the GSOC Canadian Open, 8-0!! to Einarson 

[intoronto 6,474]

32 minutes ago, Josh said:

Homan gets shutout at the GSOC Canadian Open, 8-0!! to Einarson 

wtf!

[Topicmaster1010 5,421]

Maybe Team Homan had their Christmas party yesterday

[JockCartier 252]

Kinda wild how the Canadian Open turned into Japanese Nationals on the women's side. 

 

Three Japanese rinks, and the Swiss made it to the semi's... Homan and Einarson both bowing out in the quarters

Edited Saturday at 08:56 PM by JockCartier

[Josh 11,573]

Only one event so hard to read too much into this, even if I want to, but damn is this disappointing 

[JockCartier 252]

8 hours ago, Josh said:

Only one event so hard to read too much into this, even if I want to, but damn is this disappointing 

Really something that the "Canadian Open" is the first slam ever where zero Canadian teams even make the semi's (men or women)

I think a lot of it is hangover from trials. I've always thought it was stupid to have trials so close to the Olympics. Our trials are so tough, teams plan their season around peaking for it, have to run the gauntlet, then whomever survives has to try to regroup in mere weeks and gets poured on a plane to go halfway around the world to then try to play for a gold medal. It's too much mentally, if not physically. 

 

We should be doing it the season before, like they did for doubles this time around. Let the teams properly prepare (go to the test event, play a couple bonspiels overseas, let them get used to different ice and opposition) and plan their season around peaking for the Olympics. What success we've had at the Olympics up to now I think was largely in spite of our trials system, not owing too it... and we've struggled pretty badly the last couple Olympics. 

 

It's hard to compete with the Edin's and Mouat's of the world when they're just as skilled as you are, and have also known since spring they were going and planned their seasons around the Olympics. Not that any system is fool proof, but they've giving themselves every chance to compete for gold. 

 

Trials with a short turn around are one thing for individual sports, like speed skating or athletics. But even then, the top contenders have their spots sewn up ahead of time, the trials are largely just to make up the numbers from those on the bubble. For curling in this country it's such a gauntlet just to get out, it's a helluva ask to expect teams to peak for that, get thru, come down from that high, then cram for the Olympics in just a matter of weeks

Edited yesterday at 06:26 AM by JockCartier