Registered: Jul 2014
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 12

Just to let you know:

Last month WCF received and approved the application of Team Brazil for the challenge against Team USA for the spot in the next world championship.

This year, only men.

The games may possibly happen at the end of January, date and location still to be confirmed.

Team Brazil may be with brazilian players from Quebec, Vancouver and maybe Switzerland.
We don't know yet who will be the Team USA since Pete Fenson retired.. Maybe one of the 2 Teams USA?

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: BC, Ontario (and a few other places too...)
Posts: 268

Give them credit for trying. But no matter who they'll play (and I'm guessing it will be one of the two USCA high-performance program teams), they are going to get creamed.

I've played against (and watched play) some of the Brazilians out West. They're definitely not in the same league. But good on them for trying.

What they really need to do is come up with a proper way to develop their curlers if they want to take it seriously and make a real challenge for the US spot. I just don't see them having the money or the infrastructure to do it.

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Registered: Dec 2005
Location: St. Thomas, North Dakota
Posts: 2613

Credit? I guess so.

It sucks up a weekend where our team should be going against tougher competition. It helps the game grow, but it takes money out of our sadly lacking High Performance budget.

I watched some of the Challenge in Bismarck and a lot of it in Grafton. Both clubs treated them extremely well...a car and a driver and some meals. Maybe too well. While international expansion is key, we don't need to invite shoots at our World spot.

Tuck

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: BC, Ontario (and a few other places too...)
Posts: 268

I tend to agree with you Tuck, it doesn't do much for the US. It's a lot of wishful thinking on behalf of the Brazilians. I think they would be better served in setting up a proper development plan and program, and play in WCT events to gain that experience they need to become competitive.

The Koreans have been doing this... they even had their teams play in a bunch of non-WCT events in Canada just to gain experience. And now they have a solid core of curlers for their programs to work with.

Or... another option may be to have a World 'B' event for the next best teams that didn't or can't qualify for the worlds. The logistics of it might be tough to swing though (Europe has a 'B' and 'C' group events... but it's just that much easier for them to travel).

I'm surprised that the WCF allowed this go forward. I know they're trying to be inclusive and grow the sport in more countries, but it might be better served if they sink money into helping these countries develop their curling program and not by throwing them to the wolves.

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Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
- Calvin (Calvin & Hobbs)

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Registered: Jul 2014
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 12

quote:

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Originally posted by JustAnotherHack
I think they would be better served in setting up a proper development plan and program, and play in WCT events to gain that experience they need to become competitive.

The Koreans have been doing this... they even had their teams play in a bunch of non-WCT events in Canada just to gain experience. And now they have a solid core of curlers for their programs to work with.

Or... another option may be to have a World 'B' event for the next best teams that didn't or can't qualify for the worlds. The logistics of it might be tough to swing though (Europe has a 'B' and 'C' group events... but it's just that much easier for them to travel).

I'm surprised that the WCF allowed this go forward. I know they're trying to be inclusive and grow the sport in more countries, but it might be better served if they sink money into helping these countries develop their curling program and not by throwing them to the wolves.

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Brampton, ON
Posts: 267

I wholeheartedly believe the Brazilians would be better off playing some tour events to actually get some good competition as a whole team, and to make the challenge vs USA more competitive.

As a Guyanese-Canadian, it would be nice to see some development in the Americas region to include more countries outside of Canada & USA similar to what we see in Europe with more and more countries coming on board.

Mixed Doubles is a perfect inclusion of more South American nations until full men's/women's teams are developed through training and playing tournaments.

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Registered: Jun 2005
Location: USA
Posts: 275

It's actually positive for the US to have this challenge from Brazil.

Why? Well, other WCF member countries have to go through qualification events like the European Championships and the Pacific Championships in order to earn their spots in the Worlds. These nations may believe the US gets a free pass —_this challenge counteracts that opinion.

Dean Gemmell

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Registered: Dec 2012
Location: BC, Ontario (and a few other places too...)
Posts: 268

quote:

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Originally posted by Dean Gemmell
It's actually positive for the US to have this challenge from Brazil.

Why? Well, other WCF member countries have to go through qualification events like the European Championships and the Pacific Championships in order to earn their spots in the Worlds. These nations may believe the US gets a free pass — this challenge counteracts that opinion.

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Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
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Registered: Dec 2011
Location: New York
Posts: 60

The caliber of play of Team Brazil has nothing to do with their right to challenge for an Americas spot to Worlds.

They have a curling association and are WCF members so they can challenge every year if they want it.

Agreed they should continue to develop and gain experience at additional events but the challenge itself is also good experience.

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Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Chicago, IL (originally from Richmond, VA)
Posts: 85

I agree with Dean Gemmell too.

But I also agree that the WCF could do more to develop curling in South America. Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay, plus to a lesser extent Paraguay all have stable economies, societies, and a bona fide winter culture (as opposed to Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica who lack the winter culture). There is no reason why curling can't develop into a niche sport like it is in the United States. If anyone has the money I would happily move to South America and work to make it happen.

Hopefully someday there will be a Pan-American Championship held during the same time period as the Europeans and Pacific-Asian Championships.

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