We all know that Mayfair, CSDC, False Creek, Hydro, Big Fish,etc.... are the BIG TEAMS out there.

What I want to know is who are the smaller up coming teams to look out for! After paddling for seven years, I've noticed teams rise and fall and unknowns become known!

Who are the rising stars from Milton, Pickering, Welland, etc.....

Who are the underdogs?

MOFOs of course!

MOFOs = SUPERSTARS !!

Old Skul'd did will in welland. Their times weren't that far from piranhas (who might have been racing their B crew). Either way, a decent showing.

Nobody cares about Welland. Was a pretty small festival out in the middle of nowhere.

As for big name teams, you might also want to add: Dragon Beasts, Events Alive, Sudbury Team Chiro, Gorging Dragons, and Verdun.

Old skuld = OLD, they can't be an up and coming team LOL

Maybe Vic College in the university ranks, as UC seems to have dropped off

First of all, if the Mofo's survive another season, I will be surprised

Second, if you want to talk about Dragon Beasts, Events Alive, Sudbury Team Chiro, Gorging Dragons, or Verdun...find another thread

The thread is about up and coming teams or under estimated teams....

Chaos and Jet Start are the ones I'm watching... both teams have progressed and no news of any members leaving. I think they have a good foundation.

Lots of teams have had huge turn overs!

-Hammerheads
-Piranhas
-Hydrophobic dragons
-Wave cutters

These are but a few I noticed.

Anyways I'm keeping my eye on Quicksilver.

@ 6:08; Learn to read, doofus! I was just adding to your list from your initial post.

And there really aren't any NEW and upcoming teams. There are, however, lots of new teams containing veteran paddlers.

It'll all come out in the "wash" at GWN. Like the hockey season being a warmup for the playoffs, the summer is simply a warmup for GWN. That'll be where we all come together to vie for second place against Mayfair.

Until then, it's all speculation, and forum-fodder.

Adding my $0.02, which admittedlly are worthless...

1 - Don't write-off Hanalei yet
2 - Turn-over or not, Hydro is still one fast crew
3 - SCC has been absent from GTA racing so far this year. They're the only organized crew in Ontario that can threaten Mayfair's dominance.
4 - Top of the next tier is up for grabs between Chaos, Jetstart, Big Fish, Hammerheads, and Pirhanas
5 - Sorry to the previous poster, but there are other crews closer to this group than Wavecutters (ex. Saints, Scotia).

For the record, I haven't considered throw togethers like EA in my synopsis.

Mayfair won't be racing at GWN this year (too close to Prague)

Alot of good teams aren't going to GWN. Sorry to dissapoint you.

Who is not going to GWN?
I have only heard the Predators.

Check out the GWN Athlete's Village:
Mojos
Quicksilver
SCC
Jetstart
Chaos
Riptide
Mofos
Hydrophobic
Warrriors

Looks like most have already registered.

Took a look at it, it's SCC Phoenix, not SCC Chiros. Big difference.

Thank you for the correction. I really thought that was the Chiros.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/135730/message/1226703061/Whose+hot-

Let's see what Power Demon's stats told him and how much they have come into fruition so far:

After sifting through miles of data each year and looking at the trends, for fun, here is my top 10 teams to watch in 2009:

1. Dragon Beasts (HAL)
2. Hydrophobic Dragons (GTA)
3. DCH (US)
4. Gung Ho (OTT)
5. Mojos (GTA)
6. Half Row (MON)
7. Adrenaline MDSBC (MON)
8. GSK Firedragons (GTA)
9. Iron Dragons (GTA)
10. ViCrew (GTA)

Dragon Beasts the only crew in the Ontario/Quebec circuit with a legitimate chance of dethroning Mayfair. I think these guys have room to grow which will make next year very interesting.

Hydrophobic- a stead charge to the top (from rank #52, #23, #10, #6). If the trend continues these guys should be just shy of cracking the top 3. Will they be able to make a final breakthrough to get to the top?

DHC all DCH crews posted big gains this year. Time will be the test to see if they can hold on to a high ranking in 2009. Dont underestimate the U.S. Its only a matter of time before the crews down south pick up our secrets.

Gung Ho like Hydro a steady climb towards the top (from rank #48, #24, #11). The gains get a lot tougher from here on in so will this relatively new crew have what it takes to find that extra gear?

Mojos Reloaded from #56 to #25 in just 3 years this crew is in fact reloaded! Didnt make up much ground this year so this team may have stalled. First race next year will tell you if this crew has the desire to keep moving up.

Half Row all the way from rec. #481 in 2005 to a strong crew at rank #29 in 2008. This is the top H2O Playground crew so they should have lots to draw from to keep propelling them towards the top.

Adrenaline MDBSC another team that has climbed from out of the top 100 at #142 to #34. Like the Mojos they seemed to stall this year and may have trouble continuing their climb.

GSK Firedragons currently #38, this team has posted a steady +20 place climb each year since 2005. They could be a team of the future and clearly have the crew commitment to travel down south for a little competition.

Iron Dragons and ViCrew nice to see some other University crews keeping the New Dragons and Water Dragons honest. Theyve still got a ways to go but are certainly heading in the right direction.

We haven't seen most of the teams in action this year but of all teams I've seen so far this year on that list, I think Vic and GSK are rising teams.

Vic - faster than UC this year, and have a legitimate shot at beating New at the Island this year.
GSK - faster than St. Joe's this year.

It all depends on your definition of "up and coming"... I interpret that as meaning teams that aren't there yet but are getting faster and may be there soon (in the next couple of years). By that definition, most of the teams you guys are talking about (Scotia, Big Fish, Chiros, Hanalei, Hammerheads, Hydrophobics, Beasts, etc.) don't qualify because they have been "A" division teams for some time (maybe never the "best" team in the country but certainly consistently fast).

As a result, I think of "up and coming" those teams that are getting faster but not quite at the "A" level yet... maybe teams around 2:08 to 2:11 but with the potential to shave 4-6 more seconds in the coming years. Teams like The Blades, Mojos, The Saints, Victoria College, GSK, and maybe even Riptide come to mind. Other teams like Old Skul'd, BMO, Shockwave, Komodos, Wave Cutters, Wahoos, etc. have the potential to move into that "up and coming" group but still need to get a little faster before that happens.

Lastly, a team like the Iron Dragons (which someone else mentioned earlier) could have been considered up-and-coming last year because they came virtually out of nowhere to put up some decent times but seem to have dropped off substantially this year... so I wouldn't think of them in the same group as the other teams I mentioned.

I think a big problem for a lot of teams this year seems to be turnover. A good chunk of the teams mentioned above have had large turnovers. And this is a constant issue with university teams - graduation.

Agreed. Although I have no first-hand knowledge, I imagine that's why the Iron Dragons and to some extent the Waterdragons are slower this year than last year. This is also a problem with corporate teams - people start paddling in a corporate-sponsored team (not too expensive) and then move to a team that is faster once they fall in love with the sport. In other words, they don't stick around long enough to help the corporate team get faster, but move to another team the second they are good enough to do so.

Some might say this is a smart move... after all, why not paddle for the best team possible? Others will argue that there is less merit in jumping ship to a team that's already fast instead of trying to win with the team that introduced you to the sport. It takes longer, but I imagine it would be that much more rewarding! One thing that is true is that no team will ever get to the next level if they can't keep a core of paddlers for a prolonged period of time and then build around them... university/corporate/etc.

Warriors. That is all. I have spoken.

Several teams may have slowed down due to a coaching change as new systems are put in place. Hanalei and UC are good examples.

Warriors have been around for a while. Also, they're more of a fun/leisure team.

depends on which level of stacking now jim employs...
its no longer a "fun" crew

In my opinion, up and coming teams refers to teams that have shown steady progress.

For example; A 'C' division team that has climbed to 'B' and is possibly posed to join 'A' this year or possibly next year should be considered an up and coming team.

I also agree with the high turn over of paddlers this year. But I think paddlers will find that these people who are leaving are just joining other teams. Which may present an opportunity for some lesser known teams to make a splash!

Mofos should make it and go club crew this year...

The Wongs Chargers...

Verdun Adren.
Events Alive
Madawaska should be big this year
rip the fondue should also make waves

RTF isn't doing anything this year... can't consider them and up and coming team anymore... they were great while paddling and represented Canada very well at the CC's. Maybe someone will step up and take their place.

So, now that the Island regatta has come and gone, it is time to speak factually about "up and coming" teams (at least those that were there):

FACT 1: Even though Big Fish showed they are back with a vengeance, they've been around before so I don't think we can consider them "up and coming" - more like "coming back". Having said this, if anyone is to challenge Mayfair it would appear they have the best shot (Hanalei is going backwards along with Hydrophobic and the Seniors can't seem to get any closer).

FACT 2: The Blades are probably the most improved team as they knocked on the A Division door and finished top-3 in the B division. If they keep getting faster they should be A Division players soon.

FACT 3: Victoria College has oficially overtaken the Waterdragons as the number 1 contenders to New College's Toronto-Area University crown. Let's see if they get stuck there like their U of T siblings or if they actually keep getting faster.

FACT 4: Speaking of New College, it seems they have peeked and will remain a very fast crew, but a perennial B division crew (along with the MOFOS).

FACT 5: If we are to consider The Saints as "up and coming", then Old Skul'd and BMO First Dragons deserve to be considered as well as they all raced comparable times all weekend and when they went head-to-head in the C Final, they finished in a photo finish (and with a very respectable time).

Feel free to add / comment.

There will be a faster mixed crew later in the year than Big Fish to challenge Mayfair. We saw hints of it at the island.

Is it called Scotia Piranhas?

Level 6?

Yea I think it's called Piranhas-Rouge as well.

Big Piranhas!

It is too bad the fish teams didn't merge. They'd be the "Big Piranha Heads" That make for an amusing logo and they could use that Fish Heads song as a theme song.

"Fish heads, fish heads, rolly-polly fish heads."

St Joe's and Old Skuled didn't do much better than an all women's crew in the sports group time wise.

It is good to see the Blades rebounding, after a few rebuilding years.

"There will be a faster mixed crew later in the year than Big Fish to challenge Mayfair. We saw hints of it at the island."

Sounds like more shameless self-promotion by Mr Chang. I wonder how many of the posts in this thread are his?

Nope I'm not Rob. It is possible to make a positive comment about other teams you know. Try it sometime. It'll will make you feel better.

I dont' see the FCRCC B crew mentioned ,they are the future A crew

Events Alive = Level 6

Name changed this year as they have a new sponsor...

Whatever happened to the Gorging Dragons? I didn't see them mentioned in the Alcan-Vancouver Results.

they disbanded this year ,but apparantly will try to form a team again next yr .I think alot of them are focusing on outrigger

FCRCC is already an A squad...

FCRCC B is also an "A" team.

Will FCRCC "B" come to the Nationals if most of FCRCC "A" is in Prague?

FCRCC "B" could is probably a top 3 team in Canada. I'd rank them behind FCRCC "A" and Mayfair.

FCRCC "B" won't be at the Nationals, apparently due to the lack of paddlers being able to commit to it. Words are that some of them will be hitching a ride on Sudden Impact Black or other Western teams.

Judging from the last time FCRCC "B" raced against the east, I would not say they would be a top 3 candidate. They lost handily and consistently to Sudbury Chiropractic in the Calgary nationals in 2007. Sudbury loaded up yet still lost consistently to Mayfair, FCRCC A and Dragon Beasts in the 2008 Nationals.

Out in the west, Dragon Hearts Magnum are really taking everyone by surprise.

2007 - 7th in Recreational C
2008 - 1st in Comp D
2009 - 4th in Comp A

I'd say that's a big jump especially for a team that consists mainly of 20 year olds.

There are also a lot of young teams that are making a jump into the competitive levels and giving the seasoned, well-known teams in the west a run for their money. Expect to see them at next year's nationals.