Two dominant curling teams emerged victorious from an adjusted playdowns structure aimed at sending Canada’s top representatives to the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics. Curling Canada successfully achieved its goal as Rachel Homan led her Ottawa squad to the women’s championship, while Brad Jacobs guided his Calgary team to victory in the men’s category at the Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials held over the weekend. Curling Canada CEO Nolan Thiessen expressed satisfaction, emphasizing the hard work and dedication displayed by both teams.
The finals, now adopting a best-of-three format, resulted in clean sweeps for both champions. Homan’s team, including Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, and Sarah Wilkes, narrowly defeated hometown favorite Christina Black 5-4 in Game 1 before dominating with a 12-3 win in the second match. In a clash of the top-ranked Canadian men’s teams, Jacobs, alongside Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert, secured two close victories over Matt Dunstone’s Winnipeg team, with scores of 9-8 and 6-5 in Game 1 and Game 2, respectively.
Thiessen commended the new competition format for achieving its objectives, marking a significant improvement from previous Trials finals that featured single-game eliminations with higher tension, especially under inconsistent ice conditions. Black emerged as a surprise contender, upsetting higher-ranked opponents to advance to the playoffs.
Homan, leading the top-ranked squad globally, showcased her experience and talent, securing a spot at the Winter Games for the third consecutive time. Miskew, a key player in Homan’s team at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and the 2022 Beijing Games in mixed doubles, expressed excitement at the prospect of returning to the Olympics. Fleury and Wilkes are set to make their Olympic debuts.
Jacobs, a former Olympic gold medalist in 2014, led his team to victory, supported by seasoned Olympians Kennedy and Hebert, who previously clinched gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Gallant, an Olympic bronze medalist in 2022, embraced the opportunity to compete in both team and mixed doubles disciplines at the upcoming Games, a new inclusion by Curling Canada.
The stage is set for the competition to kick off on February 4 at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, where these powerhouse teams will represent Canada on the international stage.