Rachel Homan and Brad Jacobs secure direct berths to the Canadian Curling Trials finals, while veteran skip Brad Gushue is eliminated after a pivotal miss.
Homan, Jacobs Advance to Finals as Gushue Bows Out
Homan Secures Women’s Final Spot After Tight Win
Ottawa skip Rachel Homan clinched the first women’s final berth on Wednesday after edging Manitoba’s Kerri Einarson 7–6 in a tense round-robin finale in Halifax. The teams both finished with 6–1 records, but Homan’s head-to-head win ensured she advanced directly to the best-of-three final. The victory capped a consistent week for Homan’s rink, which maintained control late in the match after scoring two in the eighth end.
Pressure Win Positions Jacobs for Men’s Final
Calgary’s Brad Jacobs locked in his place atop the men’s standings earlier in the day with a 6–2 victory over Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone. The win elevated Jacobs to a 6–1 overall record and secured a bye to the men’s final. His team’s sharp execution — including a crucial steal — marked one of their strongest performances of the event, setting up momentum heading into the weekend showdown.
Gushue Eliminated After Missed Final Shot
St. John’s veteran skip Brad Gushue saw his Trials campaign come to a dramatic end after a 6–3 loss to Jacobs in the evening draw. Needing three points with the hammer in the 10th end, Gushue’s final stone over-curled, ending his hopes of reaching the playoffs for the first time in his decorated career. Playing in what he has signaled may be his final competitive season, the disappointment marked a rare early exit on the national stage.
Semifinal Matchups Set for Thursday Night
With Jacobs and Homan already through to the finals, semifinal matchups were confirmed for both draws. Dunstone will meet Saskatoon’s Mike McEwen in the men’s semifinal after both finished with strong closing performances. On the women’s side, Einarson will face hometown favourite Christina Black, who advanced on last-stone draw rankings after a decisive win over Kate Cameron.
High Stakes as Olympic Spots on the Line
The winners of the men’s and women’s Trials will claim Canada’s coveted berths for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo. With only one team per gender earning the right to wear the maple leaf, every end at the Halifax event has carried Olympic-level intensity — and the upcoming finals promise even more drama as the field narrows.
