Homan and Einarson Dominate Opening Day at 2025 Canadian Curling Trials
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The path to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy, began Saturday with dominant performances from curling powerhouses Rachel Homan and Kerri Einarson at the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax. Both teams secured decisive victories in the first draw, signaling their intent to represent Canada on the world’s biggest stage.
Women’s Curling: Homan and Einarson Set the Pace
Rachel Homan, the two-time reigning Canadian and world women’s champion, delivered a commanding performance, defeating Kate Cameron of St. Adolphe, Manitoba, 16-5. Homan’s Ottawa-based team capitalized on a strong start, including a three-point draw in the third end and a steal of four in the fourth.
“I felt like we were learning the ice really well in practice and we came out strong,” Homan stated. “We were making really precise shots and happy to get an early lead. I think they struggled a little bit with the ice, so thankfully we didn’t have to make too many precise ones later in the game.” Homan’s team includes vice-skip Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew, lead Sarah Wilkes, alternate Rachelle Brown, and coach Heather Nedohin.
Similarly, Kerri Einarson, a four-time Canadian champion, opened with a 12-5 win against local favourite Christina Black. Einarson’s Gimli, Manitoba, rink seized control early, stealing two points in the first end and four in the second.
“I was actually excited (to play Black in the opening draw),” Einarson said. “You get them on (their) first game so they don’t get on a winning streak and the crowd behind them. Our plan was just to take the crowd out of it a little early, and we put a lot of pressure on them in the first half of the game. They’re a great team. We’ve had always really good battles with them. It was good to get off to a good start.”
Other notable women’s results included Kaitlyn Lawes of Winnipeg’s 7-4 victory over Corryn Brown of Kamloops, British Columbia, and Selena Sturmay of Edmonton’s 8-2 triumph over Kayla Skrlik of Calgary.
Men’s Curling: McEwen and Gushue Secure Wins
The men’s draw also saw several decisive victories. Mike McEwen’s rink from Saskatoon narrowly edged Winnipeg’s Jordon McDonald 6-5. Trailing by one in the 10th end, McEwen executed a clutch draw to the eight-foot for a game-winning deuce.
Despite the win, McEwen acknowledged room for improvement. “I left a lot of points on the board, personally,” he admitted. “Had a pretty straightforward shot for three earlier on, another shot on eight where I left him a double that I shouldn’t have left him. So, unfortunately, I didn’t perform like I would have liked to tonight.” He also emphasized the intensity of the competition, stating, “I’ve got to try and keep it light out there. Look up (at the crowd), take pauses. Look around and enjoy it. You’ve got to find a way to enjoy it because it is more intense. Everybody, from the players on the ice to the fans in the crowd, there’s a different level of intensity.”
Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, delivered a dominant performance, securing an 11-5 victory against Saskatoon’s Rylan Kleiter. Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone opened with a 6-3 win against John Epping of Sudbury, Ontario, and Calgary’s Kevin Koe earned a 6-5 win against the defending Canadian men’s champions, Brad Jacobs, also of Calgary.
The stakes are high as the winners of the men’s and women’s competitions will earn the coveted opportunity to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
