Latest news with #CurlingCanada
CBC
05-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Curlers Peterman, Gallant 1st athletes named to Canada's 2026 Olympic team
Curlers Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant are the first athletes named to Canada's team for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The husband-and-wife team from Chestermere, Alta., will represent Canada in mixed doubles curling at the Games, Curling Canada and the Canadian Olympic Team announced Monday. Peterman and Gallant provisionally earned their nomination to the Olympic team by winning the Canadian mixed doubles trials in January. They secured Canada's spot in the Olympic tournament with a sixth-place finish last week at the world mixed doubles curling championship in Fredericton. Seven countries joined host Italy in the 10-team field based on qualification points from combined placements at the 2024 and 2025 mixed doubles championships. The final two spots will be filled following a December qualification event in Kelowna, B.C. Mixed doubles curling will take place Feb. 4-10 n Cortina d'Ampezzo. Canada has also secured spots in the women's and men's Olympic curling events based on its combined ranking at the 2024 and 2025 world championships for each gender.
Winnipeg Free Press
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Curlers Peterman, Gallant first athletes named to Canada's 2026 Olympic team
TORONTO – Curlers Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant are the first athletes named to Canada's team for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The husband-and-wife team from Chestermere, Alta., will represent Canada in mixed doubles curling at the Games, Curling Canada and the Canadian Olympic Team announced Monday. Peterman and Gallant provisionally earned their nomination to the Olympic team by winning the Canadian mixed doubles trials in January. They secured Canada's spot in the Olympic tournament with a sixth-place finish last week at the world mixed doubles curling championship in Fredericton. Seven countries joined host Italy in the 10-team field based on qualification points from combined placements at the 2024 and 2025 mixed doubles championships. The final two spots will be filled following a December qualification event in Kelowna, B.C. Mixed doubles curling will take place Feb. 4-10 n Cortina d'Ampezzo. Canada has also secured spots in the women's and men's Olympic curling events based on its combined ranking at the 2024 and 2025 world championships for each gender. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The four-person teams will be determined at the 2025 Canadian curling trials that will take place in Halifax from Nov. 22-30. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2025.
CBC
01-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Moose Jaw embraces visitors, economic boost that come with world curling championship
Social Sharing Moose Jaw, Sask., is making it's mark on the global sports stage this week as the host of the BKT World Men's Curling Championship. The event is not only bringing excitement to the city, but also an influx of both domestic and international tourists. "It's a very beautiful place and they are [the] kindest people," said Yuri Nakamuri, a sponsor for the Japanese curling team. When they're not watching curling, tourists are out hitting the town. "I want to enjoy staying here," Nakamuri said. Local businesses and retailers are seeing an economic boost from the tourists, who are calling the city home over the nine-day event. "We've seen a lot of Canadians coming from all different places — Alberta, Manitoba, B.C. — and we also saw, we've had several visits just today of people that are not together from the United States," said Joanne Klassen, who co-owns a souvenir store downtown with her sister. Spring is usually a slower season for retailers in Moose Jaw, but some local spots are seeing an unusual uptick thanks to the championship. "We're definitely going to be having a really busy week," said Reid Martin, business operations assistant at the Tunnels of Moose Jaw. Some businesses and retailers are even adding staff to help handle the upcoming demand. "We're prepared with extra staff for sure," she said. "We have several extra people working, and we've ordered extra inventory to make sure that we're all set with that and make sure everything was perfectly house cleaned and all of that stuff like that." Bringing the community together Community members are optimistic about the long-term benefits the championship may have. "We want people to come back to Moose Jaw again," Klassen said. "We want them to see the hospitality of Moose Jaw." WATCH | Businesses booming as fans pack Moose Jaw for world men's curling championship: Businesses booming as fans pack Moose Jaw for world men's curling championship 21 minutes ago Duration 1:44 Thousands of people are arriving in Moose Jaw, Sask., for the BKT World Men's Curling Championship. The nine-day tournament is expected to pump $12 million to $15 million into the local economy. Moose Jaw Mayor James Murdock said hosting the event requires hundreds of volunteers, all of whom have been excited to be welcoming international tourists and making sure things run smoothly. "These are dedicated members of the community who feel that giving back is so important," Murdock said. He believes the spirit of community connection has strengthened the bond between locals and tourists. "Curling is the sport that does that. It unites everyone." Long-term economic impacts With 13 international teams attending the championships, Moose Jaw has the opportunity to showcase its hospitality and infrastructure to new audiences. Curling Canada expects the city to see $12 million to and $15 million pumped into the local economy by the event. "There are so many spin-offs because of this and it's an important injection into the community, that's for sure," Murdock said. Murdock hopes a successful event could attract others to Moose Jaw in the future. "It's putting us in the provincial spotlight, the national spotlight," Murdock said.
CBC
20-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canada's Homan hands Switzerland 1st loss, improves to 7-2 at curling worlds
Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni is undefeated no longer after meeting Canada's Rachel Homan. Homan handed Tirinzoni her first loss of the round-robin with a 7-6 extra-end victory at the LGT women's world curling championship on Thursday in Uijeongbu-si, South Korea. The Ottawa-based team, which also includes Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew and Sarah Wilkes, scored a point with the hammer in the 11th end to improve to 7-2 at Uijeongbu Arena. "It took us 11 ends to beat them, and I'm just really proud of my team for sticking together and trying to make the next one," Homan said in a press release. Canada is tied with Sweden's Anna Hasselborg and South Korea's Eunji Gim, while Tirinzoni leads the standings at 8-1. The top six teams in the 13-team field will advance to the weekend playoffs, while the bottom four compete in a qualifying round for a spot in the semifinals. The win virtually guaranteed Canada a spot in the women's curling competition at the 2026 Olympics, according to Curling Canada. "I feel pretty proud that we're able to represent Canada and get enough points to get to an Olympic spot," Homan said. "I'm just proud that we're able to clinch that spot for Canada." WATCH | Homan hands Switzerland 1st loss at women's curling worlds: Canada's Homan hands Switzerland's Tirinzoni 1st loss at women's curling worlds 8 hours ago Duration 1:30 Rachel Homan and her Ottawa-based rink defeats Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni 7-6 at the world women's curling championship. The Swiss team still sits in first place at 8-1, while Canada improves to 7-2 and moves into a three-way tie for second place with South Korea and Sweden. China's Rui Wang was in fifth place at 5-3, ahead of Scotland's Sophie Jackson and Denmark's Madeleine Dupont at 5-4. Canada was scheduled to play Japan's Sayaka Yoshimura (3-6) later Thursday. Homan beat Tirinzoni to win gold at the 2024 world playdowns in Sydney, N.S. The five-time Canadian champion took a 1-0 lead in the second on Thursday before three alternating two-score ends made it 4-3 Tirinzoni after five. Tied 4-4 in the eighth, Switzerland had an opportunity to score four with the hammer but settled for one point. Switzerland had a tap for a potential four-ender but wasn't able to fully remove Canada's rock. "The turning point was probably her miss for that four," Homan said. "Honestly, I don't know if it was there. She squeaked the guard as much as she could, and I thought we put ours in almost a perfect spot, like maybe a foot higher. "Other than that, it was exactly where we wanted it and made her make a tough one. I just don't know if it was there. So I think that was the turning point to save the end." Canada responded with two in the ninth before Switzerland forced the extra end with one point, failing to find the winning score with an opportunity to win the game. Canada shot 88 per cent as a team while Switzerland was at 84 per cent. Homan improved to 9-1 over Tirinzoni since the start of the 2023-24 season. Homan split her games on Tuesday, losing 11-7 to host South Korea before beating Norway 8-6 in the late draw.
CBC
10-03-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Relegation Return? Competition format a talking point at Brier
Numerous blowout games. A 6-2 team missing the playoff cut. No tiebreakers. The 18-team format at the Brier has had its share of critics even though six strong teams made it to the playoff round at Prospera Place in Kelowna, B.C. Six-time Brier champion Brad Gushue went one step further after round-robin play concluded by suggesting that relegation — a much-criticized qualification round that was only used for a few years — be considered again. "I think it would be worth a discussion," Gushue said. "I'm not advocating for it but I think that's the best option that's been shared with me that gets us back to that full round-robin that I used to love playing and I think the fans (loved). "It gets the best teams there. It's worth talking about." Relegation format In the relegation format, which Curling Canada called a "pre-qualifying" stage when it was used from 2015-17, the four lowest-seeded provinces and territories played a round-robin. The winner would reach the main draw and the three losing teams would go home. Longtime Northwest Territories women's skip Kerry Galusha weighed in on the subject on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "As someone who participated in all three years of relegation it made us work harder and get better, not saying it's the answer but we are going to see lopsided games for years to come until the Northern teams start working harder and travelling more. I knew what we had to do." Curling Canada moved to a 16-team setup for the Brier and the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 2018. The defending champion and all provincial and territorial winners were given direct entry along with a wild-card team. Two pools of eight teams were used in a format that has since expanded to 18 teams with three pre-qualified entries based on the previous season's rankings. Format debate found another gear this past week when Northern Ontario's John Epping and Manitoba's Reid Carruthers finished tied for third place in their pool at 6-2. Their head-to-head record was the tiebreaker, leaving Epping on the outside even though a 5-3 team from the other pool — Nova Scotia's Owen Purcell — made the cut. "It's weird to play a Brier and it's a double-knockout," Epping said. Supporters feel the format creates more intensity in the early going. The cutoff for the Friday qualifying games ahead of the Page playoffs heightens mid-week drama. Top rinks still play hard because seeding and hammer are on the line. At the same time, several teams in the field have essentially no chance against the well-funded, well-travelled powerhouse rinks. "We're trying to make everybody happy and we're not making anybody happy," said Brent Laing, who coached Mike McEwen's Saskatchewan side. "It's a bit of a mess." 'It's never perfect' Darren Moulding, who coached Thomas Scoffin's Yukon team, said ranking imbalance in the pools can also be a factor. He noted that sometimes in pro leagues like the NHL, MLB or the NFL, a team with a mediocre record can sneak into the playoffs. "In sports, it's never perfect," he said. "If you change the format to make that not happen, there's going to be something else that you sacrifice." Nunavut's Shane Latimer and Aaron Bartling of the Northwest Territories both went 0-8 in round-robin play. Bartling was dumped 20-2 in his second game and gave up an average of almost 11 points a game. Latimer, meanwhile, was outscored 83-25 over his eight losses. "I don't see with the way it's currently structured how it helps these lower-ranked teams to come in here and get blown out," said former Curling Canada event manager Warren Hansen. "I know it's a big thrill for a lot of them (to be here). "But I can't really see myself enjoying coming into this venue and this setting and getting completely annihilated, which a lot of them have this week." Curling Canada announced in 2023 that the current format for the national playdowns will remain in place through next season. "If any changes are made, they would begin in the next (Olympic) quadrennial," an organization spokesman said via email. Another intriguing format quirk came after Alberta's Brad Jacobs went a perfect 8-0 in round-robin play and then lost his first qualifying game. That forced him into a situation where his only route to a title would be four straight must-wins in the playoffs. Jacobs managed to pull it off with a 7-5 semifinal win over Gushue on Sunday afternoon and a 5-3 victory over Manitoba's Matt Dunstone in the evening final. WATCH | Jacobs and Team Alberta win 2025 Brier on great final shot: Brad Jacobs' Team Alberta wins 2025 Brier on great final shot 11 hours ago Duration 1:33 Trailing with the last rock in the final end, Brad Jacobs squeezed in a great shot to score three and down Matt Dunstone's Team Manitoba. "At the end of the day, there's certain games you can't lose," Laing said. "I don't know all the answers. "The old format was a lot simpler, that's for sure."
