Canadian curling teams came away with titles on Sunday in the final of the 2019 Canadian Open from North Battleford, Saskatchewan. On the men’s side, Brendan Bottcher of Edmonton, Alberta won his first career grand slam event on the World Curling Tour, while Rachel Homan of Ottawa, Ontario won a women’s record 10th title.
Bottcher had an excellent week as he went undefeated. He beat Reid Carruthers of Winnipeg, Manitoba 8-4 in the A quarterfinals, Matt Dunstone of Winnipeg, Manitoba 6-3 in the A semifinals, Olympic bronze medalist Peter De Cruz of Switzerland 9-5 in the A finals, Canadian Olympic gold medalist Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario 5-2 in the quarterfinal, Canadian Olympic gold medalist Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Newfoundland 6-5 in the semifinal and John Epping of Peterborough, Ontario 6-3 in the final. Jacobs won the gold medal for Canada in men’s curling at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi and Gushue won the gold medal for Canada at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin.
Like Bottcher, Homan also went undefeated. She beat Laura Walker of Edmonton, Alberta 8-5 in the A quarterfinals, Darcy Robertson of Winnipeg, Manitoba 6-3 in the A semifinals, Robyn Silvernagle of North Battleford, Saskatchewan 8-3 in the A finals, Casey Scheidegger of Lethbridge, Alberta 4-3 in the quarterfinals, Nina Roth of the United States 6-4 in the semifinal and Silvana Tirinzoni of Switzerland 4-3 in the final.
