Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Manitoba won the 2026 Coop Invitational in Victoria, British Columbia. In Sunday’s women’s final, Einarson defeated Kyeong-ae Kim of South Korea (known as Team Kang) 6-3. This was the first Grand Slam of Curling event for the 2026 fall season.
Einarson was in Pool D and won three of her four round robin games to finish in first place for nine points. Einarson defeated Miku Nihira of Japan 7-3, Canada’s Kayla MacMillan 5-4 and Gim 8-4. Even though, Einarson was in Canada and representing Canada, MacMillan received the hometown support in her game against Einarson as she is based out of the Victoria Curling Club. Then in the playoff round at the Coop Invitational, Einarson defeated Miyu Ueno of Japan 6-5 in the quarterfinals and Gim again 8-4 in the semifinals.
This is a new Einarson team compared to last year. Einarson has a new player in Jocelyn Peterman of Red Deer, Alberta, who is playing lead. Shannon Birchard of Winnipeg, Manitoba has moved from second to third and Karlee Burgess of Truro, Nova Scotia has moved from lead to second. Peterman replaces Val Sweeting of Edmonton, Alberta. Sweeting is now the third for Team MacMillan.
Einarson has now won seven Grand Slam of Curling events. She previously won the 2016 Boost National in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the 2019 Players Championship in Toronto, Ontario, the 2021 Princess Auto Players’ Championship in Calgary, Alberta, the 2022 KIOTI Tractor Champions Cup in Olds, Alberta, the 2022 Western Financial Group Masters in Oakville, Ontario, and the 2024 Tour Challenge in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
