Rachel Homan of Ottawa, Ontario and Canadian Olympic gold medalist Brad Jacobs of Calgary, Alberta are one win away from representing Team Canada at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. On Friday, Homan defeated Christina Black of Halifax, Nova Scotia 5-4, and Jacobs defeated Matt Dunstone of Winnipeg, Manitoba 9-8, in the first game of a best of three final of the 2025 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials in Halifax. This is the first time in the history of the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials that a best of three final is being used.
Homan was victorious because of two mistakes made by Black. In the third end, Black was light as she needed to grab part of the button, but came up short. Then in the fourth end, Black ran off the guard as she had an unsuccessful corner raise, and gave up another steal of one point. All of a sudden, Homan had a 3-0 lead. Black did get a key steal in the eighth end, but it was too little, too late.
Jacobs and Dunstone had several mistakes each. Jacobs was in complete control after four ends as he had a 5-2 lead, but then gave up four points in the fifth end, as he has two unsuccessful run back attempts. Jacobs then had a chance for three in the sixth end but went right through the house. Then in the 10th end, Jacobs picked up his deuce when Dunstone flashed with his final rock. The two game twos take place Saturday. Jacobs’s prior Olympic gold medal as a skip took place at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.
