Kerri Einarson kept her flawless record intact at the Canadian Olympic curling trials on Tuesday, setting up a high-stakes showdown that fans have been whispering about since opening day.
Her 9-7 win over Selena Sturmay wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, but it was enough to push her to 5-0 and keep her team sitting comfortably at the front of the women’s field.
Einarson Pulls Ahead While Homan Closes In
Einarson’s morning match looked tense until a huge ninth end swung things sharply in her favour.
She scored four, pushing the score to 9-5 and putting the game pretty much out of reach.
Sturmay responded with two in the final end, but the match was already slipping away.
Homan’s group isn’t letting her run away with it.
They rolled past Corryn Brown 10-3, a game that looked one-sided from the jump.
Actually, the whole thing felt like Homan’s crew found their stride and just kept pushing.
And that means Wednesday’s women’s round-robin finale—Einarson vs. Homan—is looking like the early highlight of the week.
A tiny pause here: fans have been waiting for this collision for days, and honestly, it’s the kind of matchup curling folks talk about like it’s a heavyweight bout.
Mid-Pack Movement Shakes Up the Women’s Standings
New contenders fight to stay alive
Christina Black gave Halifax locals something to cheer for with a nail-biter finish.
She stole points in each of the final two ends to beat Kayla Skrlik 6-5, a result that kept her playoff chances alive.
She did it in that calm way she has, one shot at a time.
Kaitlyn Lawes also kept herself in the mix.
Her 5-3 win over Kate Cameron pushed her to 3-2, giving her some breathing room heading into the next day.
Black and Lawes now sit in that interesting middle zone where one good day could change everything.
You know, the kind of spot where the stress level rises just enough to make teams sharper.
Skrlik and Sturmay both slipped to 2-3.
Brown is sitting at 1-4.
Cameron remains winless at 0-5.
Just for clarity, here’s how that portion of the board looked by Tuesday evening:
| Team | Record |
|---|---|
| Einarson | 5-0 |
| Homan | 4-1 |
| Black | 3-2 |
| Lawes | 3-2 |
| Sturmay | 2-3 |
| Skrlik | 2-3 |
| Brown | 1-4 |
| Cameron | 0-5 |
It’s a mix that feels bold, messy, and kind of fun in the best possible curling way.
Gushue and Jacobs Create a Three-Way Tie
Veteran skips deliver under pressure
The men’s afternoon draw turned into something of a repeat storyline: Brad Gushue and Brad Jacobs both winning crucial matches to pull level with Matt Dunstone at 4-1.
Gushue needed an extra end to get there.
He scored two against Jordon McDonald for an 8-6 victory that gave him just enough relief to exhale afterward.
Jacobs’ 6-4 win over John Epping looked steadier.
His Calgary squad kept things tidy and never let the match slip far from their grip.
Then there was Dunstone.
He walked into the day undefeated and walked out with his first loss—a tight 5-4 match against Calgary’s Kevin Koe.
It was the kind of game where one slight miss changes everything, and that’s pretty much what happened.
So now the top of the men’s standings looks crowded, almost like rush-hour traffic jammed at the same light.
It sets up Wednesday’s schedule beautifully.
The Chase for Playoff Spots Tightens
More teams cram into the hunt
Behind the three leaders, Koe and Mike McEwen sit at 3-2 and remain very much part of the conversation.
McEwen grabbed a key win against Ryan Kleiter, taking it 9-7 in a match that swung back and forth early.
Kleiter dropped to 1-4, the same record as Epping.
McDonald is still searching for his first win at 0-5.
And with two men’s draws left, it’s safe to say someone’s season will turn upside down tomorrow.
Curling fans can already feel that nervous hum that comes with the last stretch of a round-robin.
The stakes are simple: finish first and you move directly to the best-of-three final.
Finish second or third and you get a semi-final spot.
Everyone else? Out.
It’s a setup that keeps every tiny mistake in the spotlight.
Halifax Pauses to Honour Colleen Jones
A moment that carried weight across the arena
Before Tuesday night’s women’s draw, the trials stopped for a short ceremony honouring Colleen Jones, who died earlier in the day at 65.
Her passing hit the arena hard.
Jones wasn’t just an athlete—she was woven into this sport like fabric.
A Halifax native, six national titles, two world championships, and years of broadcasting made her a voice people grew up with.
Fans stood, many quietly wiping their eyes, as her achievements were remembered.
The building felt heavier, gentler, almost like it was breathing differently for a minute.
It’s rare to see an entire competition pause in such a unified way, but this one made sense.
Jones had been part of so many lives on the ice and beyond it.
Olympic Dreams Hover Over Every Shot
Teams push through the pressure
The winners of the men’s and women’s events will head to the 2026 Olympics in Milan and Cortina, representing a country that measures itself by curling success.
That pressure sits in every game, sometimes quietly, sometimes loud enough you can see it in the skips’ shoulders.
Einarson’s steady march, Homan keeping pace, the men’s three-way race, the middle-pack scrambles—it all blends into this week where every team feels one step away from either promise or heartbreak.
And by Wednesday night, the picture will sharpen again.
Just for a moment, before it all gets wilder.
