The absence of five-time champion Rachel Homan from the Canadian women’s curling championship has created an open field for the 18-team competition. This year’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts, commencing this Friday at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ont., will see contenders like Kerri Einarson, Kaitlyn Lawes, Christina Black, and others vying for the title.
Among the notable teams are Krista Scharf from Northern Ontario, Jolene Campbell from Saskatchewan, Selena Sturmay from Alberta, and Taylor Reese-Hansen from British Columbia. Manitoba vice Beth Peterson expressed anticipation for the tournament, emphasizing the unpredictability of the outcome.
With Homan focusing on the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Games in Italy, Einarson, a four-time champion and 2025 finalist, will represent Canada. Black and Kayla Skrlik earned pre-qualification berths, while Lawes secured Einarson’s spot after losing to Peterson’s team in the Manitoba final.
Black, coming off a strong performance by defeating Einarson in the Olympic trials final, is optimistic about her team’s form. Lawes’ second, Jocelyn Peterman, will be replaced by Laura Walker as Peterman prepares for mixed doubles with Brett Gallant at the Winter Games.
In a tight provincial final, Calvert secured the Manitoba berth by defeating Lawes. Despite the loss, Lawes clinched a spot at the Scotties through a vacated pre-qualification berth. The lineup also includes teams from New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Yukon.
The teams will compete in nine-team pools, with the top three from each pool advancing to the playoffs. The winners will proceed to various playoff rounds, with the ultimate victor earning the opportunity to represent Canada at the world women’s curling championship in Calgary.
Concurrently, the Canadian men’s curling championship, the Brier, will take place in St. John’s from Feb. 27 to March 8. Last year, the Calgary-based team led by Brad Jacobs emerged victorious over Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone in the final.