Canada’s top curling teams are currently focused on the Olympic trials. The trials, set for November in Halifax, will determine the men’s and women’s teams that will represent Canada at the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy. Canada last won Olympic gold in team curling in 2014 in Sochi, Russia, with teams led by Jennifer Jones and Brad Jacobs.
Seven of the eight men’s teams and seven of the eight women’s teams headed to the Halifax trials are currently competing in the PointsBet Invitational this week. The event has been modified to simulate the trials’ competitive environment, offering each team four round-robin games in Calgary, with the finals scheduled for Sunday at WinSport’s Markin MacPhail Centre.
This year’s PointsBet features a total of 10 teams in each field, divided into two pools. The top team from each pool will advance to the championship games, vying for a prize purse of $300,000. Curling Canada reduced the number of participating PointsBet teams from 32 to 20 this year.
With 14 teams already securing spots in the trials, the remaining six teams will compete in the Home Hardware Canadian pre-trials in Wolfville, N.S., from October 20 to 26 to determine the final entries for the Halifax trials.
‘A few more games makes sense’
Many teams see this year’s PointsBet as a valuable opportunity to prepare for the trials. “It makes a lot of sense to get a few more games in,” remarked Matt Dunstone, who opened with a 5-3 victory over Ryan Kleiter. The event provides teams with a preview of the Halifax venue and conditions.
In the evening matches, standout performances included Kate Cameron’s 11-9 win over Kayla Skrlik, Corryn Brown’s 9-4 victory against Selena Sturmay, and Beth Peterson’s close 8-7 win over Myla Plett on the women’s side. On the men’s side, Canadian champion Brad Jacobs suffered a 6-5 defeat to Kevin Koe, while Mike McEwen secured a 10-4 win over Sam Mooibroek.
The PointsBet event, which previously featured a March Madness-style format, has seen its share of upsets and surprises. This year, the format has been adjusted to provide a more comprehensive competition experience for the teams.
‘Important year for Curling Canada’
Curling Canada’s decision to host the PointsBet in Calgary aims to offer teams additional high-quality game opportunities on arena ice, replicating the conditions they will face in Wolfville and Halifax. The organization’s high-performance director, David Murdoch, emphasized the importance of maximizing teams’ preparation for success, especially with the upcoming trials event in November.
By incorporating a NextGen element into the PointsBet, Curling Canada ensures that the competition features emerging talent alongside established teams. Brad Gushue, a veteran of the sport, highlighted the significance of the trials, noting that success in these events can define a team’s season.
Gushue, a six-time national champion and Olympic medalist, stressed the importance of performing well in the trials. He acknowledged that winning in November holds considerable weight in evaluating a team’s overall success for the year.
As Gushue approaches the end of his competitive curling career, he views this season as a pivotal one for the sport and the athletes involved.
