Ottawa rink dominates in final showdown against Team Brown, turns focus to Olympic Trials in Halifax
CALGARY – CURLING UPDATE – Call it a three-peat for Team Homan! The Ottawa powerhouse squad kept their undefeated streak alive and stormed their way to a 6-2 championship victory over Kamloops’ Team Corryn Brown Sunday morning at the 2025 PointsBet Invitational, hosted at Calgary’s WinSport Event Centre.
It’s the third straight PointsBet crown for Rachel Homan’s rink — backed by the ever-sharp Tracy Fleury at vice, Emma Miskew at second, Sarah Wilkes holding down lead, and Coach Heather Nedohin steering the strategy. This curling juggernaut added the 2025 title to earlier wins in 2023 Oakville and 2024 Calgary, solidifying their dominance on the national stage.
“Super excited to win this event,” Homan told media after the win. “Maybe a couple of tricky spots, but we banded together and grinded that one out.”
Tactical Precision on Ice
The final began with patience and discipline — two blanks to open, setting the tone. Team Homan drew first blood in the third end, followed by a costly overthrow from Team Brown in the fourth, gifting Homan a steal of one. That miscue opened the door, and the Ottawa foursome slammed it shut with another steal in the fifth after Brown’s final stone overcurled.
Team Homan’s only multi-point end came in the seventh — a clinical deuce that all but sealed the win. Team Brown, showing signs of fatigue, conceded after the ninth with the score at 6-2.
Cash and Confidence
For the victory, Team Homan pockets $45,000, including round-robin bonuses, while Team Brown takes home $25,000. But beyond the dollars, Homan and crew walk away with a huge boost heading into the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax (Nov. 22–30), which will determine who wears the Maple Leaf at the next Winter Olympics.
“It’s definitely good to get to play with the rocks we’re going to use at Trials,” said Homan. “This gives us that edge — the feel, the movement — it’s huge.”
Thunder Bay Takeaway
For fans in Thunder Bay, where curling runs deep, Team Homan’s run is a masterclass in resilience and execution — a blueprint for local clubs eyeing national glory. With Northwestern Ontario rinks like Team McCarville always in the mix, Homan’s win sets the bar as Trials season heats up.
Team Brown, meanwhile, makes history of their own, becoming the first-ever B.C. rink to make a PointsBet final — and despite the loss, they showed grit that should carry into the 2025 season.
