Curling – Brandon Sun

Kaitlyn Lawes delivers a stone during the Montana's Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax on Nov. 26, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Fourth-ranked Kaitlyn Lawes takes final spot in 18-team field for upcoming Scotties

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Monday, Jan. 12, 2026

OTTAWA - The Winnipeg-based team skipped by Kaitlyn Lawes has claimed the final spot in the 18-team field for the upcoming Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

Lawes, Selena Njegovan, Jocelyn Peterman and Kristin Gordon received the last pre-qualification spot as the highest-ranked team that hadn't qualified via provincial/territorial playdowns, Curling Canada said Monday.

The berth became available when the pre-qualified team skipped by Kerri Einarson replaced Rachel Homan's rink as the Canadian entry. Homan won't defend her title as she will be preparing to represent Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics next month.

Lawes, who fell to Kelsey Calvert in the recent Manitoba final, holds the No. 4 position in the latest Canadian rankings (151.450 points). She edged No. 5 Serena Gray-Withers of Alberta (151.225) by less than a quarter-point for the spot.

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B.C. skip Taylor Reese-Hansen’s breakout season will include Scotties debut

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

B.C. skip Taylor Reese-Hansen’s breakout season will include Scotties debut

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026

When Taylor Reese-Hansen was asked to provide a life goal for her yearbook entry in Grade 12, an appearance at the Canadian women's curling championship made the list.

It's an ambition the 28-year-old skip will finally realize this month in Mississauga, Ont.

"I put (down) I want to go to the Scotties," said Reese-Hansen. "So it's really cool and a full-circle moment for all of us to all be going and to represent B.C."

Reese-Hansen's Victoria-based team secured the berth in the provincial final last weekend with a 9-5 win over Corryn Brown of Kamloops.

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Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026

Team Reese-Hansen skip Taylor Reese-Hansen, left, lines up a shot as Team Lawes skip Kaitlyn Lawes looks on during curling action at the PointsBet Invitational in Calgary on Sept. 25, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Team Peterson finally prevails in final

Thomas Friesen 6 minute read Preview

Team Peterson finally prevails in final

Thomas Friesen 6 minute read Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026

RIVERS — Kelsey Calvert has enough provincial finalist trophies.

She knew it’d take her best effort to avoid a fifth on Sunday, and that might not have been enough against an incredible Kaitlyn Lawes team. But the skip put Team Beth Peterson into position to have the hammer headed to an extra end, and suddenly won the RME Women of the Rings final 9-7 when Lawes tapped her stone onto the pin.

The back-to-back provincial women’s curling finalists soaked up their long-awaited championship moment.

“We’re thrilled,” said Calvert, who lost the 2019 and 2020 Alberta finals before moving to Manitoba in 2023 and now lives in Carberry, married to former world junior champion Braden Calvert.

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Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026

Kelsey Calvert, from left, Beth Peterson, Katherine Remillard and Melissa Gordon-Kurz hoist Manitoba’s women’s curling championship trophy in Rivers on Sunday. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)

Prokopowich punches ticket to playoffs

Thomas Friesen 8 minute read Preview

Prokopowich punches ticket to playoffs

Thomas Friesen 8 minute read Friday, Jan. 2, 2026

RIVERS — Lane Prokopowich got the look she wanted, and with all eyes on her, she delivered.

During a week only half the games have gone the distance — with fewer coming down to the last rock — the skip from Dauphin perfectly executed a game-winning double-takeout to qualify for the playoffs at the RME Women of the Rings at Riverdale Community Centre on Friday.

Prokopowich scored three in the 10th end to beat Alyssa Calvert 8-5 and improve to 2-2 with one game to go.

“That’s all you want, really, is just to make a nose hit or a draw to the four-foot for the win,” Prokopowich said. “The way we were all playing and were figuring out the ice, we knew we were confident in either or.”

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Friday, Jan. 2, 2026

Dauphin’s Lane Prokopowich throws a stone against Carberry’s Alyssa Calvert on the final day of the round robin at Curl Manitoba’s Women of the Rings in Rivers on Friday. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Calvert keeps playoff hopes alive

Thomas Friesen 5 minute read Preview

Calvert keeps playoff hopes alive

Thomas Friesen 5 minute read Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026

RIVERS — Alyssa Calvert and her team have a simple goal this week: Curl as much as possible.

But to do that, they know they have to win early and often at the RME Women of the Rings.

A loss on Thursday morning would have likely meant today was just for fun. But it’s safe to say her Carberry-based team had plenty of fun, playing a textbook game from start to finish at the Riverdale Community Centre.

Calvert defeated last year’s Cinderella team, Hailey McFarlane, 8-4 to keep their shot at Saturday’s playoffs alive.

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Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026

Alyssa Calvert beat Hailey McFarlane 8-4 on Thursday morning at the RME Women of the Rings in Rivers. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)

Lawes putting on show at provincials

Thomas Friesen 5 minute read Preview

Lawes putting on show at provincials

Thomas Friesen 5 minute read Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026

RIVERS — Kaitlyn Lawes is happy to be here. Even if, in the back of her mind, she hoped to skip this particular winter road trip.

The No. 5-ranked women’s curling team in Canada is off to a perfect start at the RME Women of the Rings, having blanked Sarah-Jane Sass 7-0 on Thursday to sit atop her group in the women’s provincial curling championship.

“I love playing in small towns,” Lawes said after her quick five-end game at Riverdale Community Centre. “What you see today, it’s New Year’s Day and everyone’s out just supporting, having fun at the rink. I love that. It’s such a good feeling.

“We love being in Rivers. It’s my third time being in this community and I love it. The people are fantastic.”

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Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026

Kaitlyn Lawes defeated Sarah-Jane Sass 7-0 at the RME Women of the Rings in Rivers on Thursday afternoon. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)

Experienced Canadian curling teams will aim to end Olympic gold drought at Cortina

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Experienced Canadian curling teams will aim to end Olympic gold drought at Cortina

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026

There won't be Olympic stage fright for members of the Canadian curling teams at the Milan Cortina Games in February.

The presence of the five Olympic rings can be unnerving for some athletes, especially those competing under the sporting world's biggest spotlight for the first time.

All three Canadian sides — the men's, women's and mixed doubles teams — are loaded with experience.

Three of four members of the men's squad skipped by Brad Jacobs have previously won Olympic gold and the other has earned bronze.

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Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026

Team Jacobs, rear from left to right, Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert pose with the winning women's team, from left to right, Rachel Homan, Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, and Sarah Wilkes following the Montana's Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax on Nov. 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

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In The Rings: Change coming to curling scene with lineup moves and Rock League

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

In The Rings: Change coming to curling scene with lineup moves and Rock League

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025

The Montana's Canadian Curling Trials did more than just determine this country's representatives for the Winter Olympics.

It also served as a valuable opportunity for up-and-coming players to get a taste of what it's like to compete at curling's biggest domestic competition of the quadrennial.

Rachel Homan and Brad Jacobs skipped their teams to victory last November in Halifax and will wear the Maple Leaf at the upcoming Milan Cortina Games. For younger skips like Jordon McDonald, Kayla Skrlik, Rylan Kleiter and Selena Sturmay, it was a chance to play a high-profile event against some of the best teams in the country.

That's something that could pay off down the road, especially since Canada's curling depth will be impacted with some members of the sport's older guard planning to hang up their brooms.

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Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025

Kayla Skrlik celebrates with teammates during a game against Team Black at the Montana's Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax on Nov. 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

McCannell excited for hometown provincials

Thomas Friesen 4 minute read Preview

McCannell excited for hometown provincials

Thomas Friesen 4 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025

It’s tough to temper expectations after a run like Team Hailey McFarlane’s last year.

But in their minds, it wasn’t a surprise they were a win away from the playoffs at the RME Women of the Rings.

McFarlane is back in the 12-team women’s provincial curling championship this year, and it’s a special week for lead Hallie McCannell of Rivers.

The Manitoba transplant gets to play in front of a home crowd when the event begins today at the Riverdale Community Centre.

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Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025

Hallie McCannell, left, and Stacy Sime sweep a stone for Hailey McFarlane at the RME Women of the Rings last year. The team is back in the field for the women’s provincial curling championship beginning today in Rivers. (Thomas Friesen/The Brandon Sun)

Olympic gold medallist and three-time Brier champ Harnden to retire at end of season

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Olympic gold medallist and three-time Brier champ Harnden to retire at end of season

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Monday, Dec. 29, 2025

TORONTO - E.J. Harnden first fell in love with curling while watching his father compete at a hometown Brier in 1990 at the Sault Memorial Gardens.

"I was just hooked," Harnden said Monday. "I was just like, 'This is something I want to do.'"

The experience helped set him on a path that would include an Olympic gold medal and three national titles over a 15-year run as one of the sport's best front-end players.

Harnden, who plays second for Matt Dunstone's Winnipeg-based team, announced Sunday on social media that this will be his last competitive season.

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Monday, Dec. 29, 2025

Canada's Ryan Harnden, left, and E.J. Harnden, right, sweep ahead of the rock during the men's curling gold medal game against Britain at the 2014 Winter Olympics on Feb. 21, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

Canadian curler E.J. Harnden to retire from competition at end of season

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Canadian curler E.J. Harnden to retire from competition at end of season

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025

Canadian curler and Olympic champion E.J. Harnden is calling it a career.

Harnden announced Sunday in an Instagram post that he is playing his final full season of competitive curling.

The 42-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., currently plays second on Matt Dunstone’s Winnipeg-based team alongside his brother and lead Ryan Harnden.

The Harnden brothers won Olympic gold at the 2014 Sochi Games on a team skipped by their cousin Brad Jacobs.

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Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025

Team Jacobs second E.J. Harnden throws against Team Dunstone during Draw 4 of the 2021 Canadian Olympic curling trials in Saskatoon, Sask., Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

Tirinzoni tops Fujisawa to win women’s curling final at HearingLife Canadian Open

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Tirinzoni tops Fujisawa to win women’s curling final at HearingLife Canadian Open

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025

SASKATOON - Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni defeated Japan's Satsuki Fujisawa 7-1 in the women's final at the HearingLife Canadian Open in curling action on Sunday.

Tirinzoni jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first end before Fujisawa trimmed the deficit to one in the second.

After a scoreless third, Tirinzoni's rink scored five points across the next three ends, including a triple in the sixth.

The second-seeded Tirinzoni defeated Japan's Sayaka Yoshimura 5-4 in Saturday's semifinal to advance into Sunday's final.

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Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025

Switzerland's skip Silvana Tirinzoni calls the sweep during the gold medal match against Canada at the World Women's Curling Championship in Uijeongbu, South Korea, Sunday, March 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Schwaller to play Whyte, Fujisawa to face Tirinzoni in Grand Slam finals

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Schwaller to play Whyte, Fujisawa to face Tirinzoni in Grand Slam finals

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025

SASKATOON - Yannick Schwaller of Geneva, Switzerland, punched his ticket to Sunday's final at the HearingLife Canadian Open with a 7-5 win Saturday night over John Shuster of Duluth, Minn.

Schwaller, who defeated Marc Muskatewitz of Germany 7-1 in Saturday's earlier quarterfinals, scored three in the opening end against Shuster. He went up 4-1 in the third with a single, but Shuster scored a deuce in the fourth, and stole one in the fifth to tie the game 4-4 after five ends.

But Schwaller counted two in the sixth, held Shuster to a single in the seventh, and scored one in the eighth to seal the deal in the Grand Slam of Curling competition at Merlis Belsher Place.

Schwaller will face Ross Whyte in the final after he knocked off Bruce Mouat 6-4 in an all Scotland semifinal. Whyte beat Brad Jacobs of Calgary 8-6 in Saturday's quarterfinals.

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Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025

Rachel Homan delivers a stone during the Montana's Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax on Nov. 29, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Grand Slam of Curling continues to tweak shootout, extra end experiment

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Grand Slam of Curling continues to tweak shootout, extra end experiment

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

The Grand Slam of Curling continues to tinker with a draw-to-the-button shootout to replace extra ends, but the latter is making a comeback in Saskatoon this week.

A shootout was implemented for the preliminary round and tiebreakers at the season-opening AMJ Masters in September, and then expanded to include playoffs in October's Co-op Tour Challenge and November's Kioti GSOC Tahoe.

The change produced dramatic moments in big games. Swedish skip Anna Hasselborg drew to the button in a women's semifinal in the Tour Challenge, but Canada's Rachel Homan covered the pinhole to advance in Nisku, Alta.

Scotland's Bruce Mouat outdrew Canada's Matt Dunstone by three millimetres to take the men's final in Tahoe.

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Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

Matt Dunstone prepares to throw a rock during Canadian Olympic curling trials action against Team Koe in Halifax, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Gallant Strides: Curling double duty has its advantages at the Winter Olympics

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Gallant Strides: Curling double duty has its advantages at the Winter Olympics

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025

Brett Gallant will make history at the Milan Cortina Olympics when he becomes the first Canadian curler to compete in two disciplines at the same Winter Games.

It's a development that should also negate the advantage some other countries have enjoyed at previous Olympics when their athletes played in mixed doubles and four-player competitions.

Curling Canada changed its policy for this quadrennial to allow players to compete in both events. In addition to giving curlers an opportunity for two chances at the podium, it gives teams valuable insight into the ice, rocks and conditions in game scenarios.

"We would love to have our training camp on the Olympic ice ahead of the Olympics," said Team Jacobs coach Paul Webster. "Brett just gets to do that for us. So we're super excited."

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Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025

Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert sweep a stone during Canada's game against Switzerland at the World Men's Curling Championship in Moose Jaw, Sask. on April 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

With Homan’s team preparing for Games, Einarson’s rink gets Canada entry at Scotties

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

With Homan’s team preparing for Games, Einarson’s rink gets Canada entry at Scotties

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025

With Team Rachel Homan preparing for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, Team Kerri Einarson will wear Canada colours at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts next month in Mississauga, Ont.

Homan, who won a second straight Scotties crown last season, will not return to defend her title, Curling Canada said Tuesday in a statement. Einarson will instead assume the title of Team Canada at the Jan. 23-Feb. 1 playdowns since her team took silver at the 2025 national playdowns.

"We are thrilled to be wearing the (Maple Leaf) at the Scotties! It’s always an honour to represent (Canada) and we’re excited to compete in Mississauga soon," the team posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

Einarson, a four-time Scotties champion from Gimli, Man., and teammates Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard and Karlee Burgess had already earned one of three pre-qualification berths for the Scotties based on last season's rankings.

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Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025

January 16, 2026

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