Canada’s Jacobs beats China after World Curling changes umpire setup again at Games
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO – Canada’s Brad Jacobs defeated China’s Xiaoming Xu 6-3 on Sunday in the first session with World Curling’s readjusted umpire setup in effect after a contentious weekend at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
In a statement issued at the start of evening play, the sport’s governing body said the two umpires who had previously been monitoring athlete deliveries at the hog line will now only do so “at the request of competing teams.”
The development came after Canadian women’s skip Rachel Homan had her first rock pulled in a game against Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni on Saturday night. Canada went on to drop an 8-7 decision in an extra end.
The umpire felt Homan had “double-touched” the rock on her throw. Curlers are not allowed to touch the stone’s granite after letting go of the handle.
Homan vehemently denied making an improper throw.
Great Britain’s Bobby Lammie had a stone removed for the same reason in a 9-4 win over Germany on Sunday morning.
On Saturday, World Curling said it would designate two officials to move between the four sheets but noted it was “not possible” to have umpires stationed at each hog line.
That change came after a tense men’s game between Canada’s Jacobs and Sweden’s Niklas Edin on Friday.
Swedish vice Oskar Eriksson complained that some Canadian players were ‘double-touching’ the rocks, an accusation that Canada vice Marc Kennedy firmly denied. Kennedy used profanity during the on-ice exchange, and the video clip went viral.
The latest umpire development came after a meeting with representatives of the competing teams, World Curling said.
“This change in protocol will see the two umpires who had previously been actively monitoring athlete deliveries remain available in the field of play, but will now only monitor athlete deliveries at the request of the competing teams,” the statement said.
“The umpires, when requested, will monitor deliveries for a minimum of three ends.”
Jacobs, Kennedy and teammates Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert took a 4-2 lead with a deuce in the sixth end. Canada stole a pair in the eighth, and China conceded after a single in the ninth.
Canada (4-1) was scheduled to play Lukas Klima on Monday afternoon.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2026.