Rachel Homan and playing partner Brendan Bottcher compete against Jessica Zheng and Victor Pietrangelo during draw 5 action against at the Canadian mixed doubles curling trials in Liverpool, N.S. on Tuesday, Dec.31, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Michael Burns Photo
LIVERPOOL, N.S. – Rachel Homan and Brendan Bottcher have advanced to the semifinals at the Canadian mixed doubles curling trials after brushing Brittany Tran and Rylan Kleiter aside 8-3 in Friday’s Page 3 versus 4 playoff game.
Homan and Bottcher surrendered a single point in the first end, then stormed back in the second by scoring three, then had back-to-back steals of two to grab a 7-1 lead after four ends.
Tran and Kleiter scored one in the fifth, gave up one in the sixth and then shook hands after being held to one in the seventh.
Homan and Bottcher will face Lisa Weagle and John Epping in Saturday’s semifinal, after Weagle and Epping lost 8-5 in the Page 1 versus 2 playoff game on Friday.
Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant advanced to Saturday’s championship final by scoring threes in the fifth and seventh ends. The winners trailed 3-2 heading into the fifth end before taking control of the game.
The trials winner can represent Canada in the 2026 Olympic Games if the duo also finishes high enough at the 2025 world championship to qualify their country for Italy.
The Olympic field will include the top eight ranked countries in the world, or the top seven plus host Italy if the Italians aren’t in the top eight. Canada currently ranks fifth.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2025.
