Jason Ackerman’s Saskatchewan team nearly won last year’s Canadian mixed championship. After splitting two games on Friday at the 2025 championship, the Regina squad still has a chance to go one step further.
Team Ackerman won its final Championship Pool game, improving to 7-3 and securing the last playoff spot for Saturday at the Assiniboia Curling Club.
Saskatchewan edged Manitoba’s Team Sean Grassie (6-4; Winnipeg) 9-8 in an extra end Friday night. Playoff chances depended on a British Columbia loss, but Team Miles Craig (6-4; Victoria) beat Newfoundland & Labrador’s Team Rod Feltham (5-5; Gander) 7-4, forcing Saskatchewan into a must-win scenario.
“I’m feeling the feels for sure, right? That’s what we signed up for. I think we’re crazy, but it’s a good feeling, especially when you come off a W and get into the playoffs,” Ackerman said.
“Not going to lie, I was peeking over at the scoreboard a little bit on sheet A (the British Columbia game), but we knew what we had to do. It was a rough start. We were down two early, but we held on, clawed back late, took the lead, and finished it off, so it feels really good.”
Ackerman and his wife Colleen have built a strong mixed résumé, winning the national title in 2012. In 2024, the team, with second Sam Wills, lost in the final. Now, with third Robyn Silvernagle and coach Amber Holland (2024’s third), they are two wins from a national title.
“I get to play with my wife and that’s kind of a big deal for me. It’s just the camaraderie where you get to see some really great people across the country,” Ackerman said of his appeal to mixed curling. “It’s a little more on the social side of things, but everyone’s here to win, obviously, especially with Worlds this year coming up. I just love the event and this has been our forte, my wife and I, this is our fifth one here, and that’s hard to do in Saskatchewan.”
It is also the first time the Ackermans have played at this event in front of a home province crowd. That came with the added benefit of sharing in the win with their children, Burke and Ruby.
Saskatchewan teams have succeeded as hosts. In 2023, Team Sean Meachem won in Swift Current. Now, Regina-based Team Ackerman hopes for a home-province boost.
“It’s our fifth one and the other four were out of province, so our friends and family don’t always get to come,” Ackerman said. “So having it at home here in a small community like this, which amplifies small-town Saskatchewan, is special, so this is, you know, we’re not getting any younger. This could be our last one, we just don’t know, right?”
During the evening draw, New Brunswick’s Team Rene Comeau (9-1; Fredericton) clinched first place. New Brunswick beat Ontario’s Team Sam Mooibroek (9-1; Kitchener-Waterloo) in a topsy-turvy 11-6 win, which featured scores of three, four and five. With the loss, Ontario finished second in the four-team playoffs.
The semifinals commence on Saturday at 10 a.m. (all times Central). New Brunswick faces Manitoba and Ontario plays Saskatchewan. The winners advance to the gold-medal game and the losers will play for bronze. Those games are scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Ontario, New Brunswick, and Manitoba locked playoff spots in the first Championship Pool draw on Friday. New Brunswick advanced with a 5-3 win over Saskatchewan. Ontario beat Manitoba 9-3 to qualify, but Manitoba also made the final four due to tiebreakers.
In Friday’s only Seeding Pool draw, Prince Edward Island’s Team Eddie MacKenzie (3-6; Cornwall) beat Northwest Territories’ Team Betti Delory (2-7; Hay River) 9-2. Meanwhile, Nunavut’s Team Peter Van Strien (3-6; Iqaluit) defeated Yukon’s Team Scott Williamson (0-9; Whitehorse) 9-6. Finally, Alberta’s Team Jessie Hunkin (6-3; Edmonton) finished the seeding pool undefeated, posting an 11-1 win over Northern Ontario’s Team Charlie Robert (2-7; Sault Ste. Marie).
For the 2025 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship live results, click here.
For the full event schedule, click here.
For ticket information, click here.
