It was a task so nice she did it twice. Rachel Homan had such an incredible year that she qualified not once, but technically twice to the World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing.
Curling Canada assigns two women’s team to the North American team at the event: the winner of the most recent Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the Home Hardware Canada Cup or the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings during Olympic seasons. Homan’s team claims possession to both of these titles.
Ottawa’s Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Joanne Courtney and lead Lisa Weagle became the first women’s team to qualify for Team North America by winning the 2017 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in St. Catharines, Ont. Homan lost to Manitoba’s Michelle Englot twice during the event, but came through with a grand 8-6 win in the final.
The victory led to an appearance at the 2017 world women’s curling championship and Homan’s first victory on the world stage after defeating Russia in the final. It was Homan’s third world championship appearance after winning bronze in 2013 and silver in 2014.
Homan’s dominance continues in the 2017-18 season. Team Homan won the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings and technically earned the second and final spot available to Canadian women’s teams at the World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by Service Experts. Because of this double qualification, Englot, the runner-up at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, is awarded the spot on Team North America.
Homan’s storybook ending at the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings was completed with an exciting 6-5 victory against Chelsea Carey in the final. The win secures Homan’s spot as the most successful women’s curling team in the world in 2017 and a contender to win gold at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, as Team Canada.
She’ll get a good taste of the Olympic competition in London, Ont., at The Sports Centre at Western Fair District this Jan. 11-14. Four other women’s teams from the Olympics will be at the World Financial Group Continental Cup, presented by Service Experts, including Satsuki Fujisawa (Japan), Anna Hasselborg (Sweden), Silvana Tirinzoni (Switzerland), and Team North America teammates Nina Roth (USA).
Team North America at the World Financial Group consists of: Homan, Englot, Roth, Brad Gushue, Kevin Koe and John Shuster. Rick Lang, coaches the team with his former longtime skip and fellow Thunder Bay, Ont., resident Al Hackner, serving as captain.
There are still tickets available for the 2018 World Financial Group Continental Cup in London, Ont. Go to www.curling.ca/2018continentalcup/tickets/ for more information.