Two women’s teams looking for their first wins at the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials, presented by Connect Hearing, earned them on Sunday night over two previously undefeated titans.
It is the kind of unpredictability the event has become known for, with both Halifax favourites Team Christina Black (1-2) and Calgary’s Team Kayla Skrlik (1-2) each earning wins and shaking up the standings on Sunday night at the Scotiabank Centre.
Team Skrlik’s victory came against the top-ranked women’s team in the world, Team Rachel Homan (2-1; Ottawa), with an 8-7 extra-end win, snapping Team Homan’s 32-game winning streak against Canadian teams.
“It’s a really good confidence builder win, I think the best confidence builder we could have. But, it’s still a long week, we can’t just beat Homan and lose the rest of our games. We’re taking it one shot, one game at a time and that really helped, especially against Rachel,” Skrlik said.
It is the first time Team Homan has lost to a Canadian team in 413 days. However, it was almost for naught. Team Skrlik took control of the game in the ninth, making a double to score three and a three-point lead. The reigning Canadian and world champions forced Team Skrlik to the extra end by making a draw for three in the 10th.
“Getting three is actually easier than you think in the 10th end when they throw both wings and Rachel’s making everything. So, we knew there was a chance we’d go into the extra,” Skrlik said. “Did I think I would have to make a runback to force the extra? Maybe not. But, honestly, an extra with the hammer is all we could hope for.”
Two sheets over, Team Black was boosted by a Halifax-strong crowd of 4,950 fans who lifted the team’s sails like a bluenoser at sea, earning a 7-3 win against Team Kaitlyn Lawes (2-1; Winnipeg).
“I love knowing that we’ll make a shot and the crowd is going to go crazy and they love us even if we don’t make a shot,” Black said. “So they’re just out there supporting us, and I feel like I know every second person in the crowd, and it was just so fun to have them all here, getting to watch us in person and playing and like, this place is huge. Like, did you guys see what the 50/50 was?”
The 50/50 winner, for the record, took home $19,170.
Black, third/vice-skip Jill Brothers, front-enders Jennifer Baxter, Karlee Everist and Marlee Powers, along with coach Stuart MacLean, came into the event with plenty of anticipation to play in front of local family, friends and fans. The team made a runback for three in the ninth end and ran its opposition out of stones in the 10th to earn the victory.
In other action, Team Kerri Einarson (3-0; Gimli, Man.) is the only undefeated team in the women’s field after a 9-1 win against Team Corryn Brown (1-2; Kamloops, B.C.); and Team Selena Sturmay (2-1; Edmonton) stayed in the playoff hunt with a 12-5 win against Team Kate Cameron (0-3; St. Adolphe, Man.).
The 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials continue with draws Monday at 9 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (all times Atlantic).
Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials are available by CLICKING HERE.
TSN and RDS will provide coverage of the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule.
For ticket information for the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials, go to www.curling.ca/2025trials/tickets.
This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/fr/2025trials/nouvelles.
