Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone maintained a flawless 4-0 record at the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax by securing a 9-7 victory against St. John’s Brad Gushue during Monday’s evening session. Dunstone expressed his thoughts on the intense 11-end match, stating that his team controlled the game for the most part despite not having the hammer initially. They managed to gain the hammer advantage early on, leading to a pivotal moment in the seventh end where they seized the opportunity. However, Gushue, known for his late-game prowess, applied relentless pressure on Dunstone’s team.
Brad Jacobs, the 2014 Olympic champion, and his Calgary team triumphed over Winnipeg’s Jordon McDonald with a score of 6-3, while Jordon McDonald is still in search of his first win. Saskatoon’s Mike McEwen secured a 9-7 victory against Calgary’s Kevin Koe, with both teams currently holding a 2-2 record. Additionally, Saskatoon’s Ryan Kleiter improved to 1-3 after defeating Toronto’s John Epping, who also stands at 1-3, in a 10-7 match.
In the opening draw on Monday, Gushue claimed a 5-3 victory over Epping by strategically stealing points in the third and sixth ends. Gushue, the 2006 Olympic champion, aims to represent Canada at the Winter Games once more in his final competitive season, following his bronze medal win at the 2022 Olympics.
Dunstone kicked off the day with a strong 7-3 win against Kleiter by taking a commanding 5-1 lead after the fifth end. Meanwhile, in other early draw results, Koe secured an 8-7 victory over McDonald by scoring three points in the ninth end, and Jacobs defeated McEwen with a 6-3 score.
Turning to the women’s competition, Rachel Homan bounced back from a recent loss with a convincing 12-5 win over Selena Sturmay during Monday’s afternoon draw. Homan, the two-time defending Canadian and world women’s champion, improved to 3-1 after regaining her winning form following a rare defeat against Kayla Skrlik, which ended her 32-game winning streak against Canadian opponents.
Homan’s team dominated the match against Edmonton’s Sturmay, particularly with a strong performance in the third end where they secured five points, establishing an 8-2 lead. Homan emphasized the importance of maintaining focus in the short round-robin format to ensure consistent strong performances.
In the women’s standings, Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man, remains unbeaten at 4-0 after defeating Winnipeg’s Kaitlyn Lawes 6-4. Additional afternoon results included Christina Black of Halifax winning 9-4 over Corryn Brown of Kamloops, B.C., and Skrlik securing a 7-6 victory over Kate Cameron of St. Adolphe, Man, with a two-point score in the 10th end.
Lawes, Sturmay, Black, and Skrlik are currently tied at 2-2, while Brown sits at 1-3, and Cameron is still seeking her first win at 0-4. The winners of both the men’s and women’s competitions at the curling trials will have the honor of representing Canada at the 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy.
