Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone remains undefeated at the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax after securing a 9-7 victory over St. John’s Brad Gushue in Monday’s evening session, extending his record to 4-0.
Reflecting on the intense match, Dunstone described it as “11 ends of complete and utter mayhem,” noting that his team controlled most of the game despite not beginning with the hammer. The game saw a strategic exchange, with Dunstone’s team seizing the hammer early, followed by Gushue applying relentless pressure in the later stages.
Meanwhile, Brad Jacobs, the 2014 Olympic champion, and his Calgary team defeated Jordon McDonald from Winnipeg with a score of 6-3, leaving McDonald still in search of his first win at the Trials.
In another notable match, Saskatoon’s Mike McEwen outperformed Calgary’s Kevin Koe with a 9-7 win, placing both teams at 2-2 in the standings. Saskatoon’s Ryan Kleiter secured his first victory at 1-3 by defeating Toronto’s John Epping, who also stands at 1-3 after the match.
Gushue started the day strong by defeating Epping 5-3 in the opening draw, utilizing a low-scoring strategy to secure steals in the third and sixth ends. With his eye on representing Canada once more at the Winter Games, Gushue, the 2006 Olympic champion, is aiming for success in his final competitive season after leading Canada to a bronze medal in 2022.
Dunstone kicked off the day’s matches with a 7-3 victory over Kleiter, taking a commanding lead early in the game and maintaining it until the end. Additional results from the early draws included Koe’s comeback with three points in the ninth end to secure an 8-7 win over McDonald, and Jacobs defeating McEwen 6-3.
On the women’s side, Rachel Homan bounced back from a recent loss by defeating Selena Sturmay 12-5 in the afternoon draw, improving her record to 3-1. Homan’s team showcased strong performance with a dominant five-point third end, securing an 8-2 lead against Sturmay from Edmonton.
Homan, a two-time defending Canadian and world women’s champion, expressed the importance of maintaining consistent performance in the short round-robin format of the tournament, emphasizing the need to focus on each upcoming game.
Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man, continued her undefeated streak, reaching 4-0 with a 6-4 victory over Kaitlyn Lawes from Winnipeg. The competition saw other afternoon results, including Halifax’s Christina Black prevailing over Corryn Brown from Kamloops, B.C., and Skrlik edging out Kate Cameron from St. Adolphe, Man, with a 7-6 win in the 10th end.
With Lawes, Sturmay, Black, and Skrlik tied at 2-2, Brown at 1-3, and Cameron seeking her first win at 0-4, the competition remains intense as the curlers vie for the chance to represent Canada at the 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy.