Homan to play for Pan Continental curling gold medal after defeating China

Canada’s Rachel Homan has secured her spot in the gold medal game at the Pan Continental curling championship after a thrilling 6-5 extra-end victory over China’s Wang Rui in the semifinals on Friday.

In a tense matchup, Homan displayed her skill and composure, forcing Wang into a difficult double takeout attempt in the extra end. Wang’s shot only removed one Canadian stone, leaving Homan in a strong position to claim victory without needing to throw her final stone.

Wang had a chance to score three points in the 10th end to win the game in regulation, but Homan’s precise outturn freeze forced China to settle for two, giving Canada the hammer in the extra end.

Reflecting on the intense match, Homan praised her team’s resilience, stating, “We stuck together. We played a really good game, but China just played exceptionally well. It was a hard-fought battle, and we made a few mistakes that were magnified by their strong performance.”

Homan, alongside her Ottawa team of vice-skip Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew, and lead Sarah Wilkes, will now face defending champion South Korea in the final on Saturday. Canada previously defeated Eunji Gim and the Korean team 8-2 in round-robin play.

Looking ahead to the final, Homan acknowledged the challenge posed by South Korea, anticipating a tough rematch. “I know that we’re going to see a better team than we saw earlier in the round robin. It’s going to be another intense game like the semifinal,” she said.

In the men’s bronze-medal game, Canada’s Brad Gushue suffered a 10-8 defeat to American John Shuster. This loss marks the first time the Canadian men’s team has missed the podium at this event, with Gushue having claimed gold in the past two editions.

Despite the disappointment, Gushue remained positive, highlighting the team’s strong performance. “I feel better about this loss than yesterday. We threw a lot of good rocks, but credit to the Americans for playing well and securing the win,” he said.

Gushue’s team, featuring a new lineup with Brendan Bottcher at second, had a successful round-robin phase, finishing with a perfect 7-0 record. Bottcher expressed optimism for the future, stating, “It was a great first event for us. We have a lot to build on, and I’m excited for what’s to come. The team dynamic was excellent, and we had a lot of fun, which translated into strong performances on the ice.”

The Pan Continental curling championship has showcased thrilling competition, with both the women’s and men’s teams displaying skill and determination. As the tournament reaches its climax, fans eagerly anticipate the exciting matchups in the gold medal games.