Curling – Winnipeg Free Press

Matt Packwood / The Brandon Sun files
Jordon McDonald’s team is one win away from a spot in the Canadian men’s Olympic trials.

Calvert and McDonald in showdown for Olympic trials berth

Joshua Frey-Sam 4 minute read Friday, Oct. 24, 2025

There will be two Manitoba men’s teams in the hunt for an Olympic berth.

While Matt Dunstone’s seat in the Canadian men’s curling trials is already secured, he found out Friday that he will be joined by another team from the Keystone Province.

Assiniboine’s Jordon McDonald and Braden Calvert of Fort Rouge are on the doorstep of the biggest win of their respective careers, facing off in the Canadian men’s pre-trials finals in Wolfville, N.S..

The winner advances to next month’s trials in Halifax, and the winner of that tournament will have earned the right to don the Maple Leaf at the Olympic Winter Games in Italy this winter.

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A young Team McDonald look to the future with changing of old guard

Taylor Allen 5 minute read Preview

A young Team McDonald look to the future with changing of old guard

Taylor Allen 5 minute read Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

The door is wide open for the next great men’s curling team to emerge out of Manitoba.

With Matt Dunstone pre-qualifying for the Brier on an annual basis, and Reid Carruthers gradually shifting his focus to coaching, the opportunity is there for a rising star out of the Keystone Province.

Enter Jordon McDonald.

Despite being just 22 and fresh out of junior ranks, McDonald and his Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club foursome are ranked ninth in the country.

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Friday, Oct. 3, 2025

Matt Packwood / The Brandon Sun Files
Skip Jordon McDonald said Friday he appreciates playing some of the country’s best teams because it’s a learning experience for his young team.

World’s first professional curling league set to throw first stone in April

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Preview

World’s first professional curling league set to throw first stone in April

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

The world’s first professional curling league is hoping to change the future of the sport.

The Curling Group — the owners of the Grand Slam of Curling — announced back in the spring their intentions to start the Rock League and, on Tuesday, they revealed the 30 men and 30 women from around the globe who will make up the six teams of 10 (five men and five women) who will compete.

Curling legends and competition advisors Jennifer Jones and John Morris were tasked with selecting the 60 players and splitting them into their respective groups.

“It’s been over the course of a year where we’ve gone back and forth in trying to formulate the teams with new, energizing talent, and some names that have been around for a long time,” said Jones in an interview with the Free Press.

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Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

Darren Calabrese / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES
Selkirk’s Kerri Einarson said she loves the idea of a professional league. The four-time Scotties Tournament of Hearts winner will be playing for the Shield Curling Club in April.

Winnipeg team advances to Olympic-qualifier final by prevailing in rematch with McEwen

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Preview

Winnipeg team advances to Olympic-qualifier final by prevailing in rematch with McEwen

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025

HALIFAX — Twenty-four hours earlier a dejected Matt Dunstone thought he blew it.

He had just lost his third consecutive game — a 9-5 loss to fellow Winnipegger Mike McEwen — which ripped his playoff hopes at the 2025 Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax out of his hands. It looked so dire he packed up his curling gear and took it back to the hotel to get it ready for the trip home.

Fortunately for Dunstone, he had to unpack.

Brad Gushue and Kevin Koe also closed out the round-robin on Wednesday with losses, which meant the 30-year-old from Winnipeg was able to squeak into Thursday night’s semifinal as the No. 3 seed in a rematch with McEwen. It was a second life and Dunstone made the most of it by bouncing back with a clutch 9-5 victory.

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Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025

Darren Calabrese / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Skip Matt Dunstone yells instructions to teammates Thursday during semifinal of the Canadian Olympic curling trials in Halifax.

Dunstone sneaks into men’s semifinal at Olympic curling trials

Taylor Allen 8 minute read Preview

Dunstone sneaks into men’s semifinal at Olympic curling trials

Taylor Allen 8 minute read Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025

HALIFAX — Matt Dunstone missing the playoffs seemed unfathomable on Monday.

The Winnipeg skip had just outlasted Brad Gushue in a 9-7 nailbiter to become the only men’s team at the Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax to own a perfect 4-0 record.

“We put ourselves in the driver’s seat,” said Dunstone at the time.

They hit a speed bump Tuesday afternoon when Kevin Koe turned back the clock and made a triple takeout to steal a 5-4 win.

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Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025

Darren Calabrese / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Matt Dunstone will face Mike McEwen in the semifinal of the men’s olympic qualifier.

Team Einarson intact and aiming to bring their best

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Preview

Team Einarson intact and aiming to bring their best

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025

Kerri Einarson describes last season as the most stressful of her career.

The team that made history with four consecutive Scotties Tournament of Hearts crowns (2020-23) was no longer intact. Second Shannon Birchard was sidelined with a knee injury, and the group parted ways with former lead Briane Harris shortly after her provisional anti-doping ban was lifted. After rotating through several subs throughout the year, Einarson managed to add Karlee Burgess to the lineup which led to Harris joining forces with another national contender out of Manitoba in Kate Cameron.

Despite all the twists and turns, Einarson, Burgess, Val Sweeting and Krysten Karwacki rallied their way to the Scotties final where they were overmatched by Rachel Homan.

“I sure hope no other team has to go through the things we went through because it was so hard on us,” Einarson told the Free Press on Wednesday.

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Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025

JEFF MCINTOSH / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES
Shannon Birchard is back on the sheet with Team Einarson after being sidelined by chronic inflammation in her sliding knee.

Team Dunstone off to a strong start with AMJ Masters win

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Preview

Team Dunstone off to a strong start with AMJ Masters win

Taylor Allen 6 minute read Tuesday, Sep. 30, 2025

You don’t have to remind Matt Dunstone how long his Grand Slam drought was.

“It was five years and 11 months,” said the skip in a chat with the Free Press on Monday.

“So, it’s been a long time coming, for sure.”

Dunstone managed to get the monkey off his back Sunday in London, Ont., with his Winnipeg-based team — third Colton Lott, second E.J. Harnden, and lead Ryan Harnden — by outlasting Scotland’s Ross Whyte 6-4 in extra ends to capture the AMJ Masters title.

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Tuesday, Sep. 30, 2025

Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES
Skip Matt Dunstone is thrilled his Grand Slam drought ended Sunday with an AMJ Masters title as his team prepares to capture an Olympic berth.

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Jones details highs and lows, on and off the ice, in inspiring new memoir

Reviewed by Dave Williamson 6 minute read Preview

Jones details highs and lows, on and off the ice, in inspiring new memoir

Reviewed by Dave Williamson 6 minute read Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025

One of Canada’s most famous and most successful curlers, Jennifer Jones reflects on her action-packed life in the utterly readable and inspiring memoir Rock Star, with an assist by veteran Toronto journalist Bob Weeks, who helped her “shape the manuscript.”

The Winnipeg-born Jones, now 51, dominated the curling scene for many years, winning the national women’s title six times and the world championship twice. She credits her father Larry with teaching her the fundamentals of the game at an early age. Her mother Carol was always solidly behind Jennifer, and her older sister Heather became her No. 1 fan.

At age 12, Jones was already perfecting her game in late-night junior bonspiels. She was eventually asked to play third on Jill Staub’s rink, and the team went on to win the Manitoba junior championship in 1991, but were beaten in the Canadian final by New Brunswick. That caused Jones to break down crying, a reaction that became a lasting memory — it was an indication that showed not a weakness, but how deeply she felt about the sport of curling.

She vowed that, in the future, “I would certainly try my best to win, but I wouldn’t be scared to lose.”

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Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025

Andrew Vaughan / Canadian Press files
Jennifer Jones delivers a skip’s stone for Team Canada at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Sydney, N.S., in 2019.

Curling Grand Slam will be ‘Neil Armstrong moment’ for SEC

Cassidy Dankochik 5 minute read Preview

Curling Grand Slam will be ‘Neil Armstrong moment’ for SEC

Cassidy Dankochik 5 minute read Wednesday, May. 14, 2025

The countdown is officially on for Steinbach to host the Grand Slam of Curling’s Players’ Championship.

Organizers, politicians and curling stars were in attendance at the newly built Southeast Event Centre (SEC) in downtown Steinbach May 13 to promote and officially kick off the event, which will take place Jan. 6-11 in 2026.

Manitoba hasn’t hosted a Grand Slam since 2018.

The Centre’s general manager, Jeff Bannon, said the Players’ Championship will be the SEC’s chance to make a strong first impression on the national stage.

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Wednesday, May. 14, 2025

Cassidy Dankochik / The Carillon
Jennifer Jones speaks with young curlers following a promotional event for the 2026 Players’ Championship. Jones credited the Grand Slam for powering the growth of women’s curling around the globe.

Canada’s Rachel Homan on a roll as she looks to defend world women’s curling title

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Canada’s Rachel Homan on a roll as she looks to defend world women’s curling title

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Mar. 13, 2025

Rachel Homan and her juggernaut Canadian championship team know their No. 1 world ranking doesn't guarantee success at the 2025 world women's curling championship.

But that doesn't mean Homan, vice-skip Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew and lead Sarah Wilkes won't be full of confidence when they begin their title defence when the 13-country championship begins Saturday in Uijeongbu, South Korea.

The Homan team has been together for three years and has been dominant over the past 18 months, winning back-to-back Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles and the 2024 world championship in Sydney, N.S.

"We find the more experience we get playing together, the stronger we get," Fleury said. "We're all really comfortable with one another now."

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Thursday, Mar. 13, 2025

Team Canada skip Rachel Homan delivers a rock against Manitoba in her teams quarter final victory during the Scotties Tournament of Hearts action in Thunder Bay, Ont., Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Jackson

Neufeld rides roaring-game roller-coaster to Brier

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Neufeld rides roaring-game roller-coaster to Brier

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025

BJ Neufeld might be the newest member of his squad, but when it comes to this week’s Brier, he was always way ahead of his teammates.

When Reid Carruthers won the Manitoba men’s curling championship earlier this month, a scramble to reserve flights and hotels for the national championship ensued.

Everyone except the team’s third. Neufeld’s wife, Sarah, booked their trip last May.

Neufeld was playing for Matt Dunstone at the time, and their team had pre-qualified for the tournament owing to its standing in the Canadian Team Rankings System. In December, however, Team Dunstone parted ways with Neufeld, leaving his trip to a 10th Brier in doubt.

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Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS files
BJ Neufeld will be playing in his 10th Brier.

Einarson to face Nova Scotia in Scotties semifinal after loss to Homan

Joshua Frey-Sam 4 minute read Preview

Einarson to face Nova Scotia in Scotties semifinal after loss to Homan

Joshua Frey-Sam 4 minute read Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025

It will be Rachel Homan against whoever dares to challenge her.

The superstar skip from Ontario, representing Team Canada, secured a spot in Sunday’s final at the national curling championship after a sensational effort on Saturday evening as she downed Manitoba’s Kerri Einarson 8-4 in nine ends in the 1-2 page playoff.

Homan has won 21 straight at the event, dating back to 2023.

Her foursome out of the Ottawa Curling Club, including third Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew and lead Sarah Wilkes, collectively shot at a 90 per cent efficiency as they made life difficult on Einarson with and without the hammer.

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Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025

DAVID JACKSON / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Team Manitoba skip Kerri Einarson reacts in her team quarter-final loss to Team Canada during Scotties Tournament of Hearts action in Thunder Bay, Ont., Saturday.

Experienced Einarson thrives under pressure on the pebble

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Preview

Experienced Einarson thrives under pressure on the pebble

Joshua Frey-Sam 6 minute read Friday, Feb. 21, 2025

Kerri Einarson was 28 years old and had no idea what to expect as she debuted on championship weekend at the 2016 national women’s curling championship.

It was the Gimli skip’s first appearance at the event and she qualified for the playoffs with a solid 7-4 record. Her next opponent, in the 3-4 page playoff: Northern Ontario’s Krista McCarville, a veteran skip in her fifth appearance at the tournament.

“I was nervous and butterflies but excited,” said Einarson, who lost a 7-5 decision that day. “I remember this game… it was tough and then after losing that game I was so upset, but with the more experience you get in those types of situations, the easier it gets.”

As far as success goes among the skips in this year’s Canadian championship, only Team Canada’s Rachel Homan, a four-time winner and eight-time medallist, has Einarson beat.

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Friday, Feb. 21, 2025

FRANK GUNN / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Manitoba’s Val Sweeting (left) and Kerri Einarson have the kind of experience that comes in handy in high-stakes events such as the Scotties.

Einarson ‘gets hot at right time’, tops Pool B at Scotties

Joshua Frey-Sam 4 minute read Preview

Einarson ‘gets hot at right time’, tops Pool B at Scotties

Joshua Frey-Sam 4 minute read Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025

Kerri Einarson is in. Kate Cameron and Kaitlyn Lawes are out.

All three Manitoba teams were in the hunt for a playoff spot entering the final draw of round-robin play at the national women’s curling championship in Thunder Bay, Ont., Thursday evening.

In the end, it was the skip from Gimli — along with third Val Sweeting, second Karlee Burgess and lead Krysten Karwacki — who clawed her way in after defeating provincial counterpart Lawes 9-6 at Fort William Gardens.

Einarson finished 6-2 at the top of a muddy Pool B. Christina Black of Nova Scotia and Danielle Inglis of Ontario also qualified for the playoffs with 6-2 records. In Pool A, Rachel Homan, representing Team Canada, led the group at 8-0. Kayla Skrlik of Alberta and Corryn Brown of British Columbia also qualified for playoffs at 6-2.

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Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025

Frank Gunn / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Kerri Einarson’s Manitoba team overcame a slow start to win Pool B at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and qualify for the playoffs.

Team Einarson storms back from five-point deficit to defeat fellow Manitoban

Joshua Frey-Sam 5 minute read Preview

Team Einarson storms back from five-point deficit to defeat fellow Manitoban

Joshua Frey-Sam 5 minute read Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025

Everything seemed to be going against Kerri Einarson.

For the second game in a row, the Gimli skip couldn’t get it going and the possibility of an early exit from the national women’s curling championship looked entirely possible as she fell into a near-insurmountable 7-2 hole after five ends against fellow Manitoban Kate Cameron.

There were some unlucky breaks that led to the deficit, then other shots — like a routine in-turn draw in the fifth that Einarson left well short to concede a steal of two — that were uncharacteristic for the four-time Canadian champion. It also didn’t help that Cameron was nearly untouchable, firing at a 94 per cent efficiency in the first half.

Then Einarson began to string it together. A score of three in the sixth end, another three in the eighth and a deuce with the hammer in the 10th capped what might have been a tournament-saving 10-9 victory for Einarson over Cameron at Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Tuesday evening.

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Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025

Frank Gunn/ THE CANADIAN PRESS
Kerri Einarson celebrates Tuesday after her comeback win over Kate Cameron during Scotties action in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Team Einarson finding its form

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Preview

Team Einarson finding its form

Joshua Frey-Sam 7 minute read Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025

In a season that change has been the only constant for Kerri Einarson, the stability she’s longed for may have come at a perfect time.

The Gimli skip will lead a lineup missing some of its regular players into the Canadian women’s curling championship for the second year in a row, beginning Friday at Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Einarson, who won four consecutive titles from 2020-2023 and lost in a playoff qualifier last year, still has third Val Sweeting by her side but will look to return to the top of the podium with a modified front-end, with recently acquired Karlee Burgess throwing second and Krysten Karwacki at lead.

Karwacki has played at her spot since last year’s Canadian championship when she was called in to replace Briane Harris at the last minute and later named a First-Team All-Star. Meanwhile, Burgess joined the team last month after Einarson recruited her from Chelsea Carey’s struggling squad.

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Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025

December 26, 2025

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