News Masters

TRURO, N.S. — Ottawa’s Rachel Homan continued her hot streak by running the table with a perfect 7-0 overall record to score the rink’s third Masters title in four years.

Homan capped the first major of the 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season with a 6-4 victory over Edmonton’s Val Sweeting in the women’s final Sunday night at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre. 

While it’s Masters title No. 3 for Homan, third Emma Miskew and lead Lisa Weagle, it’s the first for second Joanne Courtney, who joined the squad in 2014 replacing Alison Kreviazuk.

“It feels amazing. I don’t really know what to say right now because I’m really, really excited,” Courtney said. “We had a great week and felt really good out there and I’m proud with how we played in the final.”

Homan earned $26,000 CAD and clinched a spot in the all-new Champions Cup. The season-ending tournament features all of the top winners on tour and runs April 26 to May 1, 2016, in Sherwood Park, Alta.

“With all of the Slams now you kind of forget which ones are which so it’s great that we get our name back on the trophy here,” Miskew said. “But obviously, one we get to qualify for the Champions Cup now, which we’re really excited about and we just wanted to come out and have a great game. We were in a final before and we really wanted to win this one. Winning always feels great. We’re really happy for Jo, it was her first Grand Slam win so this one feels pretty great just for her.”

Courtney, who is from Edmonton, is looking forward to playing in an event near home.

“I think it’s going to be an awesome event,” she said. “It sounds like a really exciting concept. I’m excited to have the world junior champs there. I just think it’s going to be a really unique thing and it’s great that we’ve booked our spot there.” 

Team Homan has won four titles through five events on tour with a runner-up finish in the Tour Challenge Tier 1 to Team Tirinzoni.

Homan opened the final with the hammer and converted for a deuce in the second end. Sweeting held shot stone in the third after her first skip stone and was threatening to reply with a deuce but she wouldn’t get the opportunity. Homan made a tight freeze and rather than risk it, Sweeting opted to throw her last away and settled for the single.

It looked like Team Homan was in trouble in the fourth end facing two but their skip pulled off the high-pressure draw to bite the button for a single and regain the two-point advantage to lead 3-1 heading into the halftime break. Sweeting was forced to tap for just another single in five after Homan made a double takeout.

Homan made a soft and short raise takeout to get another deuce in six and put on the pressure in seven by lying five stones. Sweeting’s shot over-curled but only gave up a steal of one to keep her in the game down 6-2 with the hammer coming home. Homan made an open hit with her last shot to concede two points and prevail. 

Prior to the game, Weagle sustained a gash on her forehead but was patched up and able to play in the final.

Sweeting entered the event as the defending champion, winning her first career Pinty’s GSOC title at the Masters a year ago in Selkirk, Man.

Next up on the 2015-16 Pinty’s GSOC schedule is the National, running Nov. 10-15 at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa, Ont. Miskew said she’s really excited for the National, which was previously a men’s invitational but has now expanded and will feature a women’s division for the first time.

“It’s so soon now so we just get to go home and have a little bit of a rest and recovery and then get back on the ice preparing for the next one,” Miskew said. 

Courtney added: “We try to head into every event with the same thing in mind. We’re just focusing on the process, figure out the ice and make the shots as best as we can so we’ll celebrate this win but then we’ll put our heads down and work hard this week and get ready for next week. Quick turnaround and then off to Oshawa. That’s awesome, living the dream here. Curling is a great job.”