News National

OSHAWA, Ont. — Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., opened the 2015 National with a 9-1 rout in just four ends Tuesday night over Switzerland’s Sven Michel. 

The reigning Olympic gold medallist Jacobs drew for three points in the first and four in the third. Michel faced three counters in the second and made a double takeout his lone single. His final stone in four came up light, giving up a steal of two, and shook hands to end the night early.

“It’s great, it’s always nice to get a win early in the event with such a tough field and such great competition,” Team Jacobs second E.J. Harnden said. “It’s a good start, however, we also know there’s a long road ahead. We’re taking it game-by-game and like I said it’s always nice to grab a win and get some momentum early in the event.” 

Elsewhere, Tour Challenge Tier 1 winner Kevin Koe of Calgary defeated Saskatoon’s Steve Laycock 6-4. Koe scored a deuce in the second, held Laycock to one in the third and took another pair in four to lead 4-1 at the break. Laycock matched with two in the fifth to narrow the gap, but Koe scored another deuce in six to reclaim the three-point advantage. Laycock made a great short runback double takeout for a single in the seventh, but Koe ran him out of rocks in the eighth. 

Ottawa’s Rachel Homan kicked off her quest to capture the inaugural National women’s title with a 6-1 win in six ends over Anna Hasselborg of Sweden. Homan settled for a single in the second and stole two in the third for a 3-0 lead. Hasselborg scored one in the fourth to get on the board. Homan blanked the fifth end and got the three count in six to bring out the handshakes. 

Homan is fresh off of winning her third Masters title in four seasons just a little over a week ago in Truro, N.S. The National has been held annually since the inaugural GSOC season in 2001-02 as a men’s invitational event and expanded this year to include a women’s field. 

The match between Julie Hastings of Thornhill, Ont., and Sherry Middaugh of Coldwater, Ont., has been rescheduled to Draw 10, Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET. 

The National is the third event and second major of the 2015-16 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling season and runs through to Sunday evening at the General Motors Centre.