News Canadian Open

Throwback Thursday (TBT) digs through the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling archives as we revisit historical moments of the series. Today we rewind to the 2015 Meridian Canadian Open women’s final in Yorkton, Sask.

Ottawa’s Rachel Homan was on a roll through the Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling series entering last year’s Meridian Canadian Open.

Homan had won back-to-back Grand Slams posting perfect records en route to both the Masters and National titles. Add in a runner-up finish at the Tour Challenge to start the season and that’s quite the impressive run.

The team of Homan, Emma Miskew, Joanne Courtney and Lisa Weagle continued to climb at the Meridian Canadian Open, although they did sustain a blemish to their record during the A-finals against Alina Paetz’s squad from Switzerland. It proved to be only a minor setback though as Homan qualified for the playoffs through the B bracket and charged right through to the final against Winnipeg’s Jennifer Jones.

We’ve seen some epic matches between Homan and Jones in recent years and this one was no different with the five-rock rule ensuring no lead was safe. Jones took two in the first end to set the tone. Homan replied with a three-ender in the second, but the lead seesawed right back as Jones matched with a trio of points in three for a 5-3 advantage.

Homan settled for a single in four to close within one at the break and then stole consecutive ends to pull back ahead 6-5. Again the lead switched hands in the seventh when Jones scored another deuce to go up by one.

Homan put the pressure on in eight with the hammer coming home to sit first and second shot after her first skip stone and didn’t even need to throw the final rock of the game as Jones clipped one of her own with her last.

Team Homan became the first women’s rink to capture three consecutive Grand Slam titles and Homan said she was “pretty excited” to make history in the series. Even on the men’s side only teams skipped by Kevin Martin and Glenn Howard have accomplished that feat.