 2025 Canadian Olympic Trials home team Christina Black acknowledges the crowd after a win at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, N.S on Nov. 23. By Meredith McCullum Christina Black and her Halifax, N.S. rink lost 12-3 to #1 World-Ranked Rachel Homan in game two of a best-of-three final. Homan's rink became the 2025 Canadian Olympic Trials Champions in front of an electric crowd at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax. Despite an 0-2 start, losing 12-5 and 8-2 to Kerri Einarson and Homan respectively, Black - competing on a five player squad with Jill Brothers, Marlee Powers, Karlee Everist and Jenn Baxter - won four of their next five games to earn a 4-3 record and (with a good LSD rank on their side) a spot in the Canadian Olympic Trials semifinal. "We came into this thing believing we could get the third spot in the playoffs," said Black, full of smiles and emotion following the final game of round robin action Wednesday night. "We never gave up believing and we did it." The semifinal was a rematch against Kerri Einarson, and three points in the ninth end helped Black's rink came out on top 6-3. It was the first win of Black's career against Einarson. "We started out so poorly against [Einarson] this week...we couldn't read the ice. We were bad," said Brothers. "It was such a different team [in the second game] and to win that here in front of everyone was really awesome." The first game of the final was an intense back-and-forth battle on challenging ice that came down to a tricky in-off for the win that Black missed on her final shot. Homan won 5-4. The second game was more lopsided, with Homan picking up four points in the third end and cruising to a 12-3 victory. "We know they're an empire...There's a lot of support behind them, wanting to send the best team ever to the Olympics," said Brothers on team Homan after game 2. "I ripped off my glove to give Rachel a handshake and she just gave me a huge hug. I was like, 'you guys are the best, go crush it.'" Though Homan took control of game two early, the crowd never stopped cheering for their hometown heroes. "This crowd, cheering for us, cheering our names, singing songs, all of the signs. They were so fun," said Black, reflecting on the week. "I don't know how many people there are in this building, but I don't know if I'll every play in front of a crowd that large again. It was really special and I know that's something I'm going to remember for the rest of my life." The number of fans at Scotiabank Centre on Saturday afternoon was 7267, the highest attendance of the week. Cheering loudest of all was Luke Saunders, son of curling legend Colleen Jones who passed away Tuesday morning. After a week full of emotions for his family and the entire curling community, Saunders sat in a skybox for game two of the Trials finals, cheering on his fiance Marlee Powers and the rest of team Black. He led the crowd in various "Team Black" chants, shouted out each player with individual cheers and sang Randy Newman's song "You've Got a Friend in me" at the top of his lungs. "I never know what he's going to say, but he's here and he supports us so much," said Powers. "He's just our number one fan. I know the girls love it, and yeah, I do too." Black's rink will now turn their attention to the Scotties, which they have pre-qualified for based on their 2024-25 Canadian Team Ranking System results. The Scotties begin in Mississauga, Ont. on Jan. 23. Linescores, standings and team will be available at curlingzone.com. |
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Calgary's Brad Jacobs (Photo: Curling Canada/Andrew Klaver) defeats Winnipeg's Matt Dunstone 6-5, winning 2 games to 0 in a best-of-three final at the Montana's Canadian Olympic Curling Trials in Halifax, N.
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