The Canadian women’s curling championship is set for a shakeup, with Team Kerri Einarson assuming the role of Team Canada at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts next month, following the withdrawal of the reigning champions, Team Rachel Homan.
Curling Canada confirmed Tuesday that Team Homan will not return to defend their second straight Scotties crown, as the Ottawa rink focuses on preparing for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics scheduled for February 2026.
Team Einarson, the silver medallists at the 2025 national playdowns, will instead wear the Maple Leaf colors at the Jan. 23-Feb. 1 playdowns in Mississauga, Ont.
“We are thrilled to be wearing the [Maple Leaf] at the Scotties! It’s always an honour to represent [Canada] and we’re excited to compete in Mississauga soon,” the team posted on social media.
Olympic Success Creates Scotties Void
Team Homan, skipped by Rachel Homan and featuring Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, and Sarah Wilkes, secured Canada’s women’s Olympic spot last week by defeating Team Christina Black 2-0 in the best-of-three final at the Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax.
The withdrawal of the Homan team, which is ranked No. 1 in the world, is considered a blow for the event, which is being held in the Greater Toronto Area for the first time since 2017. The Scotties runs from January 23 to February 1, just 11 days before the women’s Olympic schedule kicks off in Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium. The tight turnaround necessitates Homan’s focus on Olympic training camps planned in Europe.
Team Einarson, skipped by the four-time Scotties champion from Gimli, Man., along with teammates Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, and Karlee Burgess, had already secured one of three pre-qualification berths for the Scotties based on last season’s rankings. The vacated pre-qualification spot will now go to the highest-ranked team that does not qualify via this season’s provincial or territorial playdowns.
Mixed Doubles and Men’s Teams Set
In other Olympic disciplines, Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman will represent Canada in the mixed doubles discipline, which begins February 4.
On the men’s side, Team Brad Jacobs earned their Olympic spot by defeating Team Matt Dunstone 2-0 in the Trials final. Team Jacobs, which includes Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert, are the reigning Montana’s Brier champions and are slated to return as the Canadian entry at the 2026 Brier in St. John’s, N.L., which begins February 27.
