Nova Scotia and Ontario claim 2024 Everest Canadian Club Championship titles

One team returned to the stage and conquered it once more. With plenty of determination and grit, the other took it one step further than before.

Ontario’s Team Jordan Keon (Richmond Hill Curling Club) claimed its second national title, while Nova Scotia’s Team Michelle Armstrong (Lakeshore Curling Club, Lower Sackville), rebounding from a previous gold-medal loss, triumphed this year to become champions at the 2024 Everest Canadian Curling Club Championships.

For Team Armstrong, including skip Armstrong, vice-skip Julie McEvoy, second Abby Miller, lead Kathleen Conrod and alternate Mary Mason, Sunday’s gold-medal win takes the team one step further than its silver-medal finish in 2018. When the Nova Scotians arrived at the Barrie Curling Club earlier this week, that gold-medal game was on their minds.

But overcoming a five-point deficit to win that gold-medal game against previously unbeaten Team Amanda Power of Prince Edward Island? A 9-8 extra-end win seemed far from reality. 

The phrase ‘Pressure is a privilege,’ shared by fellow Nova Scotian skip Travis Stone earlier this week, stayed etched in Armstrong’s mind.

Trailing 8-3 at the fourth-end break, Armstrong and her team embraced the pressure instead of shying away from it.

“I’ll be honest, we haven’t played our best games all week. No game was pretty and we never had eight straight ends that were good. It was first-half lights on and then the wheels fall off in the second half or vice-versa. So to fight back, that’s what I had to do because there many times when I was sitting in the hack and it wasn’t pretty. That was my reminder. I’m privileged to be in the situation right now, so it’s mine to lose,” Armstrong said.

Nova Scotia found its turning point in the fifth end, sparking some life with three counters hidden behind a centre guard. Prince Edward Island’s attempt to limit the damage by drawing into the pile was heavy, leaving Nova Scotia with a routine hit for four.

“I’m still shocked. We wanted that so bad. That was what kept us focused and come back in this game. We didn’t really apply pressure on them in the first half and we knew we needed to do that to force mistakes out of them,” Armstrong said.

Nova Scotia followed up with a steal of two in the seventh end, limited Prince Edward Island to a single in the eighth, and entered the extra end with the hammer. On their final shot, Prince Edward Island narrowly missed a slash double to sit one and Nova Scotia clinched the victory without the need to throw its final stone.

Armstrong credited the victory to a full-team effort, including alternate Mary Mason, who did not travel with the team. Mason, a key member of the squad, stayed behind in Nova Scotia after recently giving birth and missing the season’s training, prioritizing the team’s best chance to win.

“She’s a key teammate and she helped us get here. It’s certainly hard for her to be at home and watching us from the screen, but she was here with us throughout this whole game and we did this for her,” Armstrong said.

It is the first time Nova Scotia has won the women’s championship at this event. In 2021, Nova Scotia earned its first men’s title.

While Nova Scotia’s journey was defined by resilience, Ontario’s run showcased dominance from start to finish.

Ontario’s Team Keon delivered a flawless performance this week, finishing with a perfect 10-0 record. The team previously won this event in 2022 with a slightly different lineup, but Keon’s transition to skip has worked. He attributed their success to solid starts in every game, and the gold-medal match was no exception.

Ontario, skip Keon, vice-skip Ryan Werenich, second Curtis Samoy and lead Trevor Talbott of the Richmond Curling Club, defeated Manitoba’s Team Zachary Wasylik (Pembina Curling Club, Winnipeg) with a decisive 7-3 victory, securing the province’s fifth men’s title at this event.

With the hammer in the first end, Ontario forced Manitoba into difficult shot-making scenarios, including a challenging cross-house double on its final shot. When that attempt missed, Team Keon capitalized with a draw for three, setting the tone for the rest of the game.

“We played really well. We had a great first end and had really good first ends all week. It was awesome to come out here with the hammer and have that good first end and keep the pressure on. Even when we gave up a steal, we played a good end, too,” Keon said.

The steal occurred in the third after Manitoba scored a single in the second. Ontario’s final shot—a hit along a wide path—floated off-target, allowing Manitoba to close the gap to one. However, that was as close as Manitoba would get. Ontario regained control, scoring a three-ender in the seventh to take a commanding four-point lead, then ran Manitoba out of stones in the eighth to clinch the win.

Winning a national championship is a cherished milestone for any curler, especially at the club level. However, Team Keon’s celebration comes with the expectation of being back at the Richmond Hill Curling Club for their regularly scheduled Monday night league.

“It doesn’t get old. We’re club curlers, so we have a game tomorrow in our league. That’s what we do, so we never take these moments for granted. None of us are getting any younger, so to come out here, have a great weekend, and go 10-0—you never expect to do that, so it feels awesome,” Keon said.

The bronze-medal winners were also determined on Sunday. In the women’s game Manitoba’s Team Deb McCreanor (La Salle Curling Club) defeated Quebec’s Team Gabrielle Lavoie (Victoria Curling Club, Quebec City) with a 6-5 win. In the men’s bronze-medal game, Northern Ontario’s Team Dylan Johnston (Fort William Curling Club, Thunder Bay) overcame Quebec’s Team Stéphane Brabant (Boucherville Curling Club) with a 9-5 victory.

For live scores and standings, visit the scoreboard page.

For team lineups, draw times, and other event details, visit the event website.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at: https://www.curling.ca/?lang=fr