Team Canada completes dominant BKT Tires World Women’s Curling Championship with gold medal 

Team Canada put an exclamation point on its dominating week at the 2024 BKT Tires World Women’s Curling Championship with a gold-medal victory Sunday, and feelings of joy and relief could be felt across the country’s curling community.

Skip Rachel Homan and her team from the Ottawa Curling Club claimed gold with a nerve-shredding 7-5 victory over four-time defending champions Team Switzerland in the championship final in Sydney, N.S., ending a six-year absence for Canadian teams at the top of the women’s podium.

The victory touched off a wild celebration for Homan and Co. — vice-skip Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew, lead Sarah Wilkes, alternate Rachel Brown and coached by Don Bartlett and national coach Viktor Kjell — who worked so hard all season, and in Sydney, to make it happen.

“Unbelievable, I can’t describe the feeling,” said Homan, who was urged on by 4,373 fans in Centre 200 who helped push her team to victory, and helped celebrate at the finish. “The work we put in and the success we had to finish up the season (like this) means everything to us.”

It was the climax all Canadian curling fans were waiting for. Team Homan jacked up their hopes by ripping through the 13-team round robin in first place with an 11-1 record and then defeating Team South Korea in the semifinal.

That Team Switzerland—mighty Team Switzerland—stood in their way for the gold made the victory even sweeter. Skip Silvana Tirinzoni and fourth Alina Paetz were gunning for an astounding fifth consecutive victory, and front enders Selina Witschonke and Carole Howald were along for the ride and contributing to the team’s legendary success.

Once again, it was too much Homan, who was the all-star skip at the event. She kept her team in it over the first four ends with a couple of pressure draws, then let loose with a couple of ‘Homan Specials’ after that.

In the fifth, she took advantage of a rare miss by Paetz, who failed to freeze to a Canadian shot rock on the button and then delivered a double for two to tie the game 4-4.

She saved her best in the ninth end when she decided to play a split on her front stone for three, and made it perfectly. Team Canada, with a  a 7-5 lead, was on its way and ran the Swss out of rocks in the 10th.

“It was a line we hadn’t seen yet,” said Homan. “Unbelievable sweep on that split for three, that was the game right there. I’m just so proud of my team. Just a phenomenal team shot.” 

The Swiss were saluted for their four-year run. Defending a championship is tough. Everything must go right once more, and the Swiss did it again, and again, and again.

“They were phenomenal,” said Homan. “It’s amazing to be able to beat them. They’ve had an amazing run and will be here for a long time.”

It was a first world title for Wilkes, who was overwhelmed when it was over.

“Incredible, I think I’m still in shock a little bit,” she said. “I’m just so happy my family is there and I can share this with them and with my teammates and their families. There’s still a lot of adrenaline running through my body right now but I’m sure when I come down I’ll feel all the emotions.” 

It was also Fleury’s first world title.

“Switzerland came out really strong, making a lot of shots, especially at the beginning of the game. We just tried to stay patient, stick to our game and we got a couple of opportunities.”

It was Homan and Miskew’s second world titles, winning the first at the 2017 championship in Beijing, China.

The Frances Brodie Award for sportsmanship was also announced on Sunday. Angela Romei, second for Team Italy, received the sportsmanship award. The winner is selected by fellow curlers in the tournament.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/2024worldwomen/nouvelles/?lang=fr