Team Rachel Homan is gearing up for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, leaving Team Kerri Einarson to represent Canada at the upcoming Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Mississauga, Ont. Curling Canada announced that Homan, the two-time defending Scotties champion, will not be returning to defend her title. Einarson’s team, having secured a silver at the 2025 national playdowns, will now take on the role of Team Canada at the Jan. 23-Feb. 1 event.
Expressing their excitement, Einarson and her team shared their anticipation of wearing the Maple Leaf at the Scotties and competing in Mississauga. The foursome, led by Einarson, a four-time Scotties winner from Gimli, Man., alongside Val Sweeting, Shannon Birchard, and Karlee Burgess, had already secured one of the three pre-qualification spots for the event based on last season’s rankings.
The vacant pre-qualification position left by Homan’s withdrawal will be filled by the highest-ranked team that doesn’t qualify through this season’s provincial/territorial playdowns, as stated by Curling Canada. Homan’s team, comprising Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, and Sarah Wilkes, emerged victorious over Christina Black’s Halifax team in a best-of-three final at the recent Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials, where Black had defeated Einarson in the semifinal.
The absence of Team Homan at the Scotties is a setback for the competition at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre. The skip, a 36-year-old Ottawa native, was prominently featured in promotional material leading up to the event, with her team currently holding the top rank globally. This 18-team event marks the first time it is being hosted in the Greater Toronto Area.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts will see the participation of 14 provincial and territorial teams, with Black and Team Kayla Skrlik of Calgary already securing pre-qualification berths. Following the Scotties, Canadian curling training camps are scheduled in Europe ahead of the Winter Olympics, which begin on Feb. 4. The women’s curling events commence on Feb. 12 at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
In mixed doubles, Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman will represent Canada, starting their campaign on Feb. 4. Gallant’s men’s team, featuring skip Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, and Ben Hebert, will kick off on Feb. 11. Meanwhile, Team Jacobs, the reigning Montana’s Brier champions, are set to return as the Canadian representatives at the 2026 playdowns, alongside pre-qualified teams led by Dunstone, Gushue, and McEwen. The Brier is set to start on Feb. 27, shortly after the conclusion of the men’s curling events at the Olympics.