Winnipeg’s Matt Dunstone maintained his flawless 4-0 record at the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax by defeating St. John’s Brad Gushue 9-7 in the Monday evening session. Dunstone expressed satisfaction with the performance, citing the intense back-and-forth nature of the game. He highlighted his team’s ability to seize control early on despite not having the hammer initially.
Brad Jacobs, the 2014 Olympic champion, led his Calgary team to a 6-3 victory over Winnipeg’s Jordon McDonald, who is still seeking his first win. Meanwhile, Saskatoon’s Mike McEwen emerged victorious over Calgary’s Kevin Koe with a 9-7 score, as both teams now stand at 2-2. Saskatoon’s Ryan Kleiter secured a 10-7 win over Toronto’s John Epping, boosting his record to 1-3.
In the opening draw on Monday, Gushue prevailed over Epping 5-3 in a tight contest, securing the win by stealing points in critical ends. Gushue, a former Olympic champion, is aiming to represent Canada once more at the upcoming Winter Games.
Dunstone started his day with a strong 7-3 win over Kleiter, establishing an early lead and maintaining control throughout. In other matches, Koe clinched an 8-7 victory over McDonald, and Jacobs triumphed over McEwen 6-3.
On the women’s side, Rachel Homan bounced back from a recent loss with a commanding 12-5 win against Selena Sturmay. Homan, a two-time defending Canadian and world women’s champion, improved to 3-1 and regained momentum after a rare defeat.
Kerri Einarson of Gimli, Man, continued her unbeaten streak with a 6-4 win over Winnipeg’s Kaitlyn Lawes, solidifying her position at the top of the standings. The winners of the men’s and women’s events at the curling trials will secure spots to represent Canada at the upcoming 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy.