Rachel Homan makes Grand Slam history, cruising to curling title after early steal

Canadian skip Rachel Homan made history on Sunday when her Ottawa-based team defeated Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni 8-2 in the final of the CO-OP Tour Challenge in Nisku, Alta.Surpasses Kevin Martin for most GS championships with rout of Swiss skip Silvana TirinzoniThe Canadian Press · Posted: Oct 19, 2025 8:40 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 hours ago Ottawa skip Rachel Homan’s rink earned $34,500 for Sunday’s 8-2 victory over Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni in the final of the CO-OP Tour Challenge in Nisku, Alta. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press/File)Canadian skip Rachel Homan made history on Sunday when her Ottawa-based team defeated Switzerland’s Silvana Tirinzoni 8-2 in the final of the CO-OP Tour Challenge in Nisku, Alta. It was Homan’s 19th Grand Slam title, surpassing Alberta rock star Kevin Martin for the most among all skips across both divisions. Homan, who grew up a stone’s throw away in nearby Beaumont, Alta., won the final in front of family, friends and a house full of fans. The team of Homan, third Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew and lead Sarah Wilkes earned $34,500 for the victory. It was the third straight time — and ninth overall – that Homan and Tirinzoni met in a Grand Slam women’s final. The Switzerland skip won the Players’ Championship last April and Homan won last month’s AMJ Masters. Homan leads the head-to-head showdowns 7-2. “You couldn’t ask for anything more than that to have your home Slam be the one that you break records,” said Homan. “It’s just really surreal right now to be able to do it in front of friends and family.” Homan got off to a great start in the final, scoring four in the first end. She led 5-2 after four ends, then sealed the deal with a steal of one in the fifth and two in the sixth. On the men’s side, Bruce Mouat of Scotland scored deuces in the first and fourth ends en route to a 5-2 win over Matt Dunstone of Winnipeg, Man. It was Mouat’s 11th Grand Slam title. Dunstone won his second Grand Slam at last month’s AMJ Masters in London, Ont. It was a much-hyped rematch of the 2016 world junior final, with Dunstone collecting bronze for Canada and Mouat winning gold for Scotland.