The absence of five-time champion Rachel Homan from the Canadian women’s curling championship has created an opportunity for other top contenders like Kerri Einarson, Kaitlyn Lawes, and Christina Black. The Scotties Tournament of Hearts, commencing at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ont., will feature teams such as Krista Scharf from Northern Ontario, Jolene Campbell from Saskatchewan, Selena Sturmay from Alberta, and Taylor Reese-Hansen from British Columbia.
Homan, focusing on the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Games in Italy, will not compete for a third consecutive title. Einarson, a four-time champion and 2025 finalist, will represent Canada in her absence. Black and Kayla Skrlik secured pre-qualification berths, while Lawes claimed Einarson’s spot after losing to Beth Peterson in the Manitoba final.
Black, who reached the Olympic trials final by defeating Einarson, expressed confidence in her team’s performance. Jocelyn Peterman will not participate as she prepares for mixed doubles with Brett Gallant at the Winter Games, with Laura Walker stepping in as a replacement.
Calvert earned the Manitoba spot by defeating Lawes in the provincial final. Despite the loss, Lawes secured a pre-qualification berth by a slim margin over Serena Gray-Withers of Alberta.
Additional teams competing in the championship include Melodie Forsythe from New Brunswick, Mackenzie Mitchell from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nicky Kaufman from the Northwest Territories, Taylour Stevens from Nova Scotia, Julia Weagle from Nunavut, Hailey Armstrong from Ontario, Amanda Power from Prince Edward Island, Jolianne Fortin from Quebec, and Bayly Scoffin from Yukon.
The teams will be divided into nine-team pools, with the top three teams from each pool advancing to the playoffs. The winners will progress to the Page playoff games, leading to the selection of the team to represent Canada at the world women’s curling championship in Calgary.
In a separate event, the Canadian men’s curling championship, the Brier, will take place in St. John’s from Feb. 27 to March 8, where the 2025 final saw Brad Jacobs’ Calgary-based team defeating Matt Dunstone’s Winnipeg team.