Homan lone Canadian to make WFG Masters finals

Rachel Homan of Ottawa will be carrying Canada’s hopes into Sunday’s finals at the WFG Masters Grand Slam of Curling at Merlis Belsher Place.

Homan defeated Jennifer Jones and her Winnipeg-based team 8-4 in Saturday night’s women’s semifinals to earn a berth in Sunday’s championship game. She’ll play Silvana Tirinzoni’s crew from Switzerland, who beat Kerri Einarson’s Gimli, Man., team 6-3 in Saturday’s other semifinal.

On the men’s side, Joel Retornaz’s foursome of Italy defeated Brendan Bottcher and his Calgary teammates 7-6 in an extra end in one men’s semifinal, while Ross Whyte of Scotland beat Yannick Schwaller’s Switzerland foursome 9-4 in the other semifinal.

Earlier on Saturday in the men’s quarterfinals, Whyte defeated Brad Gushue’s crew from St. John’s, N.L., 5-2; Schwaller defeated Matt Dunstone’s crew from Winnipeg 6-4; Bottcher rocked Magnus Ramsfjell’s team from Norway 8-3; and Retornaz defeated Reid Carruthers’ crew from Winnipeg 5-1.

In the women’s quarterfinals, Jones defeated Anna Hasselborg of Sweden 5-3; Homan beat Isabella Wrana of Sweden 8-3; Einarson got by Eun Ji Gim of Korea 6-4; and Tirinzoni defeated Tabitha Peterson of St. Paul, Minn., 5-3.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2023.