Jordan McDonald’s curling team claims last men’s berth in Olympic trials

WOLFVILLE — Jordan McDonald’s curling team advanced to Canada’s Olympic trials with an 8-5 win over Braden Calvert in Sunday’s final of the Home Hardware Canadian Curling Pre-Trials.

McDonald, Jacques Gauthier, Elias Huminicki and Cam Olafson out of Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Memorial Curling Club will complete the field of eight men’s teams vying for the right to represent Canada in February’s Winter Olympics in Italy.

The Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials are Nov. 22-30 in Halifax.

McDonald took the best-of-three pre-trials final in a clash of Winnipeg teams.

“It’s unbelievable,” said McDonald. “I feel like this team really deserved that win. We worked really hard. We didn’t have quite the start of the season that we wanted, but we stayed patient and did a really good prep for this event. It finally clicked.”

Calvert’s foursome out of the Fort Rouge club forced a third and deciding game by winning the second 8-5 on Saturday. McDonald took the first game 10-5 in Wolfville, N.S.

At 22, McDonald is the youngest skip to qualify for trials.

“I really wanted to win this event,” said McDonald. “It just feels like this is such a big win early in my career, and I hope that I can build off this win and continue to do some good things in this sport.”

Up 6-5 heading into the ninth end, McDonald scored two to lead by three coming home. The skip executed a double takeout through a port for the win with his last stone of the 10th end to run Calvert out of rocks.

Kayla MacMillan’s Victoria Curling Club foursome was to meet Edmonton’s Selena Sturmay in the third and deciding game of the women’s final later Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2025.