Jones’s jacket hangs in suite as family members watch Canadian Curling Trials

HALIFAX — Members of Colleen Jones’s family displayed one of her curling jackets in a suite at Scotiabank Centre during the women’s semifinal at the Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials on Thursday.

Jones, a six-time national women’s champion, died Tuesday at age 65.

She wore the blue and white Nova Scotia jacket at the 2011 Canadian senior curling championship in Digby, N.S.

Her husband, Scott Saunders, and sons Zach and Luke were among several family members who took in the afternoon matchup between local favourite Christina Black and Kerri Einarson.

Black won 6-3 to advance to the final against Rachel Homan.

Jones, a Halifax native, was recently inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame. She was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.

HOMAN PREPARES

In her first season working with Homan’s Ottawa-based team, coach Heather Nedohin has been impressed by the rink’s dynamics, dedication and a sisterhood she called “immensely strong.”

“They definitely have the championship composure – both on and off the ice – with their work ethic,” Nedohin said Thursday morning.

Homan, third Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew, lead Sarah Wilkes and alternate Rachelle Brown had a 25-minute practice session to prepare for their best-of-three final.

The team earned a direct berth to the final by topping the round-robin standings. The first-place men’s team skipped by Brad Jacobs also practised on the off-day.

SENIOR PLAYDOWNS

Several Olympians will be in the field at the upcoming Canadian senior curling championships in Ottawa.

Mike Harris, who skipped Canada to a silver medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, will represent Ontario at the Nov. 29-Dec. 6 event.

Glenys Bakker, who earned bronze at the 2006 Turin Games with skip Shannon Kleibrink, is vice-skip of Delia DeJong’s Alberta side.

There are 14 teams entered in the men’s draw and the women’s draw. The winners will represent Canada at the 2026 world senior playdowns in Geneva, Switzerland.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2025.