If you were watching the final rocks slide down the ice at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay, you saw it. It wasn't just another curling match. It was a demolition. Honestly, the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts was less of a tournament and more of a coronation for Rachel Homan.
People talk about "peak performance" all the time in sports, but Homan's rink redefined the term this past February. They didn't just win; they went undefeated for the second year in a row. Let that sink in. 22 consecutive wins at the national level. That’s essentially impossible in a sport where a single microscopic piece of lint on the ice can ruin a $30,000 shot.
The Homan Perfection Nobody Expected
The headline story coming out of Thunder Bay wasn't just the win, but how it happened. Rachel Homan became the first player in history—at any position—to shoot a perfect 100 percent in a Scotties gold-medal game.
Think about that.
Every hit, every draw, every delicate tap-back was exactly where it needed to be. Against Kerri Einarson, no less! Einarson isn't some underdog; she’s a four-time champ. But in that 6-1 final, Manitoba basically spent nine ends chasing a ghost.
The game was actually pretty tight for the first six ends. Defensive. Gritty. The kind of curling that makes your palms sweat even if you’re just sitting on your couch. But then the wheels sort of fell off for Einarson in the seventh. She got caught in some tricky ice paths, and Homan... well, Homan doesn't miss. Team Canada stole points in three straight ends. By the time they shook hands in the ninth, it felt like we’d witnessed a glitch in the matrix.
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Why This Win Was Different
- The undefeated streak: Two straight years without a loss at the Scotties. That is a 22-0 record.
- The shooting percentage: 100% for Homan in the final.
- The coaching factor: Jennifer Jones, the GOAT herself, was on the bench coaching Team Canada.
- The "Big Weight" advantage: Homan’s ability to throw high-velocity hits is changing how the women's game is played strategically.
The Heartbreak and Heroics of Christina Black
While Homan was being a robot, the real "human" story of the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts was Nova Scotia's Christina Black. If you like an underdog who refuses to go away, this was your team.
Black made it all the way to the semifinal. She had this crazy game against Alberta’s Kayla Skrlik where Skrlik needed a quadruple takeout (yeah, you read that right) to tie it. She missed by an inch. Then, in the semi against Einarson, Black was right there until the very last rock. She ended up losing 9-8 in a heartbreaker, but she proved that the gap between the "Big Three" and the rest of the field is closing. Sorta.
Thunder Bay Delivered the Atmosphere
We have to talk about the venue. Back in 2022, Thunder Bay hosted the Scotties, but the stands were empty because of the pandemic. It was weirdly quiet.
2025 was the "do-over" the city deserved.
The Fort William Gardens was packed. Over 54,000 fans showed up throughout the week. You could actually hear the roar on the broadcast every time the hometown favorite, Krista McCarville, stepped into the hack. McCarville didn't make the deep run everyone hoped for—finishing 4-4 in her pool—but the energy she brought to the building was electric.
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The Snowstorm Chaos
Curling is a winter sport, so naturally, mother nature had to mess with the schedule. A massive snowstorm in Southern Ontario delayed a bunch of flights. Team BC and Saskatchewan's lead, Deanna Doig, didn't even get to the arena until the morning of the first draw.
Most people would be a mess. They just went out and won their opening games anyway. It’s that kind of "get it done" attitude that makes curling fans so loyal.
What This Means for the 2026 Olympics
Because Homan won, she secured her spot as Team Canada for the Worlds in South Korea, but more importantly, she solidified her status for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
Wait, actually, let me clarify that.
Homan had already qualified for the Canadian Curling Trials because she won in 2024. So, the "extra" trials berth actually trickles down to the highest-ranked team on the CTRS (Canadian Team Ranking System) that hasn't qualified yet. This keeps the points race incredibly tense heading into the end of the season.
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The Technical Shift: Why Homan Is Unbeatable Right Now
Expert analysis usually points to Homan’s "up-weight" hits. In the past, the women's game was dominated by finesse and draws. Homan plays more like the top men's rinks. If you leave two stones anywhere near each other, she’s going to blast them both out of the house.
It forces other skips to play a much more "open" game, which is exactly what Homan wants. She’s basically dictated the meta-game of curling for the next four years.
What should you watch for next?
If you're following the fallout of the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, keep your eyes on the Grand Slam of Curling Players' Championship this April. Since Homan and Einarson are already safe for the Olympic Trials, that tournament is where the final "wildcard" spots will be decided based on the remaining CTRS points.
Also, keep an eye on the 2025 World Women's Curling Championship results from South Korea. Canada needs a podium finish there to ensure they have the best possible seeding heading into the 2026 Olympic cycle.
Basically, the 2025 Scotties was the start of the most intense 18 months in Canadian curling history. If you missed the live action, go back and watch the seventh end of the final. It’s a masterclass in pressure.