Ontario skip Rachel Homan yells to her sweepers as they take on Manitoba in the gold medal match at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in St. Catharines, Ont., on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2017. Homan capped an impressive season of curling by winning the Champions Cup. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
April 30, 2017 - 5:23 PM
CALGARY - Rachel Homan capped an impressive season of curling by winning the Champions Cup.
The Ottawa skip downed Sweden's Anna Hasselborg 5-4 in the title draw at Canada Olympic Park on Sunday in the final Grand Slam of Curling event of the season.
"It's really exciting that we were able to finish the season off with a win," said Homan. "Team Hasselborg played really well, we had to fight for every shot."
Hasselborg led 4-3 going into the final end, but Homan grabbed a deuce for the victory.
Homan was joined by her usual teammates, third Emma Miskew and lead Lisa Weagle.
Sarah Wilkes subbed in for regular second Joanne Courtney, who was absent while playing in the world mixed doubles championship with Winnipeg's Reid Carruthers. They captured silver to help Canada clinch an Olympic spot in mixed doubles for the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea.
Homan won the Scotties Tournament of Hearts earlier this season to qualify for the Champions Cup. She also became the first women's skip to go undefeated (13-0) en route to gold at the 2017 world championship.
Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., won the men's title, downing Calgary's Kevin Koe 6-2 in the final.
Jacobs scored two in the second end and never trailed. Koe replied with two of his own in the third, but Jacobs scored the final four points before the two skips shook hands after seven ends.
Jacobs, third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harnden and lead Ryan Harnden made the final of four Grand Slam of Curling events this season, also winning the National.
"We've been in our fair share of finals and lost a couple of times, so any time you can win one is great," said Jacobs.
Koe was joined by third Marc Kennedy, second Brent Laing and lead Ben Hebert.
Team Homan and Team Jacobs both take home $40,000 for their victories. They also earned automatic berths into next season's Champions Cup.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2017