Team Homan Rachel Homan, far left, Emma Miskew, Alison Kreviazuk and Lisa Weagle gets support from Joanne Pomalis, director of the Ontario Curling Association, at a send-off party at the Ottawa Curling Club before travelling to the world championships.
SAINT JOHN, N.B. — The reigning champions of Canadian women’s curling fell just short of a world title here on the weekend in Saint John, N.B., where the Ottawa Curling Club rink led by skip Rachel Homan lost to Switzerland in a disappointing final match.
Binia Feltscher led her Swiss team to its first women’s world championship, and the country’s fourth, defeating Team Homan at the Ford World Women’s Curling Championship on Sunday.
The Canadians, who curl out of the O’Connor Street club, under the direction of longtime coach Earle Morris, had a near-perfect run in the round-robin games before their silver-medal finish.
Though the early ends were tight, Homan missed a pivotal shot in the eigth end, and left the door open for Feltscher to steal three.
Two back-to-back three point rounds later, the Swiss had jumped out to a 9-5 lead with one end remaining. The Canadians who led early in the game, could not come back in the tenth end, and had to settle for silver.
“I can’t speak . . . I don’t know,” said Feltscher after her win. “There’s a joy in me, but I haven’t yet realized what this feeling is.”
Though her teammates – third Irene Schori, second Franziska Kaufmann, lead Christine Urech, and alternate Carole Howald – were competing in this event for the first time, it was Feltscher’s third appearance at the world championship level.
Feltscher said the eighth end proved to be crucial for her team’s success in this year’s final, as Canada “made more mistakes than they normally make and that seemed to be a factor.”
Alison Kreviazuk, second for Team Homan agreed, saying: “The three in eight was a bit of a turning point. That was a tough end. They made absolutely perfect shots. There wasn’t much we could do. Rachel tried her absolute best, but we didn’t leave her with a heck of a lot.”
This was Team Homan's second showing at a world championship. In 2013, the Canadians lost in the semi-final match.
Despite the tough loss on Sunday, the members of Team Homan remain positive moving forward.
“We still won a silver medal,” said Homan. “The crowd did an unbelievable job today, and we’ll be back for more."