LONDON, Ont. — Rachel Homan captured a record-extending 18th Grand Slam of Curling women's championship at the AMJ Masters.
Homan and her Canadian club took the title with a 6-4 victory over Silvana Tirinzoni's Swiss squad Sunday at the Western Fair Sports Centre.
Both Homan and second Emma Miskew also tied legendary men's skip Kevin Martin for the most Grand Slam titles among all players, regardless of gender.
"Really special and really cool," Homan said. "We’ve curled together for so many years, and to be able to put a team together that is all driving in the same direction and working hard, it’s really fun to be able to do that with your best friend."
Lead Sarah Wilkes lives in London and said it was amazing to win in her hometown.
"It’s nice to have family and friends here, and to do it in London is just incredible," Wilkes said. "The crowds were so much fun. It meant a lot."
The team of Homan, Miskew, Wilkes and third Tracy Fleury went undefeated through the tournament, although it wasn't always easy as they needed two shootout wins during preliminary play against Sweden's Team Isabella Wranå and China's Team Wang Rui and an extra-end victory over Japan's Team Momoha Tabata in the quarterfinals.
"We definitely just kept building as the week went on, learn as much as we could as every game progressed and really just stuck together in every game and tried to make the next one," Homan said.
Tirinzoni entered the final undefeated as well — although her team won all four preliminary games in regulation — and started with the hammer.
After singles back and forth to start, Homan stole one in the third for a 2-1 lead. With two Homan stones on the button, Tirinzoni's fourth Alina Pätz drew around and bumped off one, but the other remained untouched.
Tirinzoni pulled into the lead in the fourth. Homan’s cross-house double attempt rolled under and away, allowing Pätz to draw anywhere into the rings for a deuce and a 3-2 advantage at the halftime break.
The second half was all Homan. The two-time reigning world champion drew for a deuce in the fifth and stole two in the sixth as she sat four counters and Pätz had to draw wide around to limit the damage.
"They played phenomenal," Homan said. "I thought it was a really great game on both sides and really just a rock here or there that made a big difference in the end. We got a steal late in the game, and I think that was the difference."
It was more trouble for Tirinzoni in the seventh with Homan making a double to sit four rocks in the rings again, however, Pätz connected on the hit for a single.
That handed Homan the hammer coming home, and Tirinzoni conceded before her team threw its last rock.
It was the eighth Grand Slam final between the two teams, with Homan holding a 6-2 advantage.
"You know it’s always going to be a great game against them," Wilkes said. "They always bring their best and we know that we have to bring our best every time we play them. It was a battle like it is every time."
Earlier Saturday, Canada's Team Matt Dunstone claimed the AMJ Masters men's title with a 6-4 extra-end victory over Scotland's Team Ross Whyte.
TIER 2, GSOC WHEELCHAIR INVITATIONAL RESULTS
Japan's Team Ikue Kitazawa edged Scotland's Team Rebecca Morrison 6-5 in an extra end to take the AMJ Masters Tier 2 women's title.
Team Danny Casper of the United States won the men's title, doubling up on Canada's Team Kevin Koe 4-2.
Canada Red claimed gold in the GSOC Wheelchair Invitational with a 7-2 victory over Great Britain. Canada White grabbed bronze, defeating Italy 5-4.
UP NEXT
The Grand Slam of Curling season continues with the CO-OP Tour Challenge, Oct. 14-19, at the Silent Ice Center in Nisku, Alta.
Full-event and weekend passes, plus single draw tickets, are now available at GSOCtickets.com.
