By Jonathan Brazeau
NISKU, Alta. — History has repeated at the CO-OP Tour Challenge.
For the third consecutive year, Italy's Stefania Constantini met Canada's Rachel Homan in the preliminary round of the Grand Slam of Curling event.
And for the third consecutive year, Constantini came out on top, this time with an 8-4 victory during Draw 8 Wednesday evening to improve to a 2-0 record.
It's one of those fun facts that shouldn't exist, considering the event hasn't been held in the same venue or even the same province over those years. Yet somehow, Constantini keeps finding ways to defeat the two-time reigning world champ Homan, who holds an absolutely dominant 159-18 total record since the start of the 2023-24 season.
"I think it’s great for sure. The team and I had a great evening," said Constantini, who also started the tournament with an 8-4 win over Japan's Sayaka Yoshimura. "I think it was a good game. We just kept working together as a team, trying to understand that the ice was changing a little bit. It was a matter of dealing with the scoreboard, so playing with the scoreboard, and it was good to have this chance this evening."
Although Team Constantini lost the last stone draw challenge to begin both games, it's been a case of no hammer, no problem.
"That’s why we stay up even if we didn’t have the hammer, but we were able to change it, " Constantini said, "so we are really happy."
Constantini opened the scoring with a steal as Homan's final stone of the first end rubbed her guard.
Homan regrouped with a deuce in the second and forced Constantini to a single in the third, but the 18-time Grand Slam champion from Ottawa attempted a tricky redirect from the wings that rolled high and missed both counters to give up a steal of two.
After Homan bounced back with another pair of points in five, Constantini was held to another lone point in six and a 5-4 advantage.
It looked like Homan (1-1) still had control as she blanked seven to retain the hammer coming home. However, she wasn't able to pull off the angle run double with the last rock of the game to force a shootout as Constantini tacked three points on the board.
KEY SHOT OF THE GAME
Credit to Team Constantini second Elena Mathis, as she held the line and helped her team connect on the hit and stick to score a pivotal point in the sixth end.
TABATA TOPS EINARSON
It was another case of deja vu one sheet over as Japan's Team Tabata, skipped by Miku Nihira, took on Canada's Kerri Einarson for the second straight year at the Silent Ice Center.
Although Team Einarson came out on top when they squared off in pool play during last season's Canadian Open, this rematch was no repeat.
Team Tabata emerged victorious this time around, 7-3, as both teams are now level with 1-1 records.
The game was also closer than the final score indicated, as Team Tabata held the hammer coming home, all tied up. Nihira didn't need to throw her last, though, as Einarson's raise attempt for shot stone failed.
Team Tabata has pulled a lineup switcheroo this week, as Nihira previously threw third while calling the game with Momoha Tabata shooting last. Nihira has shuffled to last rocks, with Tabata sliding over the second, and Sae Yamamoto moving up the third and handling vice skip duties. Lead Mikoto Nakajima is the only player who hasn't switched spots. Did you catch all that?
FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR TIRINZONI
Team Tirinzoni aren’t tired on the ice — nor are they tired of each other.
This is the fourth consecutive week on tour for the Swiss squad, as they followed up their runner-up result to Team Homan in the AMJ Masters in London, Ont., with another second-place finish in the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard and a run to the quarterfinals in the Autumn Gold Curling Classic in Okotoks, Alta.
Fatigue? Not at all, as Alina Pätz, who throws fourth stones on the team, said things are actually going really well.
“We’re still enjoying each other’s company. We’re still enjoying being on the ice,” she said with a smile. “It went by so fast, it’s crazy. Of course, we’re looking forward to going home to see friends and family, but we’re still having lots of fun.”
Pätz said they've been looking forward to playing at the Silent Ice Center once again after finishing runner-up to Homan in last year's Canadian Open.
“It’s just a nice arena,” she said. “The ice is great, the people are great, and it’s just awesome to be back here.”
Tirinzoni climbed to a 2-0 record following a 9-2 victory in only five ends over Seung-youn Ha’s South Korean club during Draw 7.
“To win two games to start at the Grand Slam is great,” Pätz said. “It gives you a great opportunity for the rest of the week, so I just hope we can keep on winning.”
It was the third time the two teams played each other within the past week and a half, with Ha coming out on top during the Toronto final and Tirinzoni taking the rematch in the triple knockout C-qualifiers in Okotoks.
Tirinzoni broke a 2-2 tie with a three-ender in the third and rolled away, stealing pairs of points in the fourth and fifth ends to bring out the handshakes.
“In the past, we had more losses against them than wins, so we just know we have to play really well, try to force them to hit a little more than draw, and today the luck was on our side,” Pätz said. “I think we played a quite good game.”
WEDNESDAY'S RESULTS
Draw 5
• Fujisawa 6, Skrlik 5
• X. Schwaller 5, Yoshimura 4
• Waddell 9, Dropkin 2
• Edin 5, Carruthers 4
Draw 6
• Hasselborg 6, Black 4
• Lawes 7, Gim 4
• Mouat 7, Muskatewitz 3
• Dunstone 7, Hösli 2
Draw 7
• Tirinzoni 9, Ha 2
• Wranå 8, Kim 5
• Retornaz 4, Koe 2
• Kleiter 6, Gushue 5
Draw 8
• Tabata 7, Einarson 3
• Constantini 8, Homan 4
• Epping 6, Whyte 1
• Y. Schwaller 7, McEwen 6
Watch live streaming and replays of every game on rockchannel.com.
UP NEXT
The CO-OP Tour Challenge resumes Thursday with Draw 9 at 8:30 a.m. local time (10:30 a.m. ET). Tickets are available at the box office and online at GSOCtickets.com.
Broadcast coverage in Canada on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ begins with Draw 10 at 2 p.m. ET / Noon MT.
