Canada's Homan hands Switzerland 1st loss, improves to 7-2 at curling worlds

Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni is undefeated no longer after meeting Canada's Rachel Homan.

Homan handed Tirinzoni her first loss of the round-robin with a 7-6 extra-end victory at the LGT women's world curling championship on Thursday in Uijeongbu-si, South Korea.

The Ottawa-based team, which also includes Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew and Sarah Wilkes, scored a point with the hammer in the 11th end to improve to 7-2 at Uijeongbu Arena.

"It took us 11 ends to beat them, and I'm just really proud of my team for sticking together and trying to make the next one," Homan said in a press release.

Canada is tied with Sweden's Anna Hasselborg and South Korea's Eunji Gim, while Tirinzoni leads the standings at 8-1.

The top six teams in the 13-team field will advance to the weekend playoffs, while the bottom four compete in a qualifying round for a spot in the semifinals.

The win virtually guaranteed Canada a spot in the women's curling competition at the 2026 Olympics, according to Curling Canada.

"I feel pretty proud that we're able to represent Canada and get enough points to get to an Olympic spot," Homan said. "I'm just proud that we're able to clinch that spot for Canada."

WATCH | Homan hands Switzerland 1st loss at women's curling worlds:

Canada's Homan hands Switzerland's Tirinzoni 1st loss at women's curling worlds

China's Rui Wang was in fifth place at 5-3, ahead of Scotland's Sophie Jackson and Denmark's Madeleine Dupont at 5-4.

Canada was scheduled to play Japan's Sayaka Yoshimura (3-6) later Thursday.

Homan beat Tirinzoni to win gold at the 2024 world playdowns in Sydney, N.S.

The five-time Canadian champion took a 1-0 lead in the second on Thursday before three alternating two-score ends made it 4-3 Tirinzoni