Favourites Homan, Einarson open Canadian Olympic curling trials with lopsided wins

Tournament favourites Rachel Homan and Kerri Einarson opened with lopsided wins Saturday in the first draw of the 2025 Montana's Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax.

Ottawa's Homan, the two-time reigning Canadian and world women's champion, had a draw for three in the third end and stole four more in the fourth en route to a 16-5 win over Kate Cameron of St. Adolphe, Man.

"I felt like we were learning the ice really well in practice and we came out strong," said Homan, whose team is rounded out by vice-skip Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew, lead Sarah Wilkes, alternate Rachelle Brown and coach Heather Nedohin. "We were making really precise shots and happy to get an early lead. I think they struggled a little bit with the ice, so thankfully we didn't have to make too many precise ones later in the game."

Einarson, from Gimli, Man., opened with steals of two in the first end and four in the second in a 12-5 win over local favourite Christina Black.

"I was actually excited [to play Black in the opening draw]," said Einarson, a four-time Canadian champion who finished runner-up to Homan at this year's Scotties Tournament of Hearts. "You get them on [their] first game so they don't get on a winning streak and the crowd behind them. Our plan was just to take the crowd out of it a little early, and we put a lot of pressure on them in the first half of the game.

"They're a great team. We've had always really good battles with them. It was good to get off to a good start."

Olympic spots are on the line at the 2025 Canadian Curling Trials in Halifax

In the other Saturday afternoon games, Kaitlyn Lawes of Winnipeg stole a deuce in the third end and one in the ninth in a 7-4 triumph over Corryn Brown of Kamloops, B.C. and Selena