Canada’s Brad Jacobs secured his second consecutive victory at the Pan Continental Curling Championship by defeating Marc Pfister of the Philippines 10-3 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, defending champion Rachel Homan suffered her first loss of the event, falling 11-5 to Japan before bouncing back with a 10-2 win against New Zealand later in the day.
The Pan Continental event serves as a regional qualifier for the 2026 men’s and women’s world championships. Canada has already secured a spot in the women’s world championship as the host nation from March 14-22 in Calgary. The top four countries in the men’s Pan Continental competition will join the United States as the host for next year’s men’s championship in Ogden City, Utah, from March 27 to April 4.
Brad Jacobs, along with his team members Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert from Calgary’s Glencoe Club, maintained control against the Philippines, led by skip Marc Pfister, who has previously competed internationally for Switzerland.
Jacobs expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance, particularly praising lead Ben Hebert for setting up the ends effectively. Looking ahead, Jacobs and his team view the Pan Continental as crucial preparation for the upcoming Canadian men’s Olympic trials in Halifax from November 22 to 30.
Having won Olympic gold in 2014, Jacobs, who previously played with Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden, and Ryan Harnden, is now in his second season with his current teammates. They have focused on improving their on-ice communication, working closely with sport psychologist Jason Boivin.
The Canadian men’s team is scheduled to face South Korea’s Soo-Hyuk Kim and New Zealand’s Sean Becker on Wednesday. Homan’s team, on the other hand, faced challenges against Japan, ultimately conceding defeat despite their efforts to rally back after a tough third end.
Homan acknowledged the strong performance of their opponents, emphasizing the learning experience gained from the match. The team, consisting of Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew, and Sarah Wilkes, faced a quick turnaround after winning the Co-op Tour Challenge Grand Slam women’s final in Nisku, Alta.