Canada’s Brad Jacobs emerged victorious at the men’s Pan Continental Curling Championship by defeating John Schuster of the United States 7-3 on Sunday. The Pan Continental serves as a qualifying event for the 2026 men’s and women’s world championships.
Jacobs, who clinched the bronze at the 2025 world championship in April, needed to finish among the top four teams to secure Canada’s spot at the upcoming championships in Ogden City, Utah. With a steal of two points in the 10th end, Jacobs, along with his team comprising Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert from Calgary’s Glencoe Club, secured the victory over Schuster, who led the U.S. to gold in the 2018 Olympic Games.
The Canadian team maintained an undefeated record in Virginia, Minn., securing their country’s third gold medal in four years. Jacobs expressed his satisfaction, stating, “It’s always great to throw the Maple Leaf on, and it makes you a little bit more hungry and motivated to go and try to wear it again.”
Looking ahead, Jacobs and his team will head to California for the Kioti Grand Slam of Curling Tahoe commencing on Nov. 4. Subsequently, they will be part of the eight men’s teams competing in Halifax at the Montana’s Canadian Trials from Nov. 22-30 for the opportunity to represent Canada at the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina, Italy in February.
Furthermore, the team aims to defend their Canadian title at the Brier in St. John’s from Feb. 27 to March 8. The Pan Continental championship provided them with valuable experience against international competitors, with Gallant emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities in finals.
On the women’s side, Canada’s Rachel Homan faced a 7-6 defeat against Rui Wang of China in the gold-medal game, with China securing a crucial point in the seventh end. Homan acknowledged the team’s fatigue, having recently won a Grand Slam event in Alberta. Despite the loss, Homan expressed pride in her team’s performance throughout the event.
In the bronze-medal game, South Korea’s Team Eunji Gim triumphed over Team Tabitha Peterson of the United States 11-8. Canada had already secured a spot in the 2026 women’s world championship in Calgary as the host nation.
The Pan Continental championship, introduced four years ago by World Curling, provided a platform for North American and Asian teams, but changes in championship structures have led to the end of this event. The European championship will continue as a standalone competition.
