By Canadian Press

Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing win opener at Canadian mixed doubles curling trials

Dec 30, 2024 | 10:07 AM

LIVERPOOL, N.S. — Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing edged Jessica Zheng and Victor Pietrangelo 6-5 in the opening draw at the Canadian mixed doubles curling trials on Monday.

Jones and Laing scored a deuce in the eighth end for the victory.

In other early games, Rachel Homan and Brendan Bottcher needed only six ends to complete an 8-2 rout of Paige Papley and Evan Van Amsterdam.

Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres scored three points in an extra end for an 8-5 win over Anne-Sophie Gionest and Robert Desjardins. Brittany Tran and Rylan Kleiter posted a 6-3 victory over Steve Laycock and Nancy Martin.

Three more draws were scheduled for later in the day at Queens Place Emera Centre.

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The 16-team field is split into two pools.

The top three teams from each pool will advance to the playoffs starting Thursday. The final is set for Saturday.

The winning duo will represent Canada at the April 26-May 3 world championship in Fredericton, which will determine most of the countries who will compete in mixed doubles at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina, Italy.

If Canada qualifies, the trials winner will also represent the country at the Games.

Canada’s Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris won gold when mixed doubles made its Olympic debut at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in South Korea.

Morris and Homan missed the playoffs at the Beijing Games in 2022.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2024.

The Canadian Press