A New Champion Crowned At Brier After Jacobs Defeats Gushue
Alberta's Brad Jacobs emerges victorious, edging out fellow Canadian Gushue to face Manitoba's Dunstone for the title.
KELOWNA, B.C. - A new champion was officially crowned at the Montana's Brier as Alberta's Brad Jacobs secured his spot in the final with a thrilling 7-5 victory over fellow Canadian Brad Gushue on Sunday afternoon at Prospera Place. The match ended dramatically, as Gushue had the opportunity to clinch the win with his final throw during the 10th end. Unfortunately for him, the attempt was too heavy, causing his rock to slide past Jacobs' shot stone.
"We got the biggest break of the year," remarked Jacobs after the match, reflecting on the high-stakes moment. With this victory, Jacobs is set to compete against Manitoba's Matt Dunstone for the title later on Sunday evening. For Jacobs, this is significant as he previously won his only Brier crown back in 2013, whereas Dunstone is still searching for his first title.
Gushue's defeat marks the end of his ambitious quest for a record fourth consecutive Brier title and his seventh overall victory. Gushue acknowledged his disappointment, stating, "Obviously when you have a shot to win the game and you don't do it, you feel bad for your teammates because they put me in a position for us to win. I just overthrew my last rock. I rushed it; I threw it six feet harder than what I needed to throw it. It's just unfortunate."3
Jacobs began the match with the hammer, utilizing it to blank the first three ends effectively. It wasn’t until the fifth end when Jacobs finally struck, scoring three points to take the lead at 3-1. Gushue, not to be outdone, responded with three points of his own during the eighth end, making it clear the battle was far from over. It was Jacobs' big-weight hit for two points during the ninth end followed by his successful theft of victory points which sealed the match.
Jacobs exclaimed, "We grinded all game. Both teams did, and we were able to stick with it right until the end." The path forward for the Brier winner includes not only the glory of victory but also the opportunity to represent Canada at the LGT world men's curling championship taking place from March 29 to April 6, 2026, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
Adding to the excitement of the curling season, Ottawa's Rachel Homan won the Scotties Tournament of Hearts last month held in Thunder Bay, Ontario. She will proudly wear the Maple Leaf at the upcoming world women's playdowns starting Friday, March 14, 2025, at Uijeongbu, South Korea.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 9, 2025.