Team Gushue faced off against Scotland’s Team Mouat on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at the HearingLife Tour Challenge curling finals held at the Bell Aliant Centre in Charlottetown, PEI. After some intense preliminary rounds, Gushue made it to the championship match against Mouat, but it ended with disappointment as Gushue was defeated 10-3.
The path to the finals was no easy feat for Gushue’s crew from St. John's, Newfoundland, who had to win multiple games on the same day just to secure their spot. On Saturday, Gushue went through the intense grind of three consecutive matches, first edging out Team Niklas Edin with a close 3-2 victory, followed by defeating Team Ross Whyte 5-4. He capped the day with another demanding match against Team Matt Dunstone, which he won decisively 7-3.
After such an exhausting day, Gushue acknowledged the challenge, stating, "It’s crazy how these events work. You play one game a day, feel like you don’t play at all, and then suddenly you have to play three with barely any rest between matches." Despite the fatigue, he was hopeful for their final, noting, “Hopefully, we can get as much rest as we can and maybe improve just another notch tomorrow.” Gushue’s team, driven by adrenaline and the support of their fans, were prepared to give it their all.
On the other side, Bruce Mouat and his team had been on fire throughout the competition. He rolled through the A Event of the triple knockout stage without issue, defeating Team James Craik 8-4 and later Team Mike McEwen 6-2 in the semi-finals. Mouat described how their success stemmed from maintaining solid intensity during their matches: "We came out with really good intensity this afternoon. We played really well against James and the boys and then just carried it over against Mike.”
While Team Mouat was riding high on momentum, Gushue's route was filled with nail-biters. His win against Edin required him to execute a difficult double raise takeout shot, resulting in loud cheers from spectators. Gushue's experience as one of the top-ranked curlers was evident. He has claimed 15 Grand Slam of Curling titles, making him one of the most accomplished skips.
Despite the adrenaline-pumping games leading up to the finals, Team Gushue couldn’t find their rhythm against a powerful Mouat squad during the championship. Mouat quickly scored five points during the seventh end, which effectively sealed the deal for Gushue, needing only three more points to claim the victory.
Afterwards, Mouat expressed his happiness with the win, stating, "We’re very excited to be playing well and enjoying ourselves—our team seems to be firing on all cylinders right now." This championship title holds special significance for Mouat as he looks to join the elite group of players who have captured all Grand Slam titles, following Gushue's lead.
Notably, Gushue previously won the Tour Challenge back in 2017 and takes pride as the only men’s skip to have captured every title within the series. He acknowledged the competition's fierce nature and recognized the difficulties presented by the tournament format. Commenting on the experience against Mouat, Gushue noted, "They seem to be firing on all cylinders and we’re right now just smoke and mirrors, so we may need to rely more on experience.”
The women’s final also drew considerable attention, with Team Rachel Homan facing off against Kerri Einarson’s squad. Homan secured her position by narrowly defeating Winnipeg’s Team Kaitlyn Lawes 4-3, whereas Einarson managed to edge past Team Satsuki Fujisawa of Japan with a 6-4 win during overtime. The anticipation for their match was palpable, showcasing the growing popularity of women’s curling alongside its male counterpart.
Besides the main draws, the tier finals provided additional excitement with Team Rylan Kleiter going up against Team Magnus Ramsfjell and Halifax’s Team Christina Black facing Team Sayaka Yoshimura of Japan, both vying for spots at the upcoming WFG Masters tournament.
Gushue’s headline match against Mouat not only wrapped up the HearingLife Tour Challenge effectively, but also set the stage for the winter curling season, emphasizing the growth and skill across the sport. With teams honing their techniques and strategies moving forward, curling enthusiasts should expect thrilling challenges through the upcoming competitions. The event illustrated not just the skills of the players but the passionate audience support, ensuring curling remains at the forefront of Canadian winter sports culture.
