Peterman/Gallant Reach Final of Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials
Two athletes with previous Trials experience are now one step away from representing Canada at the Winter Olympics.
Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant of Chestermere, Alta., have advanced to the gold-medal game of the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials after their victory in the Page 1-2 playoff on Friday evening at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool, N.S.
Both players won the 2021 Trials in four-player curling in Saskatoon and went on to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Now, they have the chance to secure a return to the Olympics, with Saturday's gold-medal game on the line after their 8-5 win over Team Lisa Weagle/John Epping (Ottawa/Toronto).
"We've both played in a couple of (four-player) Trials finals, and we've been on both sides of it (losing in 2017 and winning in 2021). We know both teams will give it their all," Peterman said. "We’ll be coming out to do the same."
Their opponents will be determined in Saturday's 10 a.m. semifinal, where Team Weagle/Epping will face Team Rachel Homan/Brendan Bottcher (Beaumont, Alta./Spruce Grove, Alta.). Homan/Bottcher earned their spot after defeating Team Brittany Tran/Rylan Kleiter (Calgary/Saskatoon) 8-3 in the Page 3-4 playoff.
In Friday's Page 1-2 playoff, Peterman and Gallant, who entered the game undefeated, had a slow start. They were forced to singles in the first and third ends and gave up a deuce in the second.
The match shifted in the fourth and fifth ends. In the fourth, with Team Weagle/Epping sitting three with the last rock, Peterman made a critical double takeout with her final stone, putting her team in the lead. Weagle's open hit for two missed the target, leaving Team Weagle/Epping with just one.
Gallant described the moment: “That was huge. I tried to clear as much as I could with my last shot, and still left a couple. For Jocelyn to make that double was huge. They were in a good spot, but we were fortunate with a miscue that forced them to one.”
In the fifth end, Gallant executed a precise shot to hit and stick, and Team Weagle/Epping's attempt to remove the stone went wrong. This exposed a previously guarded stone, allowing Peterman to score three points with an open hit.
The Albertans then added three more points in the seventh end with the power play to seal the victory.
Gallant noted that their past Trials and Olympic experiences could play a significant role as they prepare for the final. “Having that Olympic experience makes you want it more. But until you get the opportunity, you're always wondering when your last chance will be," he said. "We've had that experience, and I think it takes a bit of the pressure off us. But we still want it—we still want it bad."
In the 3-4 playoff, Team Homan/Bottcher avenged their only round-robin loss, which came at the hands of Team Tran/Kleiter. The match was never in doubt. After allowing a single in the first end, Homan capitalized on Tran's light draw in the second, scoring three points. Homan/Bottcher went on to steal deuces in the next two ends, putting the game out of reach.
Homan emphasized the level of competition: "Everyone here is phenomenal. They’ve proven themselves this week, and we have to focus on our game and come out strong."
The winning team on Saturday will represent Canada at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Championship in Fredericton, N.B., from April 26 to May 3. That event will also determine the countries competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. If Canada qualifies, the winner of the Trials in Liverpool will be Canada’s representative in Italy.
