Homan upset in gold medal game

Last night’s final of the women’s World Curling Championship was a stunning upset of Canada’s Rachel Homan. The Ottawa rink that appeared so dominant all week and had command of the game through seven ends, clearly didn’t have their best stuff and at times seemed to be confused either by the rocks or the ice or perhaps both.

The Swiss team, which was better but not necessary stellar by any means, was deserving of the win.

But for Canadian fans the question is how did the Homan team let that game slip away? Consecutive three-enders late in the game is just not something that team gives up. But it did with some sloppy shot-making.

Somehow I think this is one they’ll need some time to forget.

In the Ottawa Citizen, Gord Holder pointed out the shock of the loss for the Canadian team.

The four young women from the Ottawa Curling Club had hoped, had expected to continue celebrating a world curling championship, but those hopes and dreams were dashed by Binia Feltscher’s plucky Swiss team, which upset the heavily favoured Canadians 9-5 in the gold-medal game at Harbour Station arena. 

So, instead of a first women’s world title for an Ottawa foursome and the first for any Canadian team since 2008, Homan and her teammates were left to ponder wha tmight have been and to seek a silver lining in a one-step upgrade from the world bronze medals they earned last year in Latvia.

The Canadian Press story that appeared on CBC.ca mentioned the horrid third end which essentially buried the Canadians.

Canada led 5-3 after seven ends, but a devastatingeighth cost Homan. The Swiss scored three points on Canadian mistakes and Homan couldn't recover. 

More errors in the ninth forced Homan into a low percentage angle raise double takeout with her final throw. The Canadian skip missed and gave up a steal of three at Harbour Station. 

It was a deflating end for Homan, third EmmaMiskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle because their record was11-1 going into the final. 

We're obviously disappointed, but we stillwon a silver medal," Homan said. "The crowd did an unbelievable job today. We'll be back for more."

In the Sun papers, freelancing Mike Haggerty put it bluntly

Rachel Homan couldn’t hang on when it mattered most. 

The Canadian skip led 5-3 after seven ends, but her team let a gold medal slip away in the final of the Ford World Women’s Curling Championship in front of a near-capacity crowd at Harbour Station on Sunday night. 

Switzerland’s Binia Feltscher, who said on Saturday she’d be happy with a silver medal, rallied for a 9-5 win, stunning the favoured Ottawa rink

Here are the highlights if you missed the game.