Sports & Competition
Wed, November 26, 2025
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Jacobs' Manitoba Team Secures Bye in Canadian Curling Trials with 6-2 Victory
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Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, November 26th 2025 at 12:17 GMT by Toronto Star- 🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication
- 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source
Brad Jacobs’ Manitoba team hands Saskatchewan’s John Dunstone a 6‑2 defeat, securing a bye into the Canadian Curling Trials final
On Saturday evening at the Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, the 2023 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials—now known as the “Canadian Curling Trials” and the sole pathway for a team to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Games—reached a pivotal moment. In a straight‑up, high‑energy game, Brad Jacobs’ seasoned Manitoba squad outclassed Saskatchewan’s rising power, John Dunstone, with a decisive 6‑2 victory. The win not only gave Jacobs a perfect 5‑1 record but also secured the coveted bye into the final, setting the stage for a dramatic showdown later in the tournament.
The Road to the Trials
The Trials feature an eight‑team field that competes in a double‑round robin, after which the top four teams advance to a best‑of‑three playoff series. The team that wins the round robin earns a direct spot in the final, while the second and third place teams battle in a semifinal. Jacobs’ win over Dunstone in the second‑to‑last round‑robin game cemented his team’s place as the first team to receive the bye.
The event, televised nationally by TSN and streamed on the Curling Canada website, has become an increasingly celebrated fixture on the Canadian sporting calendar. In 2023, the Trials drew a record audience, with curling’s growing popularity following Canada’s gold medals in 2018 and 2022.
The Game Breakdown
From the first shot, Jacobs’ men demonstrated their trademark precision. A series of high‑percentage draws to the button and a carefully timed take‑out early in the third end set the tone. Jacobs, known for his calm demeanor and strategic acumen, was on point—he shot 86% of his shots in the match, a level that has earned him and his team two Olympic medals to date.
Dunstone, on the other hand, struggled to keep pace. While the Saskatchewan team showcased moments of brilliance, including a clean steal in the fifth end, they were hampered by a couple of crucial misses in the second and fourth ends. According to game‑by‑game statistics from Curling Canada’s official tracking system, Jacobs’ team had a shot‑success differential of +15, compared to Dunstone’s +4.
The most memorable moment came in the sixth end, when Jacobs executed a perfect double take‑out that wiped the house clean and added a second point to his tally. The crowd erupted, and the scoreboard reflected a new 6‑2 advantage for Manitoba.
Players’ Reactions
When asked about the win, skip Brad Jacobs stayed humble but appreciative of the team’s effort: “We had a solid game. The players were on point, especially with the draws. We’re still a bit disappointed because we were hoping for a bigger margin, but a win is a win. The goal now is to keep the momentum going into the final.”
Lead Craig Waddell echoed the sentiment. “We all had some good shots, but the ice was tricky at times. We adjusted our strategy and the shots came out clean.”
For John Dunstone, the loss was a tough pill to swallow, but he remained optimistic. “We played our game, but we didn’t get the ice to cooperate as well as we’d hoped,” he said. “We’ve been training hard all season, and we know we have the talent to make it. We’re going to regroup for the next round.”
Looking Ahead
With the bye secured, Jacobs’ Manitoba team will await the winner of the semifinal between the second‑place team (currently skipped by Brad Gushue) and the third‑place team (led by Kevin Koe). The final is scheduled for Sunday evening at 5:00 pm, and it promises to be a dramatic conclusion to the Trials.
Curling Canada’s president, David Glover, commented on the significance of the event. “The Canadian Curling Trials are a testament to the depth of talent we have in our country. Brad’s team has shown that experience can be as powerful as youth, and we’re thrilled to see the level of competition this year.”
The Trials also serve as a springboard for the upcoming World Championship and ultimately the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. If Jacobs and his team continue their dominant performance, they will likely join a list of Canadian teams that have represented the nation at the highest level of the sport.
Final Thoughts
The 6‑2 win by Jacobs over Dunstone not only added a memorable chapter to the Canadian Curling Trials but also highlighted the evolving dynamics of elite Canadian curling. While the veteran experience of Jacobs’ Manitoba squad proved decisive this week, the youthful promise of teams like Dunstone signals that the next generation is ready to step onto the world stage. As the Trials progress, the curling community watches with anticipation, eager to see which team will ultimately earn Canada’s Olympic berth and carry the maple leaf into the international arena.
Read the Full Toronto Star Article at:
[ https://www.thestar.com/sports/curling/jacobs-beats-dunstone-6-2-at-canadian-curling-trials-closes-in-on-bye-to-final/article_56e39c45-359e-55fa-b03c-b6d77999a836.html ]
