'Sense of unfinished business' fuelling curlers Jocelyn Peterman, Brett Gallant

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It’s quite the honey-do list for Chestermere mixed doubles curling couple Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant.

One of redemption, really.

First, nationals.

Then, worlds.

And ultimately, the Olympics … with hopeful gold at each event prompting the need to bust out a highlighter on that to-do calendar.

With a weekend win at the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials now checked off, the husband-and-wife duo is well on the way to fulfilling such a sporting fantasy.

“Yeah … there’s a little sense of unfinished business on the big stage for Jocelyn and I,” said Gallant, in the hours after he and Peterman — both his on- and off-ice partner — earned the national title and the right to represent Canada at the worlds and, if successful there, the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

“We’re competitive people, and we’re pretty motivated, and we try to set our mind to something,” continued Gallant. “So to be one step closer to having that opportunity for Joce and I is amazing.”

It’s opportunities missed on those world and Olympic stages that are certainly fuelling them on this journey.

Golds have eluded them at both venues …

As team players, with Peterman as the second for fifth-place Team Jones and Gallant as the second for bronze-medallist Team Gushue.

And together as a curling couple the mixed worlds. Twice, in fact — back in 2019, when they finished bridesmaids to Sweden’s Anna Hasselborg and Oskar Eriksson, and in 2022, when they finished out of the medals.

“We’ve had two appearances at the worlds — we finished second and fifth,” Gallant said. “And our goal has always been to try to win a world championship for Canada in mixed doubles. It’s never been done.

“And then winning Olympic gold would be even that much more special.”

They’ve made both dreams possible after Saturday’s triumph in the Canadian mixed finale — an 8-7 defeat of Rachel Homan and Brendan Bottcher to cap an unbeaten run of 10 draws at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool, N.S.

It was their fourth win in as many games against Homan and Bottcher this season.

“They’re two of the best curlers up in our country, for sure,” Gallant said. “So … yeah … anytime you go up against them, you know you’re gonna to have to have a good game. And, luckily, Jocelyn and I have had their number in mixed doubles this year.

“But to come away with the win again, that was great.”

Especially given the stakes, to which Homan is usually among the very best on the planet at rising to the occasion.

The victory awards Calgary’s Glencoe Club tandem not only the Canadian title but the right to rep the country at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy.

But first they’ll have to secure Canada’s spot at the Olympics with success at the 2025 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship, April 26-May 3 in Fredericton, N.B. The belief based on the Olympic cycle’s previous efforts put in by Canadian mixed doubles curlers is that a top-six finish at those worlds by Peterman and Gallant is in order to secure Canada’s place at the Milano-Cortina Games.

“That was a big, big win for us,” reiterated Gallant of the weekend win. “You don’t get to step two if you don’t get through step one. So it’s cool that we’ve gotten this first step.

“And we knew all along going in that this was just kind of the first step, and that the step number two is performing well at the world championship. And the world championship is going to be no picnic. It’s going to be tough this year. So our sights are set on getting on the world podium as well, right?”

And then from there onto Olympic glory, right?

Triple gold for Gallant and Peterman …

That’s the ultimate goal.

“We came out of Beijing with a medal,” said Gallant, reflecting back on the bronze earned with Team Gushue at the 2022 Games. “It wasn’t our best week as a team, for sure, but we came out with a medal, so there was a sense of pride that we were able to do that.

“But I think there’s still a little bit of sense that you’d love to stand on the top of the podium, you know? I’d love to get back there and and see if we can improve upon our result. Most teams leave the Olympic Games feeling that way, right? Most teams are saying, ‘Could I have gotten that gold medal? Or could I have placed a little bit better?’

“And you never know if you’re going to get that opportunity again.

“It’s only every four years, and the talent is deep in our country. And it’s deep across the world, too. Curling has gotten harder and harder to get any medal yet alone a gold medal, because the play in the world has just increased so much over the past decade.”

CAREY’S CURLING LOSS

Team Chelsea Carey no longer has a spot in the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts or the 2025 Canadian Curling Trials after third Karlee Burgess accepted an invite to join Team Kerri Einarson last week.

Carey took over the Manitoba squad when skip Jennifer Jones retired and continued to skip the team to qualification for the upcoming Scotties and next fall’s trials based on its high rating in the Canadian Team Ranking System.

But with Burgess now departed, that leaves just two original members — second Emily Zacharias and lead Lauren Lenentine — on that crew, which makes Team Carey now ineligible for the women’s national championship, under Curling Canada rules. The rule states at least three of a team’s original players need to return for it to keep its qualifying spot.

As the next highest CTRS qualifiers, Edmonton’s Selena Sturmay takes over that vacant Scotties spot, while Manitoba’s Einarson inherits the trials slot, joining already qualified Team Rachel Homan.

On Team Einarson, Burgess replaces star second Shannon Birchard, who has received an injury exemption.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

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