Team Peterman/Gallant lock up top spot in pool at Canadian Mixed Doubles Trials

Article content

It’s still a long road to Italy, but Jocelyn Peterman and Brett Gallant are a step closer after winning a pair of games on New Year’s Day at the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials.

Peterman and Gallant clinched first place in Pool B and maintained their perfect record through six games by beating Team Jennifer Armstrong/Tyrel Griffith (3-3; Rothesay, N.B./Kelowna, B.C.) 5-2 at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool, N.S.

That win secures a spot in the Page playoff 1-2 qualifying games Thursday, and an oh-so-important second life, if needed, in the playoffs.

“I think at the start of the week you really kind of want to be in that game to potentially get into the 1-2 game,” said Gallant. “So we’re where we want to be. I think the good news is we’re playing well too. We feel more comfortable with the ice and how we’re throwing it as the week’s gone along, and that’s the important thing.”

Peterman and Gallant are the lone team from Pool B to have locked up a spot, while Pool A got some clarity in the late draw Wednesday as Team Rachel Homan/Brendan Bottcher (5-1; Beaumont, Alta./Spruce Grove, Alta.) and Team Brittany Tran/Rylan Kleiter (5-1; Calgary/Saskatoon) both clinched playoff berths with wins.

Playoff action begins on Thursday, with the top two teams from each pool crossing over to compete for a direct spot in the Page 1v2 game. The losers drop down to play the third-placed teams in each pool for the spots in the Page 3v4 game.

From there, the winner of the Page 1v2 advances to the final, while the loser will play the winner of the Page 3v4 game in the semifinal. The semifinal winner moves on to the gold-medal match on Saturday, Jan. 4, where the Trials champion will be crowned.

As the last unbeaten team in the field, Team Peterman/Gallant couldn’t be blamed for having visions of the 2026 Olympics — not to mention that amazing haul of Team Canada clothing — dancing through their heads.

But as Olympians themselves — both competed in four-player team curling in 2022 at Beijing — they’re fully aware that there’s plenty of work yet to be done before they can compete as a husband-and-wife mixed doubles team in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

“I think we’re trying to stay really present right now,” said Peterman. “But, yeah, it would mean a lot to us. We’ve played this game and played together for a long time, and, yes, it would be amazing to go back there (to the Olympics) together.”

Team Peterman/Gallant will close out round-robin play on Thursday against reigning Canadian champs Team Kadriana Lott/Colton Lott (4-2; Gimli, Man.), who must win to qualify for the playoffs.

But they’ll be taking on a team that has been on top form since the start of the Trials.

“I just think we’re learning something new with the ice every game, and, honestly, we’ve just performed pretty well,” said Gallant. “We’ve got our speed down. We’re communicating well. It hasn’t been easy, we’ve been tested, and I think that’s just a good sign going into the playoffs, knowing that we’ve been tested and that we’ve come out on the winning side so far.”

In other games Wednesday afternoon, Team Lott/Lott kept its playoff hopes alive by stealing two in the eighth end for an 8-6 win over Team Lisa Weagle/John Epping (4-2; Ottawa/Toronto); Team Jaelyn Cotter/Jim Cotter (3-3; Vernon, B.C.) stayed alive by stealing one in the seventh and two more in the eighth for an 8-5 win over Team Taylor Reese-Hansen/Corey Chester (1-5; Kitimat, B.C./Victoria); and Team Melissa Adams/Alex Robichaud (2-4; Fredericton, N.B.) shaded Team Riley Sandham/Brendan Craig (1-5; Guelph, Ont.) 6-5.

Team Homan/Bottcher, meanwhile, was an 8-3 winner late Wednesday over Team Nancy Martin/Steve Laycock (1-6; Wakaw, Sask./Saskatoon), while Team Tran/Kleiter rallied from a 5-2 deficit after five ends to beat Team Anne-Sophie Gionest/Robert Desjardins (1-5; Alma, Que./Saguenay, Que.) to book their spots in the playoffs.

In the other late games, Team Jennifer Jones/Brent Laing (4-2; Barrie, Ont.) kept their playoff hopes alive, stealing four in the second end en route to a 9-3 win over Team Laura Walker/Kirk Muyres (4-2; Edmonton/Humboldt, Sask.); and Team Jessica Zheng/Victor Pietrangelo (2-4; Niagara Falls, Ont.) shaded Team Paige Papley/Evan Van Amsterdam (1-5; Edmonton).