Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing win opener at Canadian mixed doubles curling trials

Team Manitoba-Jones skip Jennifer Jones slides down the ice sheet as they play Team Manitoba-Cameron in the semi-final at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary, Alta., Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

LIVERPOOL, N.S. — Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing edged Jessica Zheng and Victor Pietrangelo 6-5 in the opening draw at the Canadian mixed doubles curling trials on Monday.

Jones and Laing scored a deuce in the eighth end for the victory.

In other early games, Rachel Homan and Brendan Bottcher needed only six ends to complete an 8-2 rout of Paige Papley and Evan Van Amsterdam.

Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres scored three points in an extra end for an 8-5 win over Anne-Sophie Gionest and Robert Desjardins. Brittany Tran and Rylan Kleiter posted a 6-3 victory over Steve Laycock and Nancy Martin.

In Draw 2, Kadriana Lott and Colton Lott defeated Melissa Adams and Alex Robichaud 7-2.

Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman got by Riley Sandham and Brendan Craig 8-6 and Lisa Weagle and John Epping edged Taylor Reese-Hansen and Corey Chester 8-7.

The father-daughter duo of Jim Cotter and Jaelyn Cotter beat Jennifer Armstrong and Tyrel Griffith 9-4.

"We've worked so hard to get here and we're just so happy to be here and we feel like we really deserved it," Jaelyn said. "It's so exciting being able to play with my dad."

Her 50-year-old father has earned 10 Brier purple hearts over his career. He also took silver at the 2013 Canadian Curling Trials in Winnipeg.

"I'm obviously getting older and to do this, it's special," he said.

Two more draws were scheduled for later in the day at Queens Place Emera Centre.

The 16-team field is split into two pools.

The top three teams from each pool will advance to the playoffs starting Thursday. The final is set for Saturday.

The winning duo will represent Canada at the April 26-May 3 world championship in Fredericton, which will determine most of the countries who will compete in mixed doubles at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina, Italy.

If Canada qualifies, the trials winner will also wear the Maple Leaf at the Games.

Canada's Kaitlyn Lawes and John Morris won gold when mixed doubles made its Olympic debut at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in South Korea.

Morris and Homan missed the playoffs at the Beijing Games in 2022.

   This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2024.