It’s deja vu as Homan rink repeats as Scotties champ

MONTREAL — Rachel Homan’s Canada team defeated Val Sweeting’s Alberta rink 8-6 to win a second consecutive Scotties Tournament of Hearts on Sunday night.

The Ottawa team of Homan, lead Lisa Weagle, second Alison Kreviazuk and third Emma Miskew defended the Canadian women’s curling championship they won last year in Kingston, Ont.

At 13-0, they are the first since Linda Moore’s rink in 1985 to go undefeated at the tournament.

Homan took early leads all week and did it again by posting three points in the second end, although Sweeting answered with a hit for two in the third. Sweeting was a tad strong on a raise in the fourth and Homan came around the right side to hit for two, then Alberta got one back in the fifth.

Canada was in trouble in the sixth when a Sweeting draw left Alberta with three stones near the button, but Homan scattered them with a hit to salvage one point.

Sweeting drew for two in the seventh to close the gap to one point, only to see Homan pick off two Sweeting draws to score two in the eighth.

A Sweeting bid for a double takeout fell short and the Alberta skip was forced to draw for one in the ninth, handing Homan the hammer and a two-point lead going into the final end.

Canada ran them out of rocks to clinch the victory.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper witnessed the win from the grandstands at the Maurice Richard Arena. He was wearing a Canadian Olympic team jacket and posing for pictures with fans between ends. Harper has been to the men’s Brier, but a curling official said it was his first visit to the Scotties.

Manitoba’s Chelsea Carey won the bronze medal game 7-3 over Stefanie Lawton’s Saskatoon rink.

The winning team splits $25,500 and gets gold rings with a diamond, while the silver medallists get $15,500 plus a gold ring with a ruby. Carey’s squad gets $12,000 and a gold ring with an emerald. Because of her repeat win, Homan’s team’s diamonds will be twice the size of last year. Lawton’s side gets $7,000.

All 12 teams get $4,167 for wearing title sponsor crests.

The winner usually gets $40,000 from the Own The Podium program, but in Olympic years that goes to the team that qualifies for the Winter Games.

RYAN REMIORZ/The Canadian Press Team Canada’s skip Rachel Homan, right, celebrates with third Emma Miskew, left, and lead Lisa Weagle, after a shot in the finals match at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts curling championships Sunday. Homan won to defend her title.