Nova Scotia’s Brent MacDougall has emerged as the Canadian mixed curling champion, leading his team to a stunning victory over New Brunswick in the gold-medal final held in Prince Edward Island. The thrilling match took place on Saturday, where Nova Scotia, initially trailing with a score of 5-4 going into the eighth and final end, made a remarkable comeback by scoring five points to clinch a 9-5 victory.
The intense game saw Nova Scotia take a narrow lead of 4-3 by scoring one point in the sixth end. However, New Brunswick quickly retaliated, scoring two points in the seventh end to regain the lead. Despite this setback, MacDougall and his team showed resilience, ultimately securing the championship title.
Brent MacDougall expressed immense pride in his team's performance, highlighting the contributions of his teammates: vice-skip Erin Carmody, second Scott Weagle, lead Marie Christianson, and coach Danny Christianson. “This feels amazing because it’s very rare you get here at all,” MacDougall remarked, acknowledging the effort each player put into the game. He specifically noted Marie's dedication, as she participated with her infant child just nine weeks old, and praised Scott for his persistent effort throughout the match. “Erin, of course, does what Erin does. She’s a great player. It feels exhilarating, for sure,” he added.
MacDougall also recognized the significance of the victory for their coach, Danny Christianson. “Danny has lost four national finals as a coach. This is his first final won. We would not have won it without him. Danny helped get us to that next level, and that’s why we won,” he explained. The victory not only marked a personal achievement for the entire Nova Scotia team but also served as a milestone for their coach, instilling a sense of triumph following previous disappointments.
In the bronze-medal match, Northern Ontario's Bryan Burgess triumphed over Quebec’s Félix Asselin with a close score of 4-3. Northern Ontario managed to maintain a lead, scoring a single point in the sixth end to lead 4-2, while Quebec only managed to score once in the eighth end after a scoreless seventh. Despite a strong performance throughout the tournament, where the Quebec team had an impressive record of 10-0 leading into the semifinals, they faced setbacks late in the competition, suffering two losses on the same day.
Earlier, the Quebec rink was defeated 5-3 by Nova Scotia in the semifinals, while New Brunswick had claimed a victory against Northern Ontario with a score of 7-4 in the other semifinal match. The competition showcased a mix of thrilling performances and high stakes as teams vied for the prestigious title of Canadian mixed curling champion.
