LIVERPOOL, N.S. 鈥� Rachel Homan and Brendan Bottcher earned two victories on the opening day at the 91原创 mixed doubles curling trials.
The duo beat Paige Papley and Evan Van Amsterdam 8-2 on Monday at Queens Place Emera Centre before defeating Robert Desjardins and Anne-Sophie Gionest 6-2.
Laura Walker and Kirk Muyres were also 2-0, along with Brittany Tran and Rylan Kleiter, after three draws of play.
Jennifer Jones and Brent Laing split their first two games. Jessica Zheng and Victor Pietrangelo joined them at 1-1 in the eight-team Pool A standings.
In Pool B, Kadriana Lott and Colton Lott opened with a 7-2 win over Melissa Adams and Alex Robichaud.
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鈥檝e worked so hard to get here and we鈥檙e just so happy to be here and we feel like we really deserved it," Jaelyn Cotter said. "It鈥檚 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 91原创 Curling Trials in Winnipeg.
"I鈥檓 obviously getting older and to do this, it鈥檚 special," Jim Cotter said.
A fourth draw was scheduled for Monday night.
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 world championship this April in Fredericton, which will determine most of the countries who will compete in mixed doubles at the Milan-Cortina Olympics in Italy in 2026.
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 91原创 Press was first published Dec. 30, 2024.
The 91原创 Press
