Homan Wins Record-Extending 20th Grand Slam Title at KIOTI GSOC Tahoe
Canada's Rachel Homan secured her 20th Grand Slam of Curling title by defeating Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni 7-4 in the final of the KIOTI GSOC Tahoe held on Sunday.
This victory marks a record extension and her third consecutive Grand Slam women's final win against the top-ranked team globally. Homan's team from Ottawa, consisting of third Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew, and lead Sarah Wilkes, finished the tournament undefeated with a 7-0 record and earned a $42,000 prize.
“Yeah, it's an unbelievable feeling, especially winning a game that was a battle out there for both teams,” Homan said. “It's just really fun to play such an amazing team, and being able to pull out the win is an awesome feeling.”
The Swiss team, led by skip Tirinzoni along with fourth Alina Pätz, second Carole Howald, and lead Selina Witschonke, suffered their only defeat of the week in this final and received $34,000. They hold an 18-3 Grand Slam record this season, with all losses coming to Homan.
Tirinzoni’s team started with the hammer, aiming to avoid a repeat of last month's CO-OP Tour Challenge, where an early hit and rollout resulted in a costly four-point steal for Homan.
Author's summary: Rachel Homan's flawless 7-0 run at the KIOTI GSOC Tahoe secures her historic 20th Grand Slam title, reinforcing her dominance over world-class competitors.