Homan Wins Record 20th Grand Slam Title at KIOTI GSOC Tahoe
Canada's Rachel Homan secured her record-extending 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.
Undefeated Run and Prize
Homan’s Ottawa-based team, consisting of third Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew, and lead Sarah Wilkes, achieved a perfect 7-0 record throughout the tournament, earning $42,000 from the prize purse.
"Yeah, it's an unbelievable feeling, especially winning a game that was a battle out there for both teams," said Homan. "It's just really fun to play such an amazing team, and being able to pull out the win is an awesome feeling."
Homan’s Dominance Over the Season
This final marked the third consecutive Grand Slam women’s final featuring the world's top two ranked teams, with Homan prevailing in all three matches. Her team remains undefeated against Switzerland's Silvana Tirinzoni squad this season.
Tirinzoni Team's Performance
The Swiss team of Tirinzoni, fourth Alina Pätz, second Carole Howald, and lead Selina Witschonke suffered their only loss of the week in this final, earning $34,000. Their season record stands at 18-3 in the Grand Slam of Curling, with all three losses handed to them by Homan’s team.
Switzerland started the final holding the hammer and aimed to avoid repeating their setback from the previous month’s CO-OP Tour Challenge, where a first-end hit and rollout led to a costly four-point steal for Homan.
Author’s summary: Rachel Homan's undefeated performance at KIOTI GSOC Tahoe crowned her with a historic 20th Grand Slam title, underscoring her consistent dominance over top-ranked teams this season.