KELOWNA, B.C. — A new champion was set to be crowned at the Montana's Brier after Alberta's Brad Jacobs escaped with a 7-5 win over Canada's Brad Gushue in a stunning semifinal on Sunday afternoon at Prospera Place.
Gushue had a chance to win with his final throw of the 10th end. However, his tap attempt was heavy and the rock slid by Alberta's shot stone.
"We got the biggest break of the year," said Jacobs, who will play Manitoba's Matt Dunstone in the evening final.
Jacobs won his lone Brier crown in 2013 while Dunstone is looking to win it for the first time.
The result ended Gushue's bid for a record fourth straight Brier title and seventh overall.
"Obviously when you have a shot to win the game and you don't do it, you feel bad for your teammates because they put me in a position for us to win that game," Gushue said. "I just overthrew that last rock.
"I threw it six feet harder than what I needed to throw it. It's just unfortunate."
Jacobs started with the hammer and used it to blank the first three ends. He scored three points in the fifth end for a 3-1 lead but Gushue answered in the eighth with three of his own.
Jacobs made a big-weight hit for two in the ninth end before stealing his way to victory in front of a sellout crowd of 5,323.
"We grinded all game," said Jacobs. "Both teams did and we were able to just stick with it right until the end."
Jacobs was the only skip who went 8-0 in round-robin play. Both Gushue and Dunstone were 7-1.
The Brier winner will earn a berth in the 2026 playdowns in St. John's and represent Canada at the March 29-April 6 BKT world men's curling championship in Moose Jaw, Sask.
Ottawa's Rachel Homan won the Scotties Tournament of Hearts last month in Thunder Bay, Ont. She will wear the Maple Leaf at the world women's playdowns starting Friday in Uijeongbu, South Korea.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 9, 2025.
Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
