Advertisement 1This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Kerri Einarson (L) and Rachel Homan (R) once again find themselves at the top of the Canadian women's curling circuit. The two skips are seen playing at the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay, Ont. Frank Gunn/The Canadian PressArticle contentThe Scotties Tournament of Hearts came down to Sunday’s late winner-take-all championship draw between Canada’s Rachel Homan and Manitoba’s Kerri Einarson.Article contentArticle contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentIt capped what was another stellar week of curling featuring the best of the best of the nation’s top female athletes in the sport.Article contentArticle contentAnd while there were the constants — those aspects of the finale that were all too obviously expected — there were also a few items that turned our heads and perhaps altered our impressions of the women’s curling scene.Article contentAdvertisement 1Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentArticle contentHere are four takeaways from the 10 days of the Scotties …Article contentArticle contentNoon News RoundupYour weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Noon News Roundup will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article content1. They are who we thought they wereArticle contentArticle contentThe favourite coming in was, undoubtedly, defending champion Rachel Homan.Article contentArticle contentWith her 45-4 record coming into the Scotties, any notions to the contrary just seemed silly.Article contentArticle contentSo it came as no surprise that the superstar skip and her decorated Ottawa squad made it to Sunday’s late championship final.Article contentArticle contentAnd really, it’s similarly no shock Einarson was in that final, as well. After all, the Manitoba skip and her talented rink came in ranked second in Canada, behind only Homan, with Einarson and Sweeting sporting the unrivalled experience of having won the Scotties title — four years straight, in fact, from 2020-23 — just before Homan, Tracy Fleury, Emma Miskew and Sarah Wilkes grabbed it last year in Calgary.Article contentArticle contentOnly those skipped by legend Jennifer Jones — now retired — have been considered in the same elite class of Canadian women’s curling teams.Article contentArticle contentSo as the 1-2 cream of the crop crews, the Homan-Einarson title tilt made a whole lot of sense.Article contentAdvertisement 2Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Sign In or Create an Accountor View more offersArticle contentArticle contentArticle content2. The next waveArticle contentArticle contentStories You May Like 'We're resilient': Nova Scotia's Black digs deep again, earns Scotties semifinal berth 'We have to play better': Rachel Homan not satisfied after playoff berth Advertisement embed-more-topicStory continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Article contentHoman and Einarson can’t forever be on top, can they?Article contentArticle contentWe saw all week how there are the younger stars shining on the Canadian curling landscape, with 20-something skips Kayla Skrlik, Corryn Brown, Selena Sturmay and Laurie St-Georges — among others — continuing to make names for themselves in bids to win the Scotties.Article contentArticle contentMost are in line to make more visits to the event, which bodes well for the future of women’s curling in the country.Article contentArticle contentIndeed, that next wave is blossoming with talent, and with more and more trips to the national championship, they will only get better and better, eventually — unless the veterans simply somehow never stop bringing it — taking over the mantle from Homan and Einarson.Article contentArticle content Alberta skip Kayla Skrlik delivers a shot against New Brunswick in Scotties Tournament of Hearts curling action in Thunder Bay, Ont. on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. Photo by Frank Gunn /The Canadian PressArticle contentArticle content3. Paint it BlackArticle contentArticle contentDespite her solid resumé at the Scotties, Christina Black and her Nova Scotia group went into the week still a little under the radar.Advertisement 1This advertisement has not loaded yet.Trending GoFundMe aims to support family of man who died after trying to defuse brawl outside Calgary restaurant Local News Bell: Premier Smith to Mark Carney — Alberta won't be kicked around anymore Columnists Man dies after trying to calm fight at southeast Calgary restaurant Crime Varcoe: Two promising signs for Alberta's economy? 15 proposed data centres and billions raised by tech sector Columnists Calgary woman stabbed at Montgomery, suspects apprehended at Market Mall Local News Advertisement 2AdvertisementThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article contentArticle contentBut that won’t be the case in future championships. Not after they proved to be solid all week long and gave it a massive effort in trying to make themselves surprise winners.Article contentArticle contentThe Halifax team — made better with the addition of experienced Jill Brothers at third — took Einarson to the brink in Sunday’s early semifinal. In fact, it came down to a measure in the 9-8 decision.Article contentArticle content Nova Scotia skip Christina Black delivers a stone during the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay, Ont., on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. Photo by David Jackson /The Canadian PressArticle contentArticle content4. Adversity is only a wordArticle contentArticle contentBoth Einarson and Black were both challenged by hurdles in the lead-up to Sunday’s semifinal.Article contentArticle contentFor Black, it was a sad situation, when teammate Jenn Baxter’s father passed away during the Scotties. The news — revealed Sunday by TSN’s Bryan Mudryk — took Nova Scotia’s talented second out of Saturday’s 3-v-4 game, and Baxter also stayed away for Sunday’s semifinal.Article contentArticle contentNonetheless, the Halifax Curling Club squad played its heart out under trying circumstances and nearly pulled out a trip to the final for Baxter and her family.Article contentArticle contentFor Einarson, it was a full-year obstacle, with changes to her rink’s front end forced upon her due to Briane Harris’ drug suspension — a debacle at the best of times — and Shannon Birchard’s frustrating knee injury.Article contentArticle contentThe team repping the Gimli Curling Club only settled down in the days leading up to the Scotties, and even then, Einarson & Co. weren’t at their best early in the event, needing to dig themselves out of massive holes mid-week before righting themselves at the end.Article contentArticle contentLike Team Black, Team Einarson defined the term ‘gritty.’Article contentArticle contentArticle contentArticle contentX: @ToddSaelhofPMArticle contentArticle contentAdvertisement 2This advertisement has not loaded yet. 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