HIGH ACHIEVERS WEEKEND WRAP: Rachel Homan welcomes title sponsor AMJ, coach & mixed doubles partner Brendan Bottcher

By Martin Cleary

The 2024-25 curling season is in full swing and defending world and Canadian champion Rachel Homan has made significant changes for another run at being the best in the world.

Can Homan match, better or come close to her rink’s magical 2023-24 season, where she posted an impressive record of 67 wins against only seven losses and won seven of 10 competitions, including Canada’s first women’s world title since 2018?

The AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic, which starts Wednesday at the Cornwall Curling Club, is the first major event of the World Curling Tour and Team Homan couldn’t miss this one. The team will be sporting a new title sponsor – AMJ – and a new coach, Brendan Bottcher, the No. 1-ranked Canadian skip in the 2023-24 season.

Bottcher, who lives in Edmonton, also will serve as Homan’s new mixed doubles partner heading towards the trials for the 2026 Winter Olympics in December.

Don Bartlett served as the Team Homan coach for the 2023-24 season and won his first world title in that role.

The composition of the Homan rink remains the same as last season with Tracy Fleury at third, Emma Miskew at second and Sarah Wilkes at lead. Rachelle Brown will remain as a permanent member of Team Homan until the end of the current Olympic cycle.

AMJ, a cross-Canada moving and transportation company since 1934, has been a consistent supporter of Team Homan, dating back to 2009, when her rink won one of her early World Curling Tour events, the AMJ Shorty Jenkins Classic.

AMJ has become the title sponsor for Team Homan beginning this season and running for five years through 2028-29. It is “the largest financial agreement in women’s curling to date,” according to the Team Homan press release on Monday. No financial details were released.

The record sponsorship will provide Team Homan with essential funding for training camps in Canada and “cover the expenses necessary to maintain their top ranking in the curling world.”

AMJ stepped up its financial support and commitment to gender equity to allow Team Homan to “make their best move,” for more curling success.

“We are proud to deepen our relationship with Team Homan by becoming their title sponsor,” AMJ president and CEO Pierre Frappier said in the press release.

“Our shared commitment to excellence, hard work and dedication makes this partnership a perfect match. We look forward to supporting them on their journey to success over the next five years.”

Team Homan is scheduled to play in nine events this season and there will be two more competitions, if it qualifies to represent Canada at the world women’s championships March 15-23 in Uijeongbu, Korea, and makes the grade for the Players’ Championship Slam on April 8-13.

“AMJ has been with us through so many milestones in our career and we’re incredibly excited to take this next step together,” Homan said in the press release.

“The unwavering support over the years has been a game-changer for our team and with AMJ now as our title sponsor, we’re ready to reach even greater heights.”

On the ice, Bottcher will be a leader as a coach for the four-player team and a dynamic partner with Homan in mixed doubles. Bottcher was the 2021 Canadian men’s Brier champion and has won a medal in seven of his eight appearances at nationals.

“Having Brendan join our coaching staff is incredibly exciting,” Homan added. “His experience, leadership and strategy will undoubtedly elevate our game. With Brendan living in Edmonton near me, his continuous support will be invaluable both on and off the ice.”

Homan and Bottcher also will prepare for the Canadian mixed doubles Olympic curling trials in a few months’ time from Dec. 30 to Jan. 4, 2025.

“I couldn’t be more excited to work hard with Brendan for the short season before the mixed doubles trials,” Homan continued. “We have similar work ethic and goals and I look forward to training in the same city.

“Competing together in mixed doubles and having Brendan on board as our four-person coach will also be an added advantage.”

GLOUCESTER CELTIC CAPTURE FIFTH ONTARIO CUP MEN’S SOCCER TITLE

For the fifth time in as many championship seasons, an Ottawa side has won the MilkUP Ontario Cup outdoor men’s soccer title.

The Gloucester Celtic outscored Scarborough GS United 6-1 in the final game of the summer-long tournament and captured its fifth provincial trophy since 2013.

St. Anthony won the Ontario Cup men’s gold medal in 2019 and, after COVID cancelled the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Celtic was the champion in 2021 and 2022. West Ottawa earned the championship in 2023.

Zachary El-Shafei scored the opening two goals of the final for Celtic and Javane Henry counted one goal in each half. Bezick Evraire and Zackary Trembley had the other Gloucester goals.

The Celtic, who will represent Ontario at the Canadian men’s amateur championship next month, also won the Ontario Cup in 2022, 2021, 2016 and 2013.

The provincial victory is a major piece of their undefeated season. Celtic won its Ottawa-Carleton Soccer League season with 13 wins and one tie as well as the Ottawa Cup.

ZACH COPELAND KICKS GEE-GEES TO FOOTBALL WIN

The 12th-ranked University of Ottawa Gee-Gees improved their OUA football record to 2-1 and moved into a three-way tie for fourth place, after a 26-5 victory over the University of Waterloo Warriors.

Kicker Zach Copeland led the points parade with 14 based on field goals from 23, 38, nine and 20 yards as well as two converts.

The Gee-Gees’ touchdowns came from Eric Cumberbatch off a fumble recovery, which sparked a 57-yard dash for six points, and a 25-yard sprint by running back Charles Asselin, who gained 184 yards on 29 carries.

The Carleton University Ravens remained winless after three games, following a 52-21 loss to the No.1-ranked University of Western Mustangs.

The Ravens almost matched the Mustangs in total offensive yards – 419 to 441 – but couldn’t add to their touchdown total. Carleton received touchdowns from Tristan Rinaldis (one-yard run), Ben Huckabone (six-yard pass from Elijah Barnes) and Matthew Morin (one-yard run).

Brandon Forcier completed all three touchdowns with converts. Barnes connected on 22 of 33 pass attempts for 275 yards. Tristan Ready broke the century mark with eight catches for 121 yards.

GEE-GEES WOMEN, RAVENS MEN REMAIN UNBEATEN IN OUA SOCCER

The pair of shutout wins allowed the No. 2-ranked University of Ottawa Gee-Gees women’s soccer team to push their OUA East Division, first-place record to 3-0.

In a contrasting weekend, the Gee-Gees defeated Trent University Excalibur 6-0 and the Queen’s University Gaels 1-0.

Allana Oriente and Cassandra Provost scored two goals each for Ottawa against Trent, while single markers went to Sabrina Mangiaracina and Elianne Gervais.

Maya Smith’s goal at the 36:18 mark was the only score the Gee-Gees needed in their victory over Queen’s. Nibo Dlamini earned the assist.

Goalkeeper Cassidy Joslin registered the two shutouts, making four saves against Trent and five against Queen’s.

The Carleton University Ravens, 2-1-1, earned four of a possible six points from their two women’s matches as they played to a 1-1 draw with Queen’s, but ran past Royal Military College Paladins 8-1.

The Ravens managed only three shots against Queen’s, but Lauren Illman’s shot turned into the critical tying goal at the 73rd minute.

Illman, Molly Owen and Ava Mills counted two goals each and Quinn Snell and Mikayla Moser had one apiece as the Ravens defeated RMC.

Mills is tied for first place on the OUA assists and points lists with three and six respectively and has taken the most shots at 19. Illman is tied for fourth in goals at four and Provost is tied for second in shots at 15.

The Carleton Ravens men’s soccer team supported its No. 3 ranking in the U Sports circuit with a 6-0 decision over Queen’s Gaels and a 4-0 blanking of RMC.

Ousman Maheshe scored three goals and added one assist in the Ravens’ win over Queen’s, while Caden Tomy, Eric Yoseke and Marek Achadinha celebrated one goal each. Tyler David had the two-save shutout.

The Ravens received goals from Jacob Haile, Mohammed Bouzidi, Simon Rochon and Seddik Sahraoui to turn back RMC. Roberto Paduaga Frankovich had the one-save shutout.

Tomy is tied for first in OUA assists at three, while Maheshe is deadlocked in second at two. Maheshe has five points and is tied for fourth.

TEAM EFFORT AS GEE-GEES DEFEAT ROUGE ET OR IN RSEQ RUGBY

Six players scored one try each as the No. 3-ranked University of Ottawa Gee-Gees outscored No. 4 Université Laval Rouge et Or 36-26 to remain tied for first place at 2-0 in the RSEQ women’s rugby league.

Aurore Bowie, who also kicked three converts, Fiona Day, Anna Dodge, Ketsia Kamba, Ngozi Mosindi and Leigha Stiles scored the five-point tries for the Gee-Gees.

The Carleton University Ravens, 0-1-1, tied Bishop’s University Gaiters 27-27. Jayden Spence had a two-try game for the Ravens and single tries came from Carolyn Forster, Sierra Hasse and Ember Warren. Zoe Nield booted one convert.

OTTAWA SOONERS DROP FIRST JUNIOR FOOTBALL GAME OF SEASON

The Ottawa Sooners experienced defeat for the first time this season, falling 28-19 to the London Beefeaters in the Ontario Junior Conference.

The Sooners, 3-1, travel to St. Clair to meet the undefeated Saints on Saturday.

The Saints have outscored their opponents 260-7 in their four games. In last Saturday’s game against the GTA, the game was called early in the third quarter “due to unforeseen circumstances” with St. Clair leading 57-0.

LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST

• The City of Ottawa Ringette Association will play host to back-to-back Canadian ringette championships in the U16, U19 and National Ringette League categories in 2025 and 2026. Ringette Canada announced Tuesday that Ottawa also would stage the 2026 nationals.
• Distance swimmer Olivier Risk of ROC and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds was 24th in two hours, eight minutes, 44.60 seconds during the men’s 10-kilometre race at the World Aquatics open water swimming junior world championships in Alghero, Italy. He also was 17th in his three-kilometre knockout sprint heat and was ninth for Canada in the mixed 4×1,500-metre relay.
• Ottawa’s Cara Macdonald was fourth in the under-23 women’s division at the Canadian Triathlon Championships in Montreal, while Quinn Fitzgerald was 16th in the junior men’s event. Competing a week earlier at the FISU World University Triathlon Championships in Poland, Carleton University’s Saoirse Kealey placed 63rd in the women’s race.
• Alexandria Ellis of the Barrhaven Scottish, Pamphinette Buisa of the Ottawa Irish and University of Ottawa Gee-Gees product Claire Gallagher are attending a two-week training camp in Langley, B.C., to name the Canadian team for the second WXVI, a global women’s rugby competition, beginning Sept. 29 in Vancouver.
• Perth’s Amy Millar and Truman were part of the all-woman Canadian squad that placed fifth in the BMO Nations Cup team event at the 49th Spruce Meadows masters tournament in Calgary.
• Ottawa’s Michael Woods, the Stage 13 winner who withdrew from La Vuelta Espana before Stage 17 because of fatigue, and Derek Gee of Osgoode, ON., will race for Israel-Premier Tech and Canada at the Cycling Grand Prix races Friday in Quebec City and Sunday in Montreal.

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