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- calendar_today November 8, 2026
Matt Dunstone Heads Back to Masters Curling Final
Winnipeg's Matt Dunstone is on the verge of claiming his second consecutive Masters curling title after a 5-3 semifinal victory over Switzerland's top-ranked Yannick Schwaller on Saturday at Co-op Place in Medicine Hat, Alberta. The Grand Slam of Curling contest saw Dunstone score two critical points in the seventh end and steal another in the eighth to lock up the win.
Key Moments in the Semifinal
Dunstone and his team—third Colton Lott, second Mark Nichols, and lead Ryan Harnden—entered the match undefeated for the week with a 6-0 record. The semifinal began with Schwaller stealing one in the first end. After blanking the third, Schwaller maintained a narrow lead, tapping for one in the fourth to stay ahead 2-1. Dunstone drew to the button for a single in the fifth, but Schwaller answered in the sixth, making it 3-2 for the Swiss skip.
The game's momentum shifted in the seventh end when Dunstone knocked out Schwaller’s lone stone to score two, moving ahead 4-3. The final end saw Schwaller attempt a hard hit with his last stone, but Dunstone’s rock held, resulting in a steal and a 5-3 final score.
Rematch With Bruce Mouat Looms
Dunstone is set to face Scotland’s two-time world champion Bruce Mouat in Sunday’s final. The matchup will be a repeat of both last season’s Tour Challenge and Grand Slam of Curling Tahoe finals—events won by Mouat. Speaking to CBC Sports, Dunstone looked forward to renewing the rivalry: “Excited to get another one with Bruce,” he said, referencing the close battles between the two skips in the past year.
Mouat defeated Switzerland’s Marco Hoesli 7-3 in his own semifinal, with teams shaking hands after six ends as Mouat secured his spot in the title match. Earlier, Mouat edged Brendan Bottcher’s Edmonton rink 6-5 in the quarterfinals.
Path to the Semifinals
Dunstone’s week included a 4-0 performance in round-robin play and a 7-5 quarterfinal win over American Danny Casper. Dunstone also faced Casper in his previous game, taking a 6-4 victory on Friday night. Schwaller had reached the semifinals after beating Scotland’s Grant Hardie 7-3 in the quarters. Elsewhere, Canada’s Olympic champion Brad Jacobs missed the playoffs after a 6-5 loss to Mouat left him with a 1-3 record.
Women's Final Set: Nihira vs. Wrana
In the women’s event, Japan’s Miku Nihira will meet Sweden’s Isabella Wrana in Sunday’s final. Nihira, who navigated a Saturday morning tiebreaker to reach the playoffs, secured her first Grand Slam final appearance by defeating Edmonton’s Selena Sturmay 6-4 in the semifinals. For Sturmay, it marked her first Grand Slam playoff appearance. Wrana advanced after a dramatic final stone draw edged Japan’s Ikue Kitazawa 7-6.
Other highlights included Sturmay’s 7-5 quarterfinal win over defending champion Rachel Homan, and Nihira’s upset of top-seeded Gim Eun-ji from South Korea. Kitazawa avenged an earlier defeat by topping Switzerland’s Alina Paetz 6-2, while Wrana overcame Xenia Schwaller, cousin to Yannick Schwaller, by a 7-4 score in the quarterfinals.
Looking Ahead to the Grand Slam Curling Finals
As championship Sunday approaches in Medicine Hat, the stage is set for high-profile matches in both the men’s and women’s draws. Dunstone seeks to defend his Masters title against a familiar opponent, while Nihira and Wrana pursue their own Grand Slam curling triumphs.
Source: cbc.ca.
