Team Nova Scotia-Black targets gold at Scotties after steady rise

When Team Christina Black sets a goal, it tends to meet it.

At last year’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts, the Nova Scotia team targeted at least a bronze medal, and delivered. Earlier this season, it set its sights on bronze at the 2025 Montana’s Canadian Curling Trials and exceeded expectations, reaching the best-of-three final against Olympic-bound Team Rachel Homan.

Now, Team Nova Scotia-Black is aiming even higher.

Black, third/vice-skip Jill Brothers, front-enders Jennifer Baxter, Karlee Everist, and Marlee Powers, along with coach Stuart MacLean, arrive at the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Mississauga, Ont., believing a gold-medal run is within reach.

“We believe we can win, we know we can do it, and the opportunity is there,” Black said. “There’s no Team Homan, so there’s a little bit more space for someone else to capture that, and we just think we started together as this team last year, and we’ve just been building and building. This is our second season together, and it just keeps getting better.”

Team Nova Scotia-Black opened its tournament Saturday afternoon with a dominant 9-1 victory over Team Julia Weagle of Nunavut (Iqaluit). Nova Scotia stole two in the third end, added singles in the fourth, fifth and sixth, then scored three in the eighth before Nunavut conceded.

That opening result echoed a broader feeling around the field. With the reigning champions absent, many teams see a clearer path to a championship run.

Krista Scharf agrees.

The Thunder Bay, Ont., skip led Team Northern Ontario to a 7-4 win over Alberta’s Team Kayla Skrlik of Calgary. Scharf owns two Scotties silver medals and two bronze and remains focused on adding a national title — and a world championship appearance as Team Canada — to her resumé.

“It’s a great field here as well. Every team is wanting (to win) really, really badly, and I think the fact that Rachel’s team is not here, everyone is holding the gold trophy in their eyes thinking ‘this is my tournament’ so we know everyone is going to be playing their best and we’ll have to do the same,” Scharf said.

Elsewhere Saturday afternoon, Alberta’s Team Selena Sturmay of Edmonton rolled to a 12-3 win over Team Amanda Power of Prince Edward Island (Summerside). Manitoba’s Team Beth Peterson of Winnipeg, skipped by Kelsey Calvert, edged Newfoundland and Labrador’s Team Mackenzie Mitchell (St. John’s) 7-5.

The 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts continues Saturday with a draw at 7 p.m. (all times Eastern).

Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts are available at www.curling.ca/scoreboard/.

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For ticket information for the 2026 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, go to www.curling.ca/2026scotties/tickets/.

This story will be available in French as soon as possible at www.curling.ca/fr/2026scotties/nouvelles/.