Ontario and Quebec Claim New Holland U-20 Titles

National champions have been crowned in Sudbury, Ont. 

After a week of competition featuring 36 teams, the final games were played on Saturday at the New Holland U-20 Canadian Championships, crowning Ontario #1 and Quebec #2 the men’s and women’s champions, respectively. 

“I actually have no words,” said Ontario skip Evan MacDougall of his team’s 8-3 win over Alberta #1’s Peter Hlushak. “It’s unreal.” 

Alberta conceded after a steal in the seventh end.  

The team from Fergus, Ont. – MacDougall, Dylan Stockton, Evan Madore, and Carson Kay – blanked the first, before putting four on the scoreboard in the second. With a big lead, they just had to patiently work their way to the finish line. 

“Honestly, it’s a bit scary getting up early on a team like that,” said MacDougall. “You know they’re going to be going hard for the rest of the game, and if we weren’t careful, that’s how they get big scores right back. Getting four was nice, but we knew we had to stay focused for the next few ends to win it… and we were able to do it.” 

Alberta was threatening for a steal of two or three in the fourth end, when MacDougall made a double runback-double take out to score one. That restored a four-point lead going into the second half of the game. 

“There was a different shot for one in that end, but that’s the one I was seeing,” said MacDougall. “The guys gave me confidence, and I was able to throw it well, and make it. I felt comfortable throwing it.” 

The Ontario team is supported by alternate Ryne Fisher and coach Jordan Thin. 

“We’re all best friends off the ice, and we know what everybody needs to play their best,” said MacDougall. “It was just a lot of fun out there, and I think that’s made the difference.” 

In the bronze medal game, Quebec’s Raphael Tremblay threw a perfect tap-freeze to set up a steal in the eighth end to beat Alberta #2’s. Jaxon Hiebert, skip of the Edmonton-based team, had a chance for a thin double-takeout, but caught it too thick and rolled over the top of the Quebec stones. Tremblay follows his 2026 U-18 Championship with a U-20 bronze. 

The women’s final came down to the last rock, with Quebec #2 stealing two for the win in the eighth end. The team from Kénogami Curling Club – Jolianne Fortin – Emy Lafrance, Megan Lafrance, Megane Fortin (and coach Brandon Lafrance) – trailed by one without last rock, but forced Manitoba skip Shaela Hayward into a tough draw against two. It rubbed a guard, and Quebec claimed the championship. 

“After five years, working for this, and finally achieving our goals, it’s incredible,” said Fortin. “We’ve been in three finals between U-18 and U-20, and we were starting to wonder when it was going to be our turn!” 

Quebec opened with two and stole the second end to take an early 3-0 lead. It could have been a bigger score, but Hayward made a clutch draw against four – to force the single in the second. After that, it was all Manitoba for several ends. The team from Carmen, Man. outscored Quebec 7-1 in the next four ends. 

“After five ends, who would have thought we could come out of it with the win?” said Fortin, of the mid-game momentum shift. “We just had to be patient. We knew it wasn’t happening like we wanted it to, but we knew we would have an opportunity at some point.” 

It came down to the last rocks in the eighth end. 

“We were all stressed out,” said Fortin. “Both teams had nerves, and we thought that if we could make her throw her last one against one or two, we might have a chance to steal, and maybe force an extra.” 

An extra end was unnecessary, as the Manitoba draw ticked the guard. 

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” said Fortin. “But tomorrow I think we’ll be pretty excited!” 

Both champions will represent Canada an next year’s World Junior Championships. Dates and locations have not yet been announced by World Curling. 

Earlier in the day, Hayward was trailing 5-1 after five ends, but scored two in the sixth and stole in the seventh, eighth, and ninth end to deny Nova Scotia’s Cassidy Blades a trip to the final. Meanwhile, Fortin’s Quebec squad defeated Alberta #2’s Sierra Androschuk, 8-3, in the semifinal.