A contentious incident marred the end of the Sturmay versus Skrlik game at Canada's national women's curling championship in Mississauga, Ontario. Brushes collided during sweeping, leading to accusations of mind games and rule disputes. The episode highlighted tensions between the two teams as pool play concluded.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Canada's premier women's curling event, saw drama unfold in the 10th end of the matchup between Team Sturmay and Team Skrlik. With Skrlik needing to steal a point to stay alive, her final rock clipped a yellow stone and began spinning toward the button. As it settled on the edge, Sturmay's skip rushed to sweep it, a move permitted once the stone crossed the tee line. However, Skrlik's lead, her sister Ashton, continued sweeping to guide the rock back, resulting in their brushes colliding and touching the stone, which halted without becoming the shot stone.
Chaos followed as Skrlik's team called for officials, arguing the rock had been disturbed. Rules dictate that opponents must yield way, though the source notes no intent on Sturmay's part. Officials opted to leave the setup unchanged, allowing Sturmay to throw an unnecessary final rock despite securing the win with the shot stone.
Post-game, Sturmay accused Skrlik of 'playing mind games,' a claim the article questions given the circumstances. Tensions escalated with a remark from someone on Sturmay's side: 'Well, if we are playing by the rules, you guys hogged every rock this game,' implying repeated hogline violations by Skrlik's deliveries. The author suggests umpires should have intervened more decisively, emphasizing the difficulty of addressing issues calmly mid-game.
Ultimately, the messy finish underscored a clear rivalry between the teams. Sturmay advanced to playoffs with a 5-1 record, while Skrlik exited at 3-3. In the same pool, Nova Scotia's Christina Black (6-1) and Manitoba's Beth Peterson (6-0) also qualified. The other pool featured undefeated Kaitlyn Lawes of Manitoba (7-0) and Canada's Kerri Einarson (6-1), with Ontario's Hailey Armstrong and Nova Scotia's Taylour Stevens (both 5-2) vying for the final spot in a 2:00 p.m. ET matchup on January 29, 2026.
This incident illustrates curling's psychological elements, where such rivalries add intensity to the sport.
