Manitoba’s Grassie returns to Canadian Mixed and is thriving

Sean Grassie doesn’t take competing at the Canadian Mixed Curling Championship for granted. That’s part of why his goals at the 2025 event are concrete.

“I think we want to make the final four, of course. Then from there we’ll just try to win every game we play. We definitely wanted to make the championship pool, give ourselves a chance,” Grassie said.  “Then once you’re in the semifinals, you’re just a couple of games away.”

The Deer Lodge Curling Club team is moving closer to that ultimate goal after earning two more wins in the Championship Pool and improving to 6-2 on Thursday at the ongoing 2025 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship, held at the Assiniboia Curling Club in Saskatchewan.

On Thursday afternoon, Manitoba toppled Newfoundland & Labrador’s Team Rod Feltham (4-4, Gander) with a 9-2 win. In the evening, Manitoba stole a single point in the eighth to earn a 6-5 win against Quebec’s Team Yannick Martel (3-5; Chicoutimi, Nairn, Jacques-Cartier).

Team Grassie pursues Manitoba’s first national mixed title since 2019. That year, skip Colin Kurz led a team to gold. In 2009, Grassie skipped Manitoba to the top of the podium in the four-player mixed event. Grassie also competed at this event in 2012 and 2014, and he has observed that the level of competition has changed since his early national appearances.

“I think the overall level of my first mixed that we went to in 2009 in Iqaluit, there were some very strong teams. We played Wayne Tuck of Ontario; they were a good team, and Nova Scotia had a pretty strong team with Mark Dacey,” Grassie said. “So there were some strong teams, but probably not as balanced as it is nowadays, where pretty much every team is really strong.”

Now Grassie returns with a close-knit team. He aims to return Manitoba to the top of the podium. Grassie teams up with his vice-skip Roxie Tremblath, who is also his mixed doubles partner, along with his second Jordan Johnson for men’s. Lead Hilary Johnson supports as the wife of one of Grassie’s men’s teammates. The coach, Rodney Legault, has competed alongside Grassie on the men’s circuit.

Legault is one of three coaches rostered this week. The others are Amber Holland from Saskatchewan and Carley Sandwith-Craig from British Columbia. Having the extra set of eyes on hand has been of great benefit.

“Yeah, it’s really important to have Rodney here. He’s played men’s on our team for several years, so it is nice to have another set of eyes watching things and seeing how the ice is running and some feedback here and there,” Grassie said. “It’s definitely a positive because not every team has a coach. It’s one extra person on your team to help manage things and get things organized, watch the opposition, and watch the rocks. It’s definitely an advantage.”

Team Grassie has also been performing under pressure. Its first four games were decided by only two points and came down to the last rock. Navigating those high-stakes moments as a unit helps prepare the team as it seeks one of the four semifinal spots available.

In addition to Manitoba, two additional teams won both of their games in the Championship Pool. New Brunswick’s Team Rene Comeau (7-1; Fredericton) started the day with a 7-4 win against Quebec and capped things off with an 11-2 victory against Newfoundland & Labrador. Ontario’s Team Sam Mooibroek (8-0; Whitby) remained undefeated after earning a 10-5 win against British Columbia’s Team Miles Craig (5-3; Victoria).

Those three teams, in addition to Saskatchewan’s Team Jason Ackerman (6-2; Regina) currently hold coveted top four spots in the Championship Pool.

In the seeding pool, Alberta’s Team Jessie Hunkin (5-3; Edmonton) was the lone team to pick up two wins on Thursday. It overcame Nunavut’s Team Peter Van Strien (2-6; Iqaluit) and Team Betti Delorey of the Northwest Territories (2-6; Hay River).

The Championship Pool concludes on Friday, with the semifinals and medal games scheduled for Saturday.

Action from the 2025 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship will continue Friday with draws at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m., (all times Central).  

For the 2025 Canadian Mixed Curling Championship live results, click here.  

For the full event schedule, click here.  

For ticket information, click here.