Surprise! US women’s curling team beats Canada for first time at an Olympic Games

U.S. Women’s Curling Team Makes Olympic History with First-Ever Win Against Canada

In a stunning upset that marks a significant milestone in American winter sports, the U.S. women’s curling team defeated Canada 9-8 on Friday in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, recording their first-ever Olympic victory against the curling powerhouse.

The American team, led by skip Tabitha Peterson, was initially unaware of the historic nature of their achievement. “If that’s true, I think we just played a really good game. They’re No. 1 in the world,” said Minneapolis native Taylor Anderson-Heide after the narrow victory.

Canada has been a dominant force in Olympic curling since the sport was added to the Winter Games in 1998, medaling in every competition. Team Homan, skipped by Rachel Homan, has long been considered among the best in the world, making this victory particularly significant for the American squad.

“It just always feels really good to beat Rachel Homan,” said Tara Peterson of Shoreview, Minnesota. “So any team to beat them, that’s pretty impressive.”

The historic win follows in the footsteps of the U.S. men’s team, which broke through against Canada at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, defeating them in both the round-robin and semifinals before claiming gold. However, until Friday, the American women had never managed to overcome their northern rivals on the Olympic stage.

During Friday’s match, the U.S. team capitalized on several uncharacteristic mistakes by the Canadians. After securing the victory, the Americans walked together down the ice toward their coaches with raised fists, celebrating what they later learned was a groundbreaking achievement.

“Apparently, we’ve never beat them in the Olympics before. That makes it just extra special,” Tara Peterson remarked after being informed of the historic nature of their win.

This year’s U.S. women’s curling team represents a compelling blend of athletic prowess and relatable everyday lives. The roster includes skip Tabitha Peterson, her sister Tara Peterson, Taylor Anderson-Heide, and Cory Thiesse, who has already secured a silver medal in the mixed doubles event earlier in these Games. Aileen Geving of Minnesota serves as the team’s alternate.

What makes this team particularly distinctive is how they balance elite athleticism with careers and family responsibilities. Three team members maintain professional careers outside of curling—Tara works as a dentist, Tabitha as a pharmacist, and Thiesse as a lab technician. Additionally, three are mothers to young children, with Tara having given birth to her son Eddie in September 2024, Tabitha welcoming daughter Noelle a few months later, and Geving having daughter Sienna following the 2018 Olympics.

The victory improves the American team’s record to 2-1 in the round-robin competition, adding to their previous win against Korea while having suffered a loss to Sweden. The team still has several matches remaining before the semifinals next Friday, but this historic win against Canada provides momentum as they continue their Olympic campaign.

The significance of this victory extends beyond the immediate competition. Curling has seen growing popularity in the United States since the men’s gold medal in 2018, and moments like this breakthrough against Canada further validate American development programs and competitive strategies in a sport traditionally dominated by northern nations.

While Canadian teams have long been the standard-bearers in curling, this result suggests a shifting competitive landscape in the sport, with more nations developing world-class programs capable of challenging the traditional powerhouses.

As the tournament progresses, the U.S. women will look to build on this historic victory and potentially join their male counterparts as Olympic medalists in a sport where American success was once considered improbable.