KINDERSLEY -- The third time was the charm for Saskatoon’s Nancy Martin.
Martin and her Nutana Curling Club foursome of third Chaelynn Stewart, second Kadriana Lott and lead Colleen Ackerman battled to a 9-7 victory over Regina Highland’s Jolene Campbell in the championship final on Sunday afternoon in Kindersley.
It was the third straight appearance in the title game for Martin and her first win after falling to North Battleford’s Robyn Silvernagle in the 2023 final and Moose Jaw’s Skylar Ackerman in 2024.
Martin took a 4-0 lead in the fourth end with back-to-back steals, but Campbell -- who took the ice with third Abby Ackland, second Rachel Erickson and lead Dayna Demmans -- got almost all of that back with three in the fifth. The teams exchanged single points the next two ends before Martin went up 7-4 with a deuce in the eighth.
Campbell came up with the big end in the ninth to score three and tie the game, but Martin would put together a solid 10th while facing a time-clock crunch and get a deuce for the win.
The victory was made even more heartening by the Martin foursome overcoming a touch of adversity -- regular lead Deanna Doig suffered a hip injury late in the tournament and was sidelined, with Collen Ackerman stepping in and doing an impressive job, especially in the final.
“My team played amazing, I tried to give this game away three times I think, so they were determined,” Martin said on the Curl Sask YouTube broadcast shortly after her win. “I was able to make a couple and then Colleen stepped in when we needed her… [the team] stayed with me and I can’t thank our families and our sponsors enough.”
It was the second game of the day for Martin, who took a 15-8 win over Saskatoon’s Ashley Thevenot in the semifinal.
Earlier on Sunday it was announced that Penny Barker rink second Taryn Schachtel was named the Marj Mitchell Award winner for the 2025 tournament. The event is presented every year to the most sportsmanlike player, as voted on by the players.
Here’s an end-by-end breakdown of how the championship final played out:
First end - Campbell hammer
Martin draws behind centreline guard in the four-foot to lay two, Campbell wrecks on guard with final stone, Martin scores two.
2-0 Nancy Martin
Second end - Campbell hammer
Martin doubles off stones in eight and 12-foot to clear house while shooter hangs on edge of 12-foot, Campbell puts draw into eight foot perfectly behind guard, Martin comes around from outside for takeout as shooter rolls out, Campbell hits stone on edge of 12-foot for blank.
2-0 Nancy Martin
Third end - Campbell hammer
Martin draws behind cover to four foot to lay two, Campbell tries to follow but wrecks and pushes Martin stone in to lay three, Martin draws to top 12-foot centreline to close off port, Campbell attempts angle raise to four foot and comes in an inch heavy. Steal of one for Martin.
3-0 Nancy Martin
Fourth end -- Campbell hammer
End set up with Martin laying three until double takeout by Ackland cleans things up and leaves Martin laying one and Campbell second. Martin attempts to draw to four foot but wrecks on one of five guards in front of house, Campbell attempts to draw through other side and also wrecks, leaving seven rocks in front. Martin taps off guard to top of eight foot to lay first and third shot. Campbell comes in thin on raise takeout attempt, leading to measurement of stones in eight foot. Martin gets steal of one.
4-0 Nancy Martin
Fifth end -- Campbell hammer
Martin attempts to hit Campbell shot at front of house but misses and takes out own shot rock in four foot, leaving Campbell as shot rock. Campbell draws in behind cover to touch four foot to lay two. Martin attempts to draw in but crashes in front. Campbell draws to four foot. Campbell scores three.
4-3 Nancy Martin
Six end -- Martin hammer
Campbell faces wall of rocks at back of 12 foot with first shot, with Martin sitting first and fourth shot, Campbell second and third. Campbell hits and rolls to eight-foot to sit three. Martin gets double and rolls to eight foot to sit one. Campbell hits and sticks touching four to lay two. Martin has nose hit take-out to sit in four foot. Martin scores one.
5-3 Nancy Martin
Seventh end -- Campbell hammer
Martin hits Campbell stone in four foot to lay three across the house: one t-line 12-foot, one full eight foot and one touching back four foot. Campbell hits stone in eight foot to become second shot. Martin takes out stone Campbell just threw to again lay three. Campbell hits stone touching four foot to lay one full four foot. Campbell scores one.
5-4 Nancy Martin
Eighth end -- Martin hammer
Martin laying four at skip stones. Campbell gets double and rolls to back 12-foot, Martin sits two. Martin draws full eight foot to sit three. Campbell gets great touch-weight double but sits second shot. Martin gets wide-open hit and stick. Martin scores two.
7-4 Nancy Martin
Ninth end -- Campbell hammer
Great shot by Kitz doubles off two Campbell stones and leaves Martin laying three. Martin throws centreline guard. Campbell makes a great double and rolls to sit in front of Martin stone in 12 foot. Martin attempts to draw in but wrecks on red guard, pushing it into the house and giving Campbell a draw for three. Campbell draws back four foot. Campbell scores three.
7-7 tie
Tenth end -- Martin hammer
Both teams under time crunch and playing fast. Campbell taps back Martin counter and remains open in four foot. Martin hits and rolls to eight foot to lay three around the house, all behind t-line. Campbell come up light on shot to four foot. Martin doesn’t have to throw final shot.
9-5 win for Nancy Martin
