Rachel Homan and her juggernaut Canadian championship team know their No. 1 world ranking doesn't guarantee success at the 2025 world women's curling championship.
But that doesn't mean Homan, vice-skip Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew and lead Sarah Wilkes won't be full of confidence when they begin their title defence when the 13-country championship begins Saturday in Uijeongbu, South Korea.
The Homan team has been together for three years and has been dominant over the past 18 months, winning back-to-back Scotties Tournament of Hearts titles and the 2024 world championship in Sydney, N.S.
"We find the more experience we get playing together, the stronger we get," Fleury said. "We're all really comfortable with one another now."
Since Homan returned to competition three weeks after giving birth to her third child in September 2023, the defending World champions reeled off six titles last season and six more in this campaign.
They also posted a record-tying 22 straight wins in their back-to-back Tournament of Hearts victories, tying a mark the Homan rink set between 2013-15.
"Last season was unbelievable, and I think heading into this season, we kind of tried to prepare ourselves it's OK if this season's not quite as incredible as last season," Fleury said.
"(Last season) would be hard to replicate. But we came out strong again this year, and we're winning a lot of games. But we're still trying to find ways to make small improvements."
Three weeks ago in Thunder Bay, Ont., Homan and Miskew won their fifth Canadian championship together in 11 appearances, one shy of Jennifer Jones' record of six.
Jones now coaches the Homan team, which represents the Ottawa Curling Club. But Jones won't join Canada in South Korea because of a scheduling conflict.
Canadian national team coaches Viktor Kjell and Renée Sonnenberg, along with team alternate Rachelle Brown, will handle the mentoring duties.
"This was something we were aware could be a possible factor," Kjell said. "Together with Renée and Rachelle, we'll be fine. I've spent a lot of time with the team throughout the season and various training (sessions)."
With the world championship in South Korea, Canada will have to overcome the jet lag and a lack of in-person support.
"I think, if anything, we're a little more prepared than last year," said the 35-year-old Homan, who curled a perfect 100 per cent in her team’s 6-1 win against Kerri Einarson and Manitoba in the Canadian championship final last month.
"We know what to do training-wise. Being overseas quite a bit, we know the jet lag and the importance of getting in the right zone, feeling ready for the games."
Homan and Miskew represented Canada at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, a two-hour drive east of Uijeongbu, but finished sixth.
The Canadians departed for South Korea on Sunday. They open against Virginija Paulauskaite's Lithuania rink before facing Rebecca Morrison's Scotland foursome in their second match on Saturday.
"We know what to expect," said Miskew, who, along with Homan, has won two world championships in five appearances.
"We feel that support, whether we're in Canada or not. They're watching.
"We'll pretty much duplicate last year's schedule, even though it was in Canada. We'll be ready."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2025.
Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press
