Manitoba’s Team Hayward fell just short of a national title Saturday, dropping a heartbreaking final to Quebec at the 2026 New Holland Canadian Under-20 Curling Championships in Sudbury, Ont.
Shaela Hayward delivers a stone during action at the 2026 New Holland Canadian Under-20 Curling Championships in Sudbury, Ont., where Team Manitoba went on to capture the silver medal
The gold medal game came down to the final shot, where skip Shaela Hayward was forced into a difficult draw against two counters in the eighth end. The attempt rubbed a guard, allowing Quebec to steal two and secure the championship.
“I knew I would be close on the final shot but unfortunately it started curling early and wasn’t quite enough to out count the other team’s rock,” said Hayward. “It’s definitely disappointing right now and will definitely take a while to get over but so proud of how hard this team battled this week.”
Hayward, alongside third India Young, second Keira Krahn and lead Dayna Wahl, with coach Ron Westcott, captured silver following a strong national showing for the Carman Golf & Curling Club rink.
Despite the result, Manitoba delivered a resilient performance in the final. Quebec opened with two in the first end and stole another in the second to take a 3-0 lead. Hayward limited the damage early with a clutch draw to hold the second end to a single when a bigger score was in play.
“We gave up a few points early, but this team is very resilient and can come back from anything,” she said. “We just knew if we focused and stayed patient we were going to be close. After that three and the steal of two we felt in control of the game.”
From there, Team Hayward settled in and took control of the game.
The Carman-based rink responded with a dominant stretch through the middle ends, outscoring Quebec 7-1 over the next four ends to erase the deficit and build a late lead. Their ability to generate offence while limiting mistakes allowed Manitoba to dictate play before the momentum shifted again in the closing end.
“Our team played unbelievable,” said Hayward. “We showcased our elite playing abilities and proved that we belonged there. I’m so incredibly proud of this team and what we accomplished this week.”
The silver-medal finish capped an impressive playoff run for the Manitoba champions.
Team Hayward advanced to the gold medal game with a 7-5 semifinal victory over Nova Scotia’s Blades rink. After trailing early, Manitoba mounted a steady comeback, highlighted by a pivotal two-point sixth end that swung momentum. The team added singles in the seventh and eighth ends before sealing the win with a deuce in the ninth.
The semifinal performance came less than 24 hours after a commanding 6-2 quarterfinal win over Newfoundland and Labrador’s Locke rink. Manitoba controlled the pace from the outset, scoring two in both the second and fourth ends while limiting their opponent’s scoring chances throughout the game.
Team Hayward entered the playoff round with a 6-2 record in round robin play, demonstrating consistency against a deep national field.
The team opened the championship on March 28 with a narrow 6-5 loss to British Columbia’s Fitzgibbon rink before rebounding with an 8-2 win over Northwest Territories’ Galusha on March 29. After a 7-3 loss to Alberta’s Andoschuk on March 30, Manitoba responded later that day with a 7-5 win over Nova Scotia’s Regan rink.
Hayward continued to build momentum through the middle of the week, earning a 7-5 win over Ontario’s Vivier on March 31. The team followed that with back-to-back dominant performances on April 1, defeating Prince Edward Island’s Gallant rink 9-2 and Northern Ontario’s Baker rink by the same score.
Manitoba secured its playoff berth with a 7-5 win over Quebec’s St. James rink on April 2, setting the stage for its run through the elimination rounds.
The national silver medal adds to what has already been a remarkable stretch of success for the Carman-based team.
“Although the silver medal stings right now, it means so much to myself and my team,” Hayward said. “Winning a medal at a national championship is an amazing accomplishment and something we will always be proud of.”
Hayward captured back-to-back Manitoba junior provincial championships in 2024 and 2025, and added the 2026 title with Young, Krahn and Wahl to earn a return trip to nationals. She also won back-to-back Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association provincial curling championships during her high school career, underscoring her sustained success at multiple levels of competition.
In 2024, Hayward skipped her rink to a Canadian U18 national championship, defeating Quebec in the gold medal game to secure a national title for Manitoba. That same season, she made provincial history by becoming the first curler in Manitoba to win three provincial championships in a single year, capturing U18, U21 and mixed titles in a dominant campaign.
The team also claimed the 2024 Manitoba U21 championship with a perfect 5-0 record, further establishing itself as one of the province’s premier junior curling programs.
With much of that championship core still intact, Team Hayward’s performance in Sudbury reinforces its position among the top junior teams in the country.
“This was my third Canadian junior and it is such an amazing event,” said Hayward. “Of course I’ll remember how hard my team played this week and all the great shot making, but I’ll also remember the moments off the ice — the car rides to the rink, late night food runs, our pre-game warmup. We bonded so much on this trip and will never forget this week.”
Looking ahead, the team isn’t done yet this season.
“We’ve got one more event this year in Edmonton at the end of April that the team is really looking forward to,” she added.
Despite the narrow loss in the final, the silver-medal finish represents another significant milestone for the program — and adds to an already decorated resume that continues to grow on the national stage.
