OSHAWA, Ont. - Two weeks after his frightening fall, Brad Gushue has rebounded to win the National.
The skip from from St. John's, N.L., beat Winnipeg's Reid Carruthers 7-2 in Sunday's final of the Grand Slam of Curling event.
Gushue was back on the ice this week for this first time since suffering a head injury from a fall last month. The 2006 Olympic champion needed seven stitches to close a gash above his right eye after he fell Oct. 31 at The Masters in Truro, N.S. He lost his balance and landed head first on the ice.
He said he experienced concussion-like symptoms after he left the arena and again the next day. Gushue underwent a CT scan when he returned home and rested for almost a week.
On Sunday, the veteran curler, along with third Mark Nichols, second Brett Gallant and lead Geoff Walker weathered a few close calls in the early ends before capitalizing in the fifth end when Carruthers missed on a double attempt, going up 3-1.
Carruthers was facing three in the eighth but missed on the key last shot.
It's the third Grand Slam title in the past two seasons for Gushue.
In the women's final, Ottawa's Rachel Homan edged Tracy Fleury of Sudbury, Ont., 5-4 to win her second straight Grand Slam of Curling tournament after claiming the Masters two weeks ago.
Homan, with third Emma Miskew, second Joanne Courtney, and lead Lisa Weagle, trailed 4-3 heading into the final end but scored a deuce to claim the victory. Homan and her rink were the only team to run the table at the event, going 7-0 through round robin and the playoffs.
Homan has made the finals of all three Grand Slam events this season, with a runner-up finish in the Tour Challenge to open the season.
