In a stunning upset at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, the United States women's curling team secured a historic 9-8 victory over Canada on Friday, February 13, marking the first time the American women have ever beaten their northern rivals in Olympic competition.
A Milestone Achievement
The American curlers themselves were surprised to learn they had accomplished what no U.S. women's team had managed since curling became an Olympic sport in 1998. "If that's true," said Minneapolis native Taylor Anderson-Heide after the nail-biting match, "I think we just played a really good game. They're No. 1 in the world."
Teammate Tara Peterson of Shoreview, Minnesota, echoed the sentiment with particular satisfaction: "It just always feels really good to beat (Canada skip) Rachel Homan. So any team to beat them, that's pretty impressive."
Breaking a Longstanding Streak
Until Friday's dramatic contest, Canada had maintained an unbroken record against the United States in women's Olympic curling, having medaled in every Winter Games since the sport's introduction. The Canadian women's team, skipped by Rachel Homan, has been widely regarded as the world's best for years.
This historic victory follows the precedent set by the U.S. men's team, which first defeated Canada during the 2018 round-robin and again in the semifinals on their way to claiming gold in Pyeongchang.
The Path to Victory
During Friday's closely contested match, the American team capitalized on several uncharacteristically weak shots by their Canadian opponents. After securing the win, the U.S. curlers celebrated by walking together down the ice and back to their coaches, raising their fists in triumph.
Peterson, like Anderson-Heide, couldn't help but add a qualifier to her response when speaking with The Associated Press: "Apparently, we've never beat them in the Olympics before. That makes it just extra special."
The Team Behind the Triumph
This year's American women's curling team embodies a unique blend of approachability and ambition, much like their Gen-Z men's counterparts. The squad features:
- Skip Tabitha Peterson, Tara's older sister
- Taylor Anderson-Heide
- Tara Peterson
- Cory Thiesse, who has already won a silver medal in mixed doubles
- Alternate Aileen Geving from Minnesota
Remarkably, three team members maintain professional careers outside curling, and three are mothers to young children. Tara Peterson works as a dentist, Tabitha Peterson as a pharmacist, and Cory Thiesse as a lab technician.
The team's family dynamics add another layer to their story: Tara gave birth to her son Eddie in September 2024, followed just months later by Tabitha welcoming daughter Noelle. Geving had daughter Sienna following the 2018 Games.
Looking Ahead
With this milestone victory, the U.S. women improved their record to 2-1 in the round-robin stage, having previously defeated Korea and lost to Sweden. They have several matches remaining before the semifinals scheduled for next Friday.
The team's historic win against Canada not only breaks a longstanding Olympic pattern but also positions them as serious contenders as they continue their journey through the 2026 Winter Games.
