Muirheads get ready for ice duties

Two Team Muirheads will take to the ice when the new curling season gets going.

Blair Atholl’s Eve Muirhead is on the road to recovery after hip surgery and is set to return with changes to the line-up.

British Curling confirmed this week that vice skip Anna Sloan has decided to take a career break to pursue other interests.

Stepping into the team will be Jennifer Dodds and Vicky Wright alongside regulars Vicki Chalmers - formerly Adams - and Lauren Gray.

The second Team Muirhead will be skipped by one of Eve’s brothers Glen Muirhead.

He is joining forces with his brother Thomas and Guildtown’s Kyle and Cammy Smith.

Kyle, who skipped his team to European silver in St Gallen last year and also to this year’s Winter Olympics, will play third.

Thomas and Cammy will play at second and lead respectively.

The news comes as British Curling announced its investment in 21 athletes across five programme supported men’s and women’s curling teams for 2018-19.

It’s the first year of the Olympic cycle as the curlers build towards the next Winter Olympics in 2022.

Team Jackson, which includes Guildtown’s Mili Smith, have maintained their line-up from last year.

They will continue to receive support at performance foundation level.

British and Scottish curling performance director Graeme Thompson said:“We know that the world stage in curling is becoming more competitive and it will take a lot of ability and commitment for our teams to continue to achieve at the top of the sport. That is our clear aim.”