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Three Stirling University curling scholars will represent Scotland at World Championships next month after winning their respective Scottish titles last weekend.

As part of Team Jackson, Sophie Jackson and Mili Smith defeated Team Muirhead, led by Olympic medallist and University of Stirling honorary graduate Eve Muirhead, in the women’s final to win their first national crown.

Meanwhile, Bobby Lammie added to his growing list of accolades with Team Mouat, as they defeated another Team Muirhead – led by Eve’s brother, Glen – in the men’s final.

Having already beaten their more experienced opponents twice in the roundrobin stage, Team Jackson went into the final full of confidence and Masters student Jackson, who skipped the team to a 11-7 victory, feels they benefited from their underdog status.

She said: “I think all the pressure was on Team Muirhead. We were able to settle in and play how we wanted to.”

In the men’s final, it was a nip and tuck affair as Team Mouat ran out 7-5 winners against Team Muirhead, to defend their Scottish crown and continue an incredible 12 months of success which included bronze at last year’s World Curling Championship and gold at the prestigious Le Gruyère AOP European Curling Championship.

Team Jackson will now prepare for the World University Winter Games in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, at the start of March before moving on to their first Women’s World Curling Championship, in Denmark.

Lammie and his teammates will look to improve on their bronze medal from 2018 as they head to Canada for the Men’s World Championship at the end of next month.