Euro blow to act as a spur
Scotland’s champion curling skips have admitted to disappointment at the latest cancellations of major international events but have expressed determination to use it to fuel their motivation for 2021.
Peak-based Bruce Mouat and Eve Muirhead had already missed out on the World Championships earlier this year - now the European Championships scheduled for Lillehammer in November have been axed.
Mouat, who also missed out on the World Mixed Doubles event with Jen Dodds said he wans’t surprised given what had already happened this year.
“It was a blow to miss out but we had to prepare ourselves for the possibility that the Europeans might not be able to take place, so I guess we have kept that in mind.
“However what is certain is our ongoing target and this doesn’t change our end goal,” said the 26 year-old skip.
“Our team is hugely motivated by the chance to represent Scotland and our goal to represent Team GB at the Olympics will also spur us on.”
Podium and Performance Foundation teams have had access to on ice training at the National Curling Academy at The PEAK in Stirling for several weeks now, thanks to the support of Active Stirling and sportscotland and Mouat knows that access will continue to provide more opportunities for them.
“We have all adopted the new protocols, which has enabled us to get into the routine of on-ice training.
“We also have Mixed Doubles competition to look forward to each Friday. So that, as well as programme. British Curling has gone to great lengths to ensure we have this facility to train in, so we’re very lucky in that respect.
“The hard fact is that 2020 has just been a strange year and it’s not just us, but all 10 teams involved in the Europeans that have had to face this news which keeps it all in perspective.
“We just need to show how strong we are as athletes and things like this won’t put us off track for the future.”