Team Muirhead in at deep end

Team Muirhead open their Olympic season at the Grand Slam of Curling tour event in Regina, Canada.

Eve Muirhead and her Sochi bronze medallists make their first competitive outing since they earned Team GB selection for PyeongChang,

The skip said: “Our preparation for the coming season has been one of the best I have ever experienced, and I know I can vouch for all of the team as well.

“Our first competition of the year is straight in at the deep end playing in a Grand Slam event in Regina. The tour challenge is a strong field with the top 15 ranked teams in the world order of merit.”

Team Muirhead is one of four rinks carrying Scottish hopes at the event. They are joined by fellow Team GB Winter Olympic men’s representatives Team Smith, who will give alternate Glen Muirhead time on the ice.

In the Tier 2 women’s event, Scottish Championship finalists Team Fleming will be making their season debut, with Team Drummond, skipped by Greg Drummond, and his new-look rink taking part in the Tier 2 men’s event.

l Perth’s Olympic skip Kyle Smith was beaten by fellow Scot Bruce Mouat as the two former world junior champions went head-to-head in the Oakville Tankard quarter-finals in Ontario.

Smith and team-mates Cammy Smith, Kyle Waddell and Thomas Muirhead salvaged a last-eight spot with back-toback victories while Mouat had booked his place with a perfect record of four straight wins.

The Murrayfield skip led 3-0 after the opening end and was soon five stones up, on his way to a convincing 8-3 victory.