Fleming and team bow out in Ontario

Lockerbie’s Hannah Fleming and her team bowed out of the World Curling Championships in North Bay, Ontario, yesterday after seeing a third straight win snatched away on the very last shot.

Fleming, Vicky Wright, Alice Spence and Jennifer Dodds lost their opening five round robin games but then won three of the next four, including back-toback victories on Wednesday, to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

Angelina Jensen and her Danish rink looked set to eliminate them yesterday when they led 5-3 at the halfway stage, but the Scottish champions rallied strongly and moved ahead for the first time at 7-6 going to the final end. Jensen held the hammer, though, and counted two stones to win 8-7.

Although Fleming and company can no longer reach the medal play-offs, they still have two matches to play today against the Olympic gold and silver medallists, Sweden and South Korea.

Meanwhile, the men’s curling World Championships are due to begin on 31 March in Las Vegas.