Dodds and Mouat on top of the world after clinching title in thrilling close encounter
Scottish curlers Jennifer Dodds and Bruce Mouat claimed their first global title by a matter of millimetres in a dramatic conclusion to yesterday's final at the World Mixed Doubles Championship in Aberdeen.
The childhood friends from Edinburgh led Norway's Kristin Skaslien and Magnus Nedregotten 8-7 with one shot left to play, and although Skaslien almost produced a miracle with her final delivery, the official measuring device confirmed that Scotland had stolen a single stone to clinch a nail-biting 9-7 victory.
They will now go to next year's Winter Olympics as reigning world champions after securing their place in Beijing last week.
The Scots began yesterday's final as slight favourites after winning nine of their previous ten games, but Norway had stunned defending champions Sweden in Saturday's first semi-final. Skaslien and Nedregotten continued that form yesterday, counting three stones at the second end and narrowly missing out on a four at the fourth as they deservedly led 5-3 at the midway stage.
Dodds and Mouat were being outplayed but regrouped during the interval and came out firing. A two at the fifth pulled them level, only for Norway to reply in kind with a deuce at the next.
End seven proved to be a crucial turning point as Scotland called a Powerp lay and
capitalised on that to score a three and move ahead for the first time since the opening end.
Norway held the advantage of playing the last shot at the final end, knowing that they needed a two to win or a single to take the match to an extra end.
Dodds and Mouat made life as difficult as possible for their rivals, while national coach David Murdoch - himself a double world champion - offered his advice during a timeout, but it could scarcely have been closer at the death as Skaslien narrowly failed to dash Scottish hopes.
“I’m just in shock just now,” Dodds said.
“I can’t believe it. We knew
that was going to be a really close final.
"They’re a really great team, so we knew it would go down to the wire.
"Early on I didn’t have my best game, so we just hung on in there and then at the seventh end taking three in our Powerplay was massive.
“It was almost a wee bit of a momentum swing for the eighth end and Bruce just set up the angles great at the last end and I just had to put a guard up.
"She was so close to making that last shot, but luckily it was us that came out winning.”
Mouat, meanwhile, was ecstatic after going one better than last month's World
Men's Final in Calgary, where he lost 10-5 to Swede Niklas Edin. Claiming gold on home ice was doubly sweet for the Murrayfield skip following the late cancellation due to the Covid lockdown of last year's World Championship in Glasgow.
"That was such a tight game against Norway. It was really scrappy for a while," said Mouat.
"Even when we were behind on the scoreboard, we always felt we could win it, and that's exactly what happened."
Deposed holders Sweden salvaged a bronze medal by defeating Canada 7-4 in yesterday morning's third place play-off.