Selected for Euros
Scotland’s top ranked curlers Team Mouat and Team Muirhead who missed out on the chance to compete at their respective World Championships have been selected to represent their country at the Le Gruyère AOP European Cur l i n g Championships to be hosted in Norway from November 21-28.
The Peak-based teams will play at Lillehammer’s Olympic Park where teams will aim to earn qualification for the 2021 World Championships at which national teams will be competing for qualification points for representation at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games.
British and Scottish Curling have taken the decision to send their current top ranked teams, both of which are reigning national champions, as a result of their most recent performances and in recognition of the challenges to be confronted in the coming season.
With the European Championships scheduled for their usual slot, relatively early in the season, it is not yet clear what sort of opportunities will be available in terms of competitive preparation, but allowing two former European champion teams to focus fully on readying themselves will give Scotland its best chance of success.
Two-time European champion Eve Muirhead, who reached her seventh Euro final last year, said: “Pre-worlds I felt the team was in the best place it had ever been and it was a pity we were not able to demonstrate the form we had been building towards that event.
“It was completely the right decision to cancel the worlds and now we want to put all that hard work into practice and show everyone what we are capable of.”
Despite the challenges of the lockdown period seeing sporting venues and gyms closed across the country, the 30 year old former world champion has focused on the positives that have arisen as a result of the global pandemic.
“For me the break has been good,” she said. “I have been competing at the top of the game for 18 years and to have a chance to focus on my rehab to keep improving after my hip injury and subsequent surgery has been beneficial.
“Obviously that won’t be the same for everyone in the team, but we have a solid foundation to build on from last year so the aim is to keep that momentum going and get more success.”
Team Mouat is also looking to get on with ‘unfinished business’ after missing out on a home worlds which was due to take place in Glasgow in March. However, skip Bruce Mouat is not interested on dwelling on that disappointment or on past performances.
“We may well start the season as the top ranked Scottish men’s team, but we have no intention of letting that cushion become complacency,” said Mouat.
“We know how quickly we climbed the rankings and there are others capable of doing that too and we need to ensure we stay at the top of our game.”
Mouat’s men won bronze at their first World Championships in Las Vegas in 2018 and followed that with gold when they made their debut at the Europeans in the same year and their skip is keen to keep to that medal winning mentality.
“It will be great to be back at the Europeans and have a chance to test ourselves against some of the very best teams the sport has to offer and we plan to grab this opportunity with both hands and run with it,” he said.