Scots curlers praised after success at Euros

Scotland’s curlers have been hailed after their medal-winning performances in the Le Gruyere European Championships in Ostersund, Sweden.

The men’s team skipped by Bruce Mouat won gold after beating Switzerland in a high-class final while Aberdeen’s Rebecca Morrison led the women’s team to a bronze medal.

British Curling executive performance director Nigel Holl said the latest successes enjoyed by the teams is evidence of the growing success of a system that is being built to respond to the demands of the modern game.

The consistency of the performances that have also brought Olympic gold in the women’s game has been down to the work being done in the world-leading National Curling Academy in Stirling – and Holl reckoned this latest achievement could not have demonstrated that better.

“This event had looked like being particularly challenging for our teams,” he said.

“Our coaches and support team have consequently had to work harder than ever to prepare both teams for this event, but the way we are able to do that with the facilities we have in Stirling allowed them to and these medals are a huge reward for everyone.”

The NCA was opened in 2017 and has brought immediate success.

Holl said: “We have enjoyed exceptional success thanks to the culture, the environment and the ethos we have built since its opening.

“We know that the rest of the world is looking at what we are doing and trying to work out how to emulate it.”

Scotland’s men celebrate their gold-medal victory.