Curling: Perthshire curlers join Winter Olympics opening ceremony

Feb 12 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

BRITAIN’S curlers will join more than 5000 other proud athletes today for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Eighty nations will be represented at this year’s Games, with just 52 competitors in the team flying the flag for Britain.

And Perthshire curlers Pete Smith, Graeme Connal – members of last year’s world champions Team Murdoch – and ladies skip Eve Muirhead are mining for gold in the shadow of the Rockies.

While rookie Eve, just 19, is counting down to her first Olympics, old-hand Pete (45) is one of world curling’s most decorated players. But he admits a Vancouver medal would complete the set – several years after he announced he was winding-down his commitment to international curling!

The St Martins club member, who has enjoyed valuable support from employers Yara, has amassed a clutch of European and world medals but admitted: “It would be nice to round-off the CV with an Olympic medal.

“I’m definitely looking forward to the Games getting under way. It’s what the last 18 months and more have all been about.”

The family man was at the Olympics back in 1988 in Calgary, when Eddie the Eagle grabbed the headlines. But curling only had demonstration sport status and entry was gained by winning the Scottish championships. It’s been a tougher road this time. This will be my first full status Winter Olympics. The Calgary Games were something of an anti-climax because we were on the periphery.

“This time we will be at the heart of the action. It will be the biggest curling event of my life, with the sport in line for a massive boost to its profile if we do well.

“That can only be good for curling. As a young curler I grew up watching world championships and that was the pinnacle.

“But now that curling is a full medal sport, the worlds have been topped by the Olympics. The preparations and commitment required are on a different level for the squad that was selected.

“This year we have been in a holding camp, playing games against Canadian opposition. In 1988 we flew into Calgary two days before the event, discovered it was 4000 feet above sea level when we got there and our preparations were non-existent.

“We threw some rocks and had a bit of fun. This time we have had fantastic back-up from the Institute of Sport and British Olympic Association.

“It has been a real team effort. We even had our own ice maker in our Calgary camp over the past week before heading for Vancouver.

“We have tried to cover every angle and match or better the preparations of our rivals. Whether that has been good enough will become clearer over the new few weeks.”

Pete will enjoy support from wife Laura and kids Polyanna (8), Toby (7) and Monty (2) when they fly into Vancouver next week.

Meanwhile Team GB skip Eve, a three times world junior champion from Blair Atholl, admits the Olympic call has justified her decision to commit to curling rather than golf.

She could have been in America pursuing a golf scholarship but the lure of the Olympics won out.

“I play off two at Pitlochry and golf could have been an option,” said Eve, who will enjoy family support in Canada.

“I was selected for the Scotland squad but was chucked out because of my poor attendance record. I was trying to balance golf and curling and it wasn’t working.

“I had to make a choice and curling won. Only a handful of golfers ever make it to the very top and I wanted to push for the Olympics.

“The money in golf is attractive but my target now is an Olympic medal. Obviously you’re on your own playing golfing and curling is a team game.

“I have a chance to test myself against the very best in the world. It has been a massive learning curve stepping-up from the juniors but I have experienced players in the team.”