Curling: Team GB set for Scottish championships

Mar 5 2010 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

TEAM GB curlers who returned home earlier this week now have to overcome jetlag and lingering disappointment from their failed Winter Olympics medal bids to compete in the national championships.

The Bruadar Scottish men’s title and the Columba Cream ladies championship are up for grabs over the next three days, with Perth’s Dewars Centre hosting the finals on Sunday. The winners will represent Scotland at the world championships.

David Murdoch’s GB rink, including Perth’s Pete Smith will be defending their title and bidding to represent Scotland in Cortina, in Italy, in April. While they endured disappointment in the medal hunt in Canada, they are the current world champions and pride will get the adrenaline going.

Veteran Pete admits work and family commitments are likely to take precedence when the season ends but he insists Team Murdoch will be up for the domestic challenge.

“We are a bit tired and deflated after the disappointment of not getting the medal we set out for in Vancouver,” he said.

“But we signed up for the season as a rink and once we get on the ice our competitive streak will take over. If anyone is going to beat us they’ll have to drag us off the ice.

“I won’t be making a knee-jerk reaction about my future. We have won two golds and a silver at the world and Europeans in the last four years and I have had a great career in curling.

“But I have to think of the family. We put ourselves in a position to press for a medal in Canada but it just didn’t happen.

“You couldn’t fault the preparation on or off the ice. It was still a fantastic experience being part of the Winter Olympics.”

But Pete admits they have their work cut out against the other three title contenders, skipped by Perth’s Warwick Smith, youngster Glen Muirhead, from Blair Atholl, and veteran Hammy McMillan from Stranraer.

The Bruadar final gets under way at 3pm on Sunday but there is action at the Dewars Centre today at 2.30pm and 7.30pm, with the men’s semi-finals on Saturday at 7pm.

Other play-off matches are also on the cards.

Meanwhile, Glen’s sister Eve Muirhead is seeking domestic success to ease the pain of Vancouver.

In her first match, Eve goes up against Gail Munro from Stranraer, who was controversially axed from the Scottish rink at the 2008 world championships in Canada, at 2.30pm today and the semi-final is scheduled for Saturday at 2pm, with an 11am Sunday final.

The other teams in the last four are skipped by Sarah Reid (Galleon) and Gillian Howard (Murrayfield).

Eve returned to Perthshire in the early hours of Wednesday morning and admits her rink will have to contend with jetlag.

But she is eager to book a return trip to Canada for the world championships.

“It’s essential we are fully motivated and we have to get our minds focused on this event,” she stressed.

“It is the Scottish championships and a place at the worlds in Swift Current is at stake. There is a lot to play for.

“Two days isn’t really enough to get over the long flight and time difference but we knew we’d have to deal with it.

“We had a fantastic experience out in Vancouver and we were very well prepared. Hopefully I’ll have other Olympic campaigns ahead of me.

BANKFOOT-based Scottish Liqueur Centre is again sponsoring the championships and managing director Kenny MacKay said: “Given the high profile of curling during the Olympics we are looking forward immensely to this weekend.

“The large Perthshire contingent of players makes it even more interesting as a local business”

“We wish all the teams well.

“We haven’t forgotten the spectators either, who will all receive a complimentary tasting of Columba Cream and Bruadar on finals day.”