TEAM MUIRHEAD defeated Switzerland in the semi-finals of the European Curling Championships, which are taking place in Helsingborg, Sweden, to ensure they will play for gold today.
Switzerland are reigning world and European champions and this semi-final was tense the entire way, with the Scots finally emerging as 3-2 winner. Muirhead and her rink needed an extra end to clinch the victory though, with Muirhead herself playing the final stone that secured the point they needed for the win.
In today’s final, Muirhead and her team of Lauren Gray as vice-skip, Jennifer Dodds, Victoria Wright and alternate, Sophie Sinclair, will face the current Olympic champions, who will have the home support behind them
The Scottish team played Sweden earlier in the week, with the hosts coming out on top with an 11-4 win. However, if Team Muirhead can replicate their form from their semi-final, they have every chance of overturning that result in the final, which is a replay of the 2017 final, in which Muirhead came out on top.
Muirhead’s experience is likely to play a major part, with the 29-year-old a veteran of European Championship finals. Muirhead, who underwent a serious hip operation last year to rectify a problem that meant she was in constant pain, has contested six European finals, winning gold twice, silver four times and picking up two bronzes as well.
Meanwhile, Scot Stuart Benson picked up his Winter Olympic bobsled bronze medal from the 2014 Games on Thursday evening. Benson was part of the four-man crew that finished fifth at the Sochi Games behind two Russian crews, who were later disqualified for doping. The others in the GB crew were John Jackson, Bruce Tasker and Joel Fearon and the quartet received their medals at the Team GB Ball in London.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here