Scotland’s men and women have both won their opening matches at the European Curling Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic, making a perfect start to their campaigns. The men emulated their female counterparts with victory on the opening day, setting an early tone for what both rinks hope will be medal-winning weeks.
Scotland curling team (Credits: BBC Sport)
Grant Hardie’s rink led the way for the men, triumphing 8-4 over the Netherlands. Scotland picked up two points at the opening end and three more at the third to lead 5-1, taking early control of the contest. The Dutch fought back to 6-4 down after six ends, but Scotland picked up two more at the seventh to see out the win.
Hardie’s side now face Belgium later on Wednesday, with momentum firmly on their side after a composed opening performance.
Scotland Women Beat Denmark 12-3 in European Curling Opener
Fay Henderson’s Scotland women began their campaign even more emphatically, with a comprehensive 12-3 victory over Denmark. The Scots edged the opening two ends by single points before the Danes halved the deficit, but that was as close as the match got.
Scotland took control of their opener, surging into a five-point lead by the close of the fourth end. Although Denmark scored two points in the fifth, Scotland ended the contest emphatically with a six-point haul in the sixth and final end — a statement win to open the tournament.
Scotland’s European Curling Championships Campaign Starts Perfectly
Winning openers matter in a championship like this, where early form builds confidence and position in the standings. For both Scottish rinks, the opening day delivered exactly that: the men controlled their match from the front, while the women turned a tight start into a runaway win.
With both teams now up and running in Ostrava, attention turns to the next round of fixtures — and to whether this strong start can carry Scotland deep into the medal rounds. Selected games are available live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.