Scots warming up for Aberdeen and Vancouver

Published on Monday 23 November 2009 22:57

SCOTLAND'S top men's and women's teams confirmed yesterday that this year's European Curling Championships, which start in Aberdeen a week on Saturday, are key to their preparations for next year's Winter Olympic Games, being staged in Vancouver in February.

While Olympic medals remain their No 1 target, the Aberdeen event is a key stepping stone. Apart from anything else, the men, led by David Murdoch, are spoiling for the chance to defend their European crown, won in Sweden last year before they went on to add the world title in Canada, while the women, led by current world junior champion Eve Muirhead from Perth, are keen to gain a podium place to confirm their status as real Olympic challengers.

But despite their medal-festooned careers, the Aberdeen event represents a unique challenge for both teams – representing Scotland on home ice.

With a four-year gap since Scotland last hosted a major international championship, for almost all of the team members involved, the Aberdeen event represents a first chance to wear the blue of Scotland on home ice. Jackie Lockhart, who plays third on the women's team, lives in Stonehaven, so she really is the local team member.

Speaking at a British Curling Open Day in Stirling yesterday, she said: "It's going to be exciting. I'll be quite nervous playing on home ice for the first time, but I'm looking forward to having local support." But she adds a word of caution: "It will add another layer of discipline that we're going to have to apply not to be distracted. I'll be nervous enough playing without noticing who's in the audience, but I'm looking forward to playing in the atmosphere that we're looking for".

The Aberdeen event will be a real test for the Scottish teams. Every European nation that has qualified for the Vancouver games is sending their Olympic representatives, including Sweden's Anette Norberg, who is the reigning Olympic champion, and defending European champion Miriam Ott from Switzerland.