Sweet victory for Muirhead as Scots make world final

SCOTLAND'S Eve Muirhead guaranteed her team at least a silver medal from the Ford World Women's Curling Championship in Canada with a convincing 10-4 win over the host nation in the semi-final.

The Scots, led by Muirhead, who at 19 is the youngest skip in the event, were due to face Germany in last night's final. The Germans are led by Andrea Schpp, the current European champion and the oldest skip of the week at 45. Schpp last won the world title before Muirhead was born, in Glasgow in 1988.

In the semi-final, Canada took an early lead, scoring two in the opening end. They looked set to steal another two in the second before Muirhead produced a spectacular raised double take-out to rescue the end and score one.

Canadian skip Jennifer Jones was heavy with her final draw in the third end to hand Scotland a steal of two and a 3-2 lead.

Canada could only score a single in the fourth and then, two good shots by Scottish third Kelly Wood set up the fifth for Scotland who eventually scored three after an umpires' measure.

The measure came out again in the sixth, this time to give Scotland a steal of one for a 7-3 lead. Next, the seventh end sealed the Scottish victory when yet another Canadian final shot went wrong to hand the Scots a steal of three. When Canada could only score one in the eighth, they conceded.

After the game, a delighted Muirhead said: "That's the first time I've beaten her (Jones]. She's been a tough team for me over the years and I've finally got a win ... when it matters. I'm delighted.

"I don't know that it's actually sunk in yet that I'm in my first final. We've got a silver medal, but we're going out there now for the gold medal.

"We've got to keep performing the way we have been going and give Andrea a good game."