Mouat maintains hunger to be Scottish champion - watch on BBC

Bruce Mouat is chasing a fifth Scottish title in Dumfries

Despite achieving just about everything curling has to offer, Bruce Mouat says the desire to be crowned Scottish champion "doesn't really die down".

Mouat's rink are battling it out with the country's best at this week's national championships at the Dumfries Ice Bowl.

Olympic silver medallists and ranked number one in the world, Team Mouat are strongly fancied to win what would be their fifth Scottish title.

But a shock defeat to the team led by Cameron Bryce has left them third in the standings going into the last day of round-robin action.

Now Mouat, along with Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan, face both the 2024 finalists, led by Ross Craik and Ross Whyte, needing to win one of those matches to be sure of their semi-final spot.

Team Whyte, the defending champions, are unbeaten so far, with Team Craik on five wins and one defeat, along with Team Mouat.

"You want to prove you are the standout team," said Mouat earlier in the week.

"That was the first thing that you really saw or wanted as a young kid, you always were aware of the Scottish championship and the legends that have won it before you.

"Growing up that was always the aim, to win a Scottish championship, and it doesn't really die down the further I get on to my career."

The round-robin ends on Thursday evening with a showdown against Team Whyte, who are up to fifth in the global rankings after winning their maiden Grand Slam of Curling title at the recent WFG Masters.

Performances at the Scottish championships will have a bearing on selection for this year's men's and women's world championships.

Mouat also has one eye on the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

"We got a silver medal at the last Europeans, we have had a really good six months to really put us in a good stead to hopefully be the team that is selected for the world championship and then on the back of that, hopefully the Olympics."

* The semis and finals from the Scottish Championships will be shown on the BBC Sport website and iPlayer.

Women's semis (09:00 GMT, Friday) Women's final (19:00, Friday)

Mens' semis (14:00, Friday) Men's final (13:00, Saturday)