World Mixed Curling Championship: Scottish rink ready for pressure of home event

A youthful Scottish rink are out to gain valuable experience of dealing with pressure at the World Mixed Curling Championship in Aberdeen.

Skip Jack Strawhorn is joined by Amy Mitchell, Kaleb Johnston and Kirsty Gallacher.

Mitchell, a world junior gold medallist this year, is the only member of the quartet to have previously represented Scotland in a major competition.

"We're all excited to get going," she told BBC Scotland.

"It's a big deal because we're at home. That adds pressure. We're expected to do well.

"We just need to treat it like any other competition and not get too nervous."

Scotland were runners-up last year as a rink led by Cameron Bryce lost out to Canada in the final, again in Aberdeen.

With 34 teams competing across four sections, Scotland meet England, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Sweden and Wales in Group A.

The four group winners advance directly to the quarter-final games, with those finishing second and third entering qualification games to determine the other four places.

"The first goal is to make it to the play-offs, then after that just take it game by game," added Mitchell.

"Hopefully, we can keep qualifying until the gold medal match."

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