Curling Team Mouat target fourth European title in four attempts
- Published
Can Scotland skip Bruce Mouat deliver another European title after wins in 2018, 2021 and 2022?
Team Mouat has the chance to make it three successive European curling titles for Scotland on home ice, having been selected for the event in Aberdeen next month (18-25 November).
Skip Bruce Mouat is again joined by Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan as the reigning world champions defend the crown won in Sweden last year and in Norway in 2021.
Olympic gold medallist Jenn Dodds is a new face in Team Morrison in the women's event, looking to add to her 2021 European victory.
Dodds, who was a member of Eve Muirhead's rink for four seasons, joins skip Rebecca Morrison, Gina Aitken, Sophie Sinclair and Sophie Jackson, who took bronze on their European debut last year.
Dodds and Mouat won the 2021 World Mixed Doubles title in Aberdeen.
"Jen obviously has lots of great memories from Curl Aberdeen so that will bring a lot to our game and will be a nice boost for the team," said Morrison.
"We are lucky that we had supporters at our major champs last year, but being in Aberdeen this time with a home crowd will be brilliant."
Mouat's rink have known nothing but gold at the Euros, having debuted in 2018 in Estonia then lost out in Scottish qualifying for 2019. The 2020 competition was cancelled due to Covid.
"Going in as European and World Champs will be quite exciting, as we have never had both titles going into the Euros before, so we are very excited to see what we can do and with it being hosted at Aberdeen it should be pretty special," said Mouat of the pursuit of a fourth title in four attempts.
"We know that it is very tough to win European Championships and especially at the moment given the form of the European teams, the Italians especially and the Swedes, Swiss and the Norwegians.
"Our last three outings at the event have been tough, but we think this year will be the hardest one to win with four rinks in the line-up in the top seven or eight in the world.
"However, If we perform well, as we have in previous years then we know we will be pretty close to winning again."