Latest from the World Men’s Curling Championships, Las Vegas
BRONZE FOR SCOTLAND AT THE WORLD MEN’S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP 2018
SCO 11 – 4 KOR
(Photo: WCF/Richard Gray)
Scotland handled the pressure well and made all their key shots while giving Korea all the challenges.
The Koreans put pressure on Scotland at the start, forcing a single in the first end and scoring 2 on the second. But the Scottish team kept their cool, under pressure and scored a 3 with a run back to remove a Korean stone from the button. Scotland then capitalised on any Korean errors and applied pressure to steal 2 for a four point lead after four ends and followed that with a steal of 4 going into the fifth end break and an unassailable eight point lead.
Korea were unable to recover and elected to draw into an open house for 1 in the sixth. Then Scotland kept the house clear and made a draw for 1 in the seventh. A few trick shots in the eight end entertained the crowd and the Koreans called it a day.
After the win Bruce Mouat said: ““It feels right. I think we had a really good week and we really stuck in after a tough loss yesterday, so it feels really good to come away with a medal.
“In the third end we just had to play the right weight and both of the boys had a great sweep – it was brilliant. This is really special for me, so to join the other Scottish medallists is class. I’m really proud of my team. Last night’s loss was difficult to take but we knew we had a good chance for a medal. For my first world championship I’m happy with a bronze.”
Congratulations to Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan and Ross Paterson for a brilliant week at #WMCC2018 in Las Vegas. This young team performed to an exceptionally high standard all week, only losing two games and can be proud of their achievement, joining Canada and Sweden on the podium.
(Photo: WCF/Steve Seixeiro)
TEAM SCOTLAND ADVANCE TO BRONZE GAME AGAINST KOREA
SCO 5 – 9 CAN
The stage had been set in Las Vegas, after Sweden beat Korea 9-8 in the first semi-final in an extra end, booking their place in the final.
(Photo: WCF/Richard Gray)
The second semi-final was an absolute classic with two outstanding teams. Scotland opened with 2 in the first end which Canada followed with a 2 to match, both teams playing exciting curling with the crowd loving it. In the third, an attempt to run back for a double take out by Bruce Mouat was wide and gave Canada a steal of 1. Scotland came back with a lovely double take-out for 2 and in the fifth a freeze by Scotland forced Canada to a single point, to tie the game 4-4 at the break.
Scotland drew the button in the sixth to take a one point lead. The Scots made some great stone placements in the seventh but two perfect run backs by Gushue gave Canada 3 points and a lead of two. The last Scottish stone in the eighth was fractionally wide, giving up a steal of 1. A thin double in the ninth end for Mouat didn’t quite pull off, so Canada scored a steal of 1. Scotland offered handshakes.
The bronze game Scotland v Korea awaits on Sunday at 8pm UK time. The game will be shown on the BBC website in the UK and on the iplayer as well as the WCF YouTube channel.
(Photo: WCF/Richard Gray)
Team Scotland (Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan) are through to the Semi-Finals and await the result of qualification round Saturday at 16.30 (UK time) to find out who they will face at 02.30 on Sunday morning (UK time). Scotland won both of their last two games in the round robin stage of the championship.
(Photo: WCF/Steve Seixeiro)
SCO 8 – 6 SUI
A great performance by Team Scotland who had to dig deep at #WMCC2018 to secure a win over the Swiss in their 11th game. It was a very close encounter with both teams showing brilliance and a few mistakes. The key moments for Scotland were the score of 3 in the fourth end and a steal of 1 in tenth.
SCO 9 – 4 CHN
Scotland started with hammer and scored a massive 6 in the first end. This was the highest score in one end, for any team at the event and gave the Scots a cushion The teams exchanged singles in the next three ends, before China scored steals in the subsequent two. The Scots scored a 2 in the 7th so China shook hands to end the game.
The teams in #WMCC2018 playoff have been confirmed. In the qualification stage CAN play USA and KOR play NOR on Saturday at 16.30. The top ranked winner will play Scotland in one semi-final, the lower ranked winner plays Sweden. The Scots game will be at 02.30am on Sunday (UK time).
Day Six at #WMCC2018 saw Scotland qualified for the playoff stage but were keen to maintain their winning run to finish in the top two to progress directly to the Semi-Finals.
(Photo: WCF/Richard Gray)
SCO 7-2 RUS
Team Scotland dominated from the start with a single and two steals of 1. Russia were unable to cope with the clinical precision of the Scots and Russia conceded after 7 ends.
After the game Bruce Mouat said: “That was quite a positive game for us and we played pretty well, so there’s good momentum going into the play-offs. We all know we’ve been playing well all week and we just need to keep that consistency and then if we can jump up another gear or two in the play-offs, then great. We’ve asked our fans to be as loud as they can and they’ve definitely done a lot for us.”
SCO 8 – 6 NOR
A great win for the Scottish Men, Norway started with a steal of 1, then forced a single for Scotland. From the third, the tables turned and the Scots began to dominate with a steal of 1 in 4th. The break came in 8th when a take-out of the 1 red stone gave Scots 3 points. Norway came back with 2 but hammer in the last end gave Scots 1 for the win.
Scotland’s Men have two more games remaining on Friday, Swiss at 16.30 and China at 21.30 (UK time).
(Photo: WCF/Richard Gray)
On day five in Las Vegas, Scotland’s Men secured two further wins and remains in the top place tied with Canada and Sweden, each having just one loss.
(Photo: WCF/Steve Seixeiro)
SCOTLAND 7 – 2 KOREA
In their seventh game at #WMCC2018 in Las Vegas, Scotland’s men beat Korea in 7 ends. Despite giving up a steal of 1, then blanking the second, the Scots dominated from then on. A score of 4 in the seventh sealed the win.
(Photo: WCF/Richard Gray)
SCOTLAND 9 – 2 JAPAN
In their eighth game Scotland’s Men produced another strong performance beating Japan in 7 ends. In end six Bruce Mouat cleared out a Japanese stone from the button to score three and extend the lead to six points. Scotland’s alternate player Ross Paterson came off the bench in the seventh end and threw two stones in the end that Scotland scored a steal of 1, after which Japan conceded.
After the win against Japan, Bruce Mouat said: “We want to keep the momentum we’ve built, if we win a few more then we’ll be solid into the Play-offs. I’m really enjoying myself. The season we’ve had, I’ve been hoping for this. We’ve worked really hard for this chance and I’m glad that we’re able to see it come to fruition. If you get into that one/two then you’ve into a semi with two games to win a medal, which is fantastic.”
Day four in Las Vegas saw Scotland notch up a further two wins to sit in a group of four nations (SWE, NOR, CAN, SCO) that all have just one loss at the top of the event rankings after six games.
(Photo: WCF/Steve Seixeiro)
SCOTLAND 9 – 4 GERMANY
In their fifth game, Scotland’s men beat Germany in 8 ends. After starting tentatively with exchanges of singles in the first two ends, the Scottish Team executed some great shots and scored 3 in the third. The pressure on Germany caused them to make a few small errors and the Scots capitalised on them and stole 2 in the fourth, extending the lead to 6-1. Germany scored three singles in five, six and seven, closing the gap to 6-4 in Scotland’s favour. When Scotland came back with a 3 in the eighth, Germany conceded at 9-4.
SCOTLAND 8 – 3 NETHERLANDS
Scotland’s Men won their sixth game at #WMCC2018 in Las Vegas against the Netherlands. The Netherlands started with hammer but the Scottish Team set up technical challenges that resulted in steals of 1, 2 and 2 before the Dutch got off the blocks. Scotland had a 5-0 lead after four ends and were never looking in difficulty, it was all over after 8 ends.
On Day 3, Scotland had just one game, against the USA.
SCOTLAND 7 – 6 USA
(Photo: WCF/Steve Seixeiro)
Scotland’s fourth game at the World Men’s Curling Championships was played to a very high standard by the whole team with stats for the game averaging 90%. The game started with USA being forced to a single in the first end. The Scottish players worked out all the angles to deliver some tremendous shots and make for a very exciting game. The team then traded 2’s and 1’s keeping the scoreboard ticking over till the tenth end at which point the score was 6-6.
In the extra end, Scotland placed a guarded stone on the four-foot and replaced the guard four times after the USA removed it each time till the last. The final USA stone failed to get closer than the Scottish counter on the four foot, so Scotland made a steal of 1 to wrap up the game. With three wins and one loss, the team sit in third equal on the ranking, with Sweden the only unbeaten team so far.
Day two at the WMCC2018 saw the Scottish men beat Italy and lose to Sweden.
(Photo: WCF/Richard Gray)
SCOTLAND 6 – 3 ITALY
Scotland’s second win at #WMCC2018 Italy started with hammer but were forced to blank the first two ends before notching up 2 in the third. It was a close game and the teams were tied after the seventh before Scotland played a blinder in the eighth, when Mouat made a tap-in of a guard which in turn hit a Scottish stone that then removed an Italian stone to score 3. Italy were forced to blank the ninth but only managed a single point in the tenth.
(Photo: WCF/Steve Seixeiro)
SCOTLAND 6 – 7 SWEDEN
Scotland’s third game at #WMCC2018 was very close with old rivals Sweden. The Scots led most of the game but Sweden secured the win in the tenth end. Scotland started with hammer after a better draw shot measure but only managed a single point. Scotland forced Sweden to a single then went on to score 2 and then steal 1 in the fourth. Sweden hit back with a 3 in the fifth to level the score at the break. Sweden controlled the last two ends by blanking the ninth and scoring a single in the tenth to seal the win.
Scotland secures win in first game at WMCC2018 against Canada, the reigning World Champions.
SCOTLAND 8 – 7 CANADA
(Photo: WCF/Richard Gray)
In a very high quality technical game, Canada started with hammer and the teams traded 2’s in the first three ends, before Canada broke away by forcing Scotland to a single in the fourth. Scotland responded with a strong end in the fifth and forced Brad Gushue to a double take out for a single point.
In the seventh Scotland was lying four and a heavy final Canadian stone gave up a steal of 2 for Scotland and their first time in the lead. The pressure was maintained to force Canada to a single in the eigth, and bring the score to six-all. Bruce Mouat caught a guard in the ninth and gave up a steal of 1.
In the tenth end both teams were almost out of time on the clock, and this increased the pressure on decision making, the last Canadian stone didn’t quite clear the Scottish stone from the house and the Scottish team managed to secure the draw with the last stone and win by 8-7.
On his first game Bruce Mouat said: “It’s quite exciting to be here and to win our first game, against Canada is pretty special”
31 March – 8 April 2018
In the new 13 team format, the top men’s national teams from around the world will be curling over nine days in the American city of Las Vegas. The teams come from Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and United States.
Scotland is represented by Bruce Mouat (skip), Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, Hammy McMillan and alternate Ross Paterson. They are coached by Alan Hannah, with David Murdoch on the bench as Head Coach. Team Mouat won the Scottish Curling Men’s Championship in February and then went on to beat Team Smith 2-1 in early March at the Scottish Curling World Playoff Championship to earn their place at the Worlds.
Scotland Playing Schedule is as follows: (UK times)
1/4/18 at 02.30 Canada watch live here
1/4/18 at 21.30 Italy
2/4/18 at 02.30 Sweden
2/4/18 at 21.30 USA watch live here
3/4/18 at 16.30 Germany
3/4/18 at 21.30 Netherlands
4/4/18 at 16.30 Korea
5/4/18 at 02.30 Japan watch live here
5/4/18 at 16.30 Norway watch live here
6/4/18 at -2.30 Russia
6/4/18 at 16.30 Switzerland
6/4/18 at 21.30 China watch live here
For details about the event, including the schedule, see: www.worldcurling.org/wmcc2018
