Scotland men and women win European openers
Scotland’s men and women both began the European Curling Championships with victories in Ostrava, giving the country a strong start as its rinks aim to challenge for medals. The results also set up their next matches, with both teams returning to the ice later in the competition.
Grant Hardie’s men beat the Netherlands 8-4, building a 5-1 lead before adding two points in the seventh end to secure the win. Fay Henderson’s women defeated Denmark 12-3: after Denmark narrowed the early gap, Scotland pulled clear with five points by the fourth end and finished with six in the sixth. The men next face Belgium, while the women play Turkey.
In short
- Both Scotland teams won their opening matches.
- Hardie’s rink beat the Netherlands 8-4.
- Henderson’s rink defeated Denmark 12-3.
Explained simply
Curling is a team sport played on ice. Players slide heavy stones towards a target, while teammates sweep the ice to influence how far and in what direction each stone travels. Teams score by placing stones closer to the centre of the target than their opponents.
The European Curling Championships bring together national teams from across Europe. Scotland fields separate men’s and women’s teams, known as rinks, and the tournament gives them a chance to compete for European medals. Their results contribute to Scotland’s standing in the event.
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