Scotland's men and women teams are set to begin the European Curling Championship in Finland, determined to right the wrongs of 12 months ago. Last November, top-seeded Team Mouat suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Germany in the final, while Team Morrison returned with bronze after a thrilling encounter with Italy.
The Scottish teams will be looking to upgrade their medals from last year's event, which saw them come up just short of gold. "I felt like we settled for the minimum last year because we'd had such a fantastic week," lead Rebecca Morrison said, hinting at the pressure and expectation that comes with being top seed.
Morrison's team will face stiff competition from their European rivals, but they are confident in their abilities. "This year, we're really excited because we know we're capable and we'd love to go in and win it," she said.
The men's third, Grant Hardie, echoed Morrison's sentiments, saying that Team Mouat were still hurting after last year's defeat. "We had a really dominant week and came up short in the final, so we'd like to put that right."
The European Curling Championship replicates the format of the Winter Olympics, which the Scottish teams will be competing in next February. The event is seen as a final tune-up for the Olympic Games, providing valuable experience and exposure before the big event.
Both Team Mouat and Morrison are determined to make a statement on the world stage, with designs on clambering onto the podium. "We've been on a really hot run and we don't want to let our opponents see any kind of weaknesses by slipping up," Hardie added.
The prospect of facing off against their European rivals in Finland is seen as an ideal preparation for what lies ahead at the Winter Olympics. The Scottish teams will be looking to remind everyone that they are the team to beat, and it remains to be seen if they can right the wrongs of last year's defeat.
The Scottish teams will be looking to upgrade their medals from last year's event, which saw them come up just short of gold. "I felt like we settled for the minimum last year because we'd had such a fantastic week," lead Rebecca Morrison said, hinting at the pressure and expectation that comes with being top seed.
Morrison's team will face stiff competition from their European rivals, but they are confident in their abilities. "This year, we're really excited because we know we're capable and we'd love to go in and win it," she said.
The men's third, Grant Hardie, echoed Morrison's sentiments, saying that Team Mouat were still hurting after last year's defeat. "We had a really dominant week and came up short in the final, so we'd like to put that right."
The European Curling Championship replicates the format of the Winter Olympics, which the Scottish teams will be competing in next February. The event is seen as a final tune-up for the Olympic Games, providing valuable experience and exposure before the big event.
Both Team Mouat and Morrison are determined to make a statement on the world stage, with designs on clambering onto the podium. "We've been on a really hot run and we don't want to let our opponents see any kind of weaknesses by slipping up," Hardie added.
The prospect of facing off against their European rivals in Finland is seen as an ideal preparation for what lies ahead at the Winter Olympics. The Scottish teams will be looking to remind everyone that they are the team to beat, and it remains to be seen if they can right the wrongs of last year's defeat.