The Scotland team of Cameron Bryce, Robyn Munro, Scott Hyslop, and Lisa Davie took magnificent silver on home soil at the World Mixed Championship 2022 in Aberdeen. Scotland played a magnificent tournament throughout and a tight final against Canada was only decided in the second half with the Scots just coming up short.
Image: WCF/Ansis Ventins
Going through the round robin with seven wins and one defeat, Scotland qualified for the play-offs as second in their group. They faced Hungary in the qualification game where a composed and assured performance earned them victory and a spot in the quarter-finals. Up against unbeaten Germany – who sent a foursome featuring two of their top national players to Aberdeen -, Scotland were in for a challenging encounter. The difference was made in the fourth end when Germany could answer Scotland’s deuce only with a single and the Scots nursed the one-point advantage through the game and over the line.
Another tough challenge awaited Scotland in the semi-final against Sweden. The Swedes had emerged as tournament favourites with sublime displays throughout and they carried their form into the play-off. Nothing could separate the sides after regular play and the encounter went all the way to a nail biting extra end. The Scots used last stone advantage to perfection, scoring a crucial point and securing a shot at gold. Facing Canada in the final, Scotland held their own and it was all square at the break. It was only in the second half that the Canadians gradually edged out an advantage and bagged the win.
Canada were first to strike in the gold medal game, opening the scoring with a deuce. However, Scotland responded with three to take the lead and extended their advantage with a single steal. It was all square again when Jean-Michel Menard’s team took two just before the break, making it all to play for in the second half. The Canadians regained the lead at the restart with a single steal and edged out an advantage from there. Two consecutive steals meant a three-points gap and a great challenge for the Scots in the final end. They gave it their all, but when it became clear they wouldn’t get the points they needed, they conceded with the last stones to spare.
Sweden went into the encounter with hammer and immediately made their claim on the game with three points. Scotland responded with a blank end followed by a single score, but they found their groove from End 4 onwards. Stealing in three consecutive ends, the Scots tallied up five points to take the lead. Therese Westman’s squad were far from done though. The Swedes cut the deficit with a single before a one-point steal in the final regular end levelled the scores. It all came down to a nail biting extra end where Scotland used hammer perfectly to secure a decisive point. Going for gold now, the Scots will face Canada in the final.
Facing unbeaten Germany, Scotland were in for a tough quarter-final. The Scots started the game with hammer and got two on the board in the first end, a feat instantly copied by their opponents. Scotland once more used the last stone advantage to score a deuce, but this time Sixten Totzek’s side only managed a single in response – this would eventually prove the difference. Back on the ice after the break, the teams traded singles in all four ends, meaning the Scots carried their one-point lead through to the end and bagged victory. They will meet unbeaten Sweden in the semi-finals.
Scotland started their second encounter with Hungary in similar fashion to the first, taking two in the opening end. Lorinc Tatar’s side responded with a single, only for the Scots to copy the feat and restore a two-points lead. The pendulum swung in Scottish favour when consecutive single steals went their way, making it five points to one for Scotland after five ends. However, Hungary were far from done and followed a deuce in End 6 up with a single steal that cut the gap to only one point and had them back in contention. Scotland stayed composed in the final end and secured the point they needed to bag victory and a place in the quarter-finals.
Team Scotland started the game confidently by scoring two and following it up with a single steal. They swung the encounter firmly in their favour with an incredible five-points steal that had them up eight nil after only three ends. However, Hugh Millikin’s team had not given up yet. The Australians finally got on the board with a single in End 4 and returned after the break with consecutive one-point steals, totalling up to three. Scotland kept cool and a single in the seventh end was enough to put the game out of reach for the Aussies who conceded with an end to spare.
Although the game began with an assured display and a deuce for Scotland, Gernot Higatzberger’s Austrians took the lead with three points in End 2. Swiftly and emphatically responding, the Scots scored a big five in the third end to regain the advantage. They kept the game firmly in their corner with consecutive steals that took their total to 10 and gave them a firm hold of the game. Austria were not done yet though and kept the encounter alive with three from End 7. With the gap on four points and two ends to go, it was all to play for. Scotland stroke first with a single in the penultimate end and when the crucial End 8 did not go Austria’s way, they conceded with the final stones to spare. The win secures Scotland a place in the play-offs with their final position on the Group C table yet to be determined.
A controlled start into the encounter had Scotland score a single in the first end, but their advantage would swiftly grow. Stealing two deuces and a single in the next three ends, the Scots were well in the lead on six points to nil at the break. Once more, Scotland stole at the restart to stake an almost final claim on the game. Diego Tompkin’s Mexico side finally got on the board in End 6, but their single did not flatten the mountain they had to climb and they conceded after the minimum amount of ends.
An uncharacteristically poor LSD from Scotland saw Switzerland open the encounter and Ursi Hegner’s side instantly got two points on the board. They extended their lead with a three-points steal, but the Scots responded by scoring three themselves. Under pressure, Scotland stole two to level at the break. The teams traded singles at the restart, meaning Switzerland were a point up with one end to go. It was all to play for for both sides, but it were the Swiss who decided the game in their favour by stealing two.
A massive score of five in the first end had the game firmly in Scotland’s corner from the very start. Fiona Spain’s England team subsequently scored with hammer, but their single did little to cut the deficit. Meanwhile, the Scots kept plugging away with a four-points score and if the game wasn’t already in their hands, a steal of four certainly put it there. England came out strong after the break, scoring one and stealing two, but the damage was already done and they conceded after the minimum amount of ends.
Shooting sharp from the get-go, Scotland opened the game with three points in the opening end. Luxembourg’s single could not cut much into the gap and Alex Benoy’s side fell further behind when Scotland added a deuce to their score. Another single for Luxembourg saw the Scots hold a three-points advantage at the break which they swiftly doubled in End 5. Once more, their opponents only managed a single in response and the teams shook hands after six ends.
Two points in End 1 gave Team Scotland an early lead – and they would never let it go. After a blank second end, Juraj Gallo’s Slovakian side only managed a single in End 3. The Scots pounced and extended their advantage with a deuce before stealing a big three in the fifth end. Again, only one point went on Slovakia’s score and a single for Scotland in the penultimate end was enough to shake hands, 8-2 standing as the result.
Team Scotland looked sharp from the get-go and took an early advantage with three in the first end. However, the Hungarians responded with a deuce and when Lorinc Tatar’s side followed up with a single steal, it was all square again. The Scots scored two to regain the lead at the break and came out firing on all cylinders at the restart. Three successive steals put them firmly in control and the sides shook ends with an end to go.
‘Hungary are probably one of the stronger teams in our group, so it was good to get a win early doors,’ said Scotland skip Cameron Bryce. ‘Towards the middle part of the game we struggled with the ice a little bit and it took some time to get used to it. We got a good result in the end and it’s always great to start with a win.
‘We’ve all played in this rink before and when there’s six sheets on, it’s so loud, so communication is key for making shots. We also need to zone in a bit as well; there’s a bit of freshness because we only had one training session together before we came up here. The more we play, the better we’re going to get.’
We held our second Adult Camp of the year last weekend at Stranraer Ice Rink. ? Thank you to everyone who came alo… https://t.co/LIQf6MCMvf