Silver, bronze finishers get the nod

Scottish Curling has ignored the results of their men’s and women’s championships and will send familiar faces to the 2024 world championships.

The world’s first-ever curling organization often referred to as the “Mother Club of Curling” announced that Team Rebecca Morrison will represent Scotland at the world women’s championship Mar. 16-24 in Sydney, N.S. while Team Bruce Mouat will wear the tartan at the world men’s championship in Schaffhausen, Switzerland Mar. 30-Apr. 4.

Morrison lost the Scottish final on Feb. 10 at Dumfries to Fay Henderson, the 2023 world junior champion, by a 9-2 score.

Henderson has 2022 Olympic champion Hailey Duff on her women’s squad as well as Duff’s former skip Eve Muirhead as coach.

Henderson scored a 9-1 won/loss record during the women’s round robin, while Morrison finished at 8-2.

Mouat’s foursome didn’t make it the Scottish men’s final. The defending world and European champions were walloped 9-1 in the semifinal by James Craik, the 2022 world junior champion, who went on to lose the final 7-6 to the squad skipped by Ross Whyte.

Team Whyte, which is enjoying a stellar season, won the round robin with a spotless 8-0 won/loss record and blazed to a perfect 10-0 on the week.

Mouat and Craik both went 6-2 in the round robin.

“(The Morrison and Mouat) selections reflect the consistency of both teams’ performances across the 2023-24 season and were made after a wide array of factors were taken into consideration ahead of events that will mark the start of the qualification campaign for the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina in 2026,” said Scottish Curling.

“The selection meeting took place immediately after a high-class Scottish championships which demonstrated the growing strength in depth in the men’s and women’s games.”

The statement explains that Scottish Curling’s selection committee had to follow due process in making their decision.

“In seeking to maximise the chances of medal success for both Scotland and Team GB at major championships, we identified the need, a few years ago, to develop an assessment process that takes into account performances across a full season,” said British Curling Executive Performance Director Nigel Holl.

“That is all the more vital in seasons that see our teams seeking to accrue Olympic qualifying points and our selection panel was meticulous and rigorous in analysing all the evidence.

“The strength in depth in Scottish curling means that teams currently have to compete with some of the best teams in the world in order to represent Scotland at major championships, underlining the importance of a clear selection process.

“On that basis, Teams Mouat and Morrison have earned the right to go to their respective world championships and we confidently believe they both have the capacity to produce results that will enhance our chances of gaining automatic qualification in the men’s and women’s events in Milan-Cortina 2026.”

Scottish Curling’s selection committee comprised chair Mike Ferguson, Holl, Keith Prentice and Greg Drummond, who replaced David Murdoch at British Curling in 2023.

The World Curling Team Rankings for men see Mouat in third spot with Whyte right behind in fourth, with less than two points between them.

Craik is ranked ninth. The top spot belongs to Italy’s Jöel Retornaz, while Canada’s Brendan Bottcher sits second.

The women’s rankings see Morrison ranked in 15th position and Henderson ranked 47th.

Team Henderson defeated Morrison all three times they faced them at Dumfries, but made a statement today that bears no hard feelings.

“Although we had a great week at the Scottish Championship it wasn’t quite enough to gain selection to represent Scotland at the World Championships,” the team posted on Facebook.

“The selectors considered a variety of factors that are all detailed within the selection policy. We would like to wish Team Scotland the best of luck at the upcoming World Championships in Canada and Switzerland!”

Team Whyte hadn’t commented at time of publication.

Scottish fan reaction seemed mixed, with some comments accepting the selection system while others did not.

“Hard on Whyte but the right decision,” one fan posted to the Scottish Curling page. “It’s great that Scotland has such a wealth of talent to draw on.”

“I think it’s hard on Whyte and Henderson,” said another in reaction. “What was the point in having a Scottish Championship if the winners are not going to the Worlds? That’s not only my opinion.”

“It means everything to us to be selected for the worlds,” said Bruce Mouat. “It is what we have worked for all season and it is incredibly important to me and all the boys to have the chance to represent Scotland. It is an honour to be selected and to have that responsibility to retain that world title as well as hopefully earn qualification points for Team GB for the next Olympics.”

“We are so excited to be selected to represent Scotland and feel we have unfinished business at the world champs and are delighted to have been given this opportunity,” said Rebecca Morrison. “We have so much more potential as a team and are looking to build on our good results and finish this season on a high.”

Morrison has added Gina Aitken as team alternate for Sydney, while Mouat is once again taking alternate Kyle Waddell to the men’s worlds.

Although fans were able to watch the championships thanks to strong online streamed coverage from Curling Stadium, Scottish Curling was dealt a blow before the semifinal round when national broadcaster BBC dropped their coverage plans.

The broadcaster cited editorial guidelines concerning “Undue Prominence” for the decision.

It’s believed BBC was referring to the colourful in-ice house designs which advertised event title sponsor Hendrick’s Gin.