Tom Brewster, Greg Drummond, Scott Andrews and Michael Goodfellow are the World Silver Medallists. At the Ford World Curling Championship in Regina, the Scots lost to Jeff Stoughton, Jon Mead, Reid Carruthers and Steve Gould (above) in the final.Earlier, Sweden's Niklas Edin, Sebastian Kraupp, Fredrik Lindberg and Vikton Kjall had beaten Thomas Ulsrud, Torger Nergaard, Christoffer Svae and Havard Vad Petersson for the bronze. Ulsrud won the Collie Campbell award, voted by the players themselves for the curler who best exhibited sportsmanship and ability during the championship.
Leslie Ingram-Brown reports from Regina:
"You can live a dream, and on Tom Brewster's 37th birthday it was the game for the World Championship against Canada's best and it opened in truly dramatic fashion. With Canada lying two shots in the four foot and Scotland shots three to six, Brewster nominated the double takeout using the Canadian front guard. He hit the guard perfectly, took both the shots off the four foot to lie five shots. But Stoughton with last stone eased his draw into the Scottish stones just behind the tee for a single.
The second end was blanked. In the third end a treble by Greg Drummond set up a two for Scotland as Brewster drew with last stone to the four foot. Scotland made a steal of a single shot in the fourth.
In the fifth, Scotland lay two shots in the four foot but Canada also had two stones lying very close. Stoughton played the double using stones behind the four foot for backing and collected three shots to lead 4-3 at the break.
In the sixth Canada lay two shots behind guards but Brewster was up to it and drew to the face of the first shot to make the score 4-4. The seventh was blanked. In the eighth Stoughton had a draw for two and a 6-4 lead.
With Canada lying shot and the only other stone in the house belonging to Scotland Brewster had a hit and lie for two to tie the game into the tenth but his stone sat wide. It hit and rolled out. Canada led 6-5 into the final end with the hammer.
It came down to skips' stones in the tenth. Brewster drew with his first but failed to hide. Stoughton hit and rolled out. Brewster attempted the same shot but came up short and in an anticlimax the title is Canada's who did not have to throw their final stone.
Looking back it was all so close. The Scots were the runners-up but they played well, gaining the respect of many for their sportsmanship and play."
LINESCORE:
SCO: 002 101 001 x = 5
CAN: *100 030 020 x = 6
The event website is here. Mike Haggerty's reports are here.
The Scottish Squad on the podium with Royal Club President Robbie Scott.
Keith Wendorf presents the Collie Campbell Award to Thomas Ulsrud.Photos courtesy of Leslie Ingram-Brown.
