"Ingrid Meldahl, from Sweden, won this year's European Senior Invitaation Curling Championships, defending the title she won in 2010. The opposition, Switzerland skipped by Renate Nedkoff, were struggling from the first stone, they were four down after just two ends/ And that set the pattern of the game. A three in end five and a single in end six got Nedkoff back into the game. But it wasn't enough. Sweden scored a big five in end seven and Switzerland conceeded on a score of 11-5 .
Per Carlsen, also from Sweden, faced the team from Finland skipped by Timo Kauste in the men's final. The teams were tied after five ends. Finland went ahead with a two score in the sixth, Carlsen could score only one in the seventh. With his last stone Timo Kauste blanked the eighth and final end to win the Championship. Final score 6-5 to Finland.
Earlier, the semifinals saw Scotland's Ken Horton up against Timo Kauste from Finland and Bill Gray from Ireland meeting Per Carlsen from Sweden. Ken Horton was in charge of his game for five ends. He led by four shots after the fifth. Finland caught up with a big four in end six, Horton led by two going into the final end, a miss-hit left Timo Kauste with a draw to tie the game, and it went to an extra end. With his last stone Timo Kaust made the perfect draw behind cover to lie one. Horton opted for a raised takeout, but it hit the wrong way, and Finland stole one for their place in the final.
The Gray-Carlsen game was over in short order. Sweden were just too strong for the Irish, and Team Gray conceded after just six ends on a scoreline of 10-6 to Carlsen.
In the women's event one semi was an all Swiss affair, Renate Nedkoff versus Chantal Forrer. Nedkoff took charge in end six with a score of three for a two shot lead. Forrer could score only one in the seventh and Nedkoff sealed her victory with a single in end eight, final score 7-5 to Nedkoff. Title holder Ingrid Meldahl from Sweden met the Czech team in the semi. They were down to three players, skip Lenka Safarankova was injured just before the Championships started. The Meldahl team were just too strong for the Czechs, leading by three after five. The Czechs couldn't get into the game, and Sweden won 8-4."
The linescores are here.
Winners Sweden. L-R: Mia Lehander, Gunilla Bergman (coach), Birgitta Torn, Sylvia Liljefors, Ann-Catrin Kjerr, Ingrid Meldahl.
Winners Finland. L-R: Matias Virtaala, Jorma Venalainen, Yrjo Franssila, Timo Kauste.Photos © Hugh Stewart
