Scotland lost to France at an extra end in their eighth game at the Le Gruyere European Curling Championships in Moscow. Leslie reports:"This was not the result that Scotland wanted as David Murdoch, Glen Muirhead, Ross Paterson and Richard Woods went down dramatically at an extra end to Thomas Dufour's France 9-7.
The situation now is this. With Denmark and Sweden both qualified for the Page Play-offs on six wins, five teams are in contention for the remaining two places. Scotland is against Sweden and has to win and ask Norway or Germany (or them both) to lose to Denmark and Switzerland. The Czech Republic plays Italy and they, too, could come into the equation if they win.
To add to the intrigue value should Latvia beat France then there would have to be a tie-break for position eight and nine to see who is the second relegated team to join Italy in the B Group next season.
With the hammer, Tony Angiboust, playing last stones for France with Thomas Dufour as skip and throwing third's stones, tapped back for a two in the first end. Then France stole a single in the second. In the third end Scotland lay one but there was no way throught the dam of stones at the front of the house to get a second shot.
David stole single shots in the fourth and fifth ends as Angiboust hit a poor patch of play and the game was tied 3-3 at the break.
Sixth was blanked and the Scots stole one in the seventh when lying four shots and Angiboust only managed to lie second shot. But in the eighth the position was reversed but on this occasion Angiboust made his hit and France had four shots and a lead of 7-4.
In the ninth, David counted two after taking a double with his first stone and a push up with his second. France were still ahead 7-6 but it became a tied game 7-7 after ten ends as France failed on an attempted raise double.
In the extra end David drew round the long guard twice but on both occasions Agiboust, throwing quiet weight, made the tap back and France were the winners 9-7."
Results: Germany 6 Latvia 4, Czech Republic 6 Sweden 4, Norway 9 Italy 4, France 9 Scotland 7 (Extra End), Switzerland 7 Denmark 6 (Extra End)
Standings: 6/2 Denmark (Q) Sweden (Q), 5/3 Germany, Norway, 4/4 Czech Republic, Scotland, Switzerland, 3/5 France 2/6 Latvia 1/7 Italy.
Mike Haggerty's reports for the Royal Club are here.
All the results, standings, and statistics are here.
John Brown has the story of what's happening in the B divisions, here.
Top: Thomas Dufour who skips and plays third stones for France. Photo © Leslie Ingram-Brown.
