At the Le Gruyere European Curling Championships in Moscow, Scotland's men lost their tiebreaker against the Czech Republic 7-5, and their run at the event is over.Leslie reports from the arena:
"It was to be the Czech Republic who were celebrating to-day after having dispatched David Murdoch and his team of Glen Muirhead, Ross Paterson and Richard Woods 7-5 in the second men's tiebreak game here with a hit and lie with the last stone of the tenth end.
The game started badly for David losing a three at the first end with the Czech Republic skip, Jiri Snitil, playing a lovely draw come tap with the last stone.
David came back in the second end, which was looking decidedly nasty at one point, to make the shot to lie one and then in the third stole a two to tie the game 3-3 after Snitil had missed his draw with the final stone of the end.
The Czech Republic then opted to blank both ends four and five before Snitil was forced to draw shot in the sixth. Seventh and, with the opportunity of a two, David came onto a guard with his last stone draw.
Eighth and David drew shot into the one foot and was partially hidden. Snitil went for the tap back for two, possibly three, shots but hit and rolled out and on a measure the Czech Republic counted two and a 6-4 lead.
Ninth and against two David was forced to take the single, leaving the Scots one down going into the final end, without the hammer. Having kept the front clear and with two shots in the open against him, Snitil played the hit, rolled slightly to the side, but remained shot and Scotland are out of this year's European Championship.
After the game David said, "We were not as sharp as we have been in the last couple of games and the ice was about eight inches straighter than last night but full credit to the Czech Republic. We missed several opportunites but I am proud of the way the team played." And he later reflected, "It's tough out there. One more win and we could easily have been playing the (Page) 1 v 2 game."
On other two sheets the Russian women beat Germany 6-5 with the final stone of the game to qualify to play Eve Muirhead in the Page 3 v 4 Play-off. The winner goes to the semifinal whilst the loser goes to the Bronze Medal game.
And finally, on sheet A there was Switzerland playing Italy in a tiebreak game for the World Challenge. Italy won 6-4 and will go to the World Championship at Lethbridge, Canada, whilst Switzerland now return this evening at 20.30 to play Czech Republic ladies; the winner going direct the Worlds' whilst the loser will be challenged by the B Division gold medallists for the last European place at the Women's Worlds."
SCORES:
MEN: Tie Break 4/5 Ranking:
SCO 01200 01010 = 5
CZE* 30000 00201 = 7
WOMEN: Tie Break 4/5 Ranking:
rus* 10100 02101 = 6
ger 01001 20010 = 5
WOMEN: Tie Break 1 6-7 Ranking
sui 00010 10110 = 4
ita* 10200 00003 = 6
All the results, standings, and statistics are here.
John Brown has what's happening in the B divisions, here. Today he has a report too from the European Curling Federation Annual Meeting.
Top: Scottish conference. Photo © Leslie Ingram-Brown.
