Teams Craik and Waddell are looking to build on impressive recent performances in Canada as they head to Switzerland to take part in the Grand Prix Bern Inter Curling Challenge (27-29 October).
For James Craik, Mark Watt, Angus Bryce and Blair Haswell the event sees them begin their preparations for their Grand Slam of Curling (GSOC) tier one debut at the Boost National next month after they performed well at last weekend’s tier two event at the GSOC Hearing Life Tour Challenge, reaching the play-offs.
Having already secured an invitation to the main draw at the National, it was a result which took them up to 16th spot in the world rankings.
Kyle Waddell, Craig Waddell, Mark Taylor and Gavin Barr had made their first appearance of the season on the other side of the Atlantic at the Insitu Open the previous week and, in a field which featured reigning World and European champions Team Mouat, as well as world number seven ranked Team Whyte, were the only Scots to reach the play-off stage.
Beating Sweden’s six-time World champions Team Edin and Switzerland’s 2023 World Championship bronze medallists Team Schwaller on the way to those quarter-finals was a significant boost for Team Waddell as they continued a steady climb up the rankings since the start of this season, currently sitting in 28th place.
“The last competition was good, making the play-offs, which was our goal and achieving that in a world class field,” said their vice skip Craig Waddell.
“We are looking forward to getting back into action this weekend and have a similar target, to reach the play-offs and then look to take it from there.”
Both British Curling teams start their campaigns against opposition from the host nation, with Waddell first in action, meeting Team Caccivio, before Craik’s men, who received a bye to the second round of the A route in the Triple knockout event, set out against Team Rios.
