A perfectly weighted double take-out at the first end by skip Bruce Mouat turned a solid opening end at the BKT World Curling Championship into a superb one as Scotland registered a five to take immediate control of their opening match against Austria in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
When they then repeated the dose at the fourth end, where the set up work done by teammates Hammy McMillan, Bobby Lammie and vice skip Grant Hardie left Mouat with a relatively straightforward take-out with his first stone, then a draw with his second, a 10-1 lead meant the match was over as a contest and two ends later their opponents offered their hands with the score at 12-2.
“That was a really good start,” said the Scotland skip.
“We almost played a perfect end to get out championship underway, which has settled a lot of nerves and reassured us that we’re in a good spot. 
“To take a five in the first end is ideal and we really controlled the game from there.”
While the world number ones went into the match as heavy favourites against the Austrians who are ranked at 111, the ruthless way they set about their business, hardly making a mistake with their shot-making in the course of the match, spoke to the respect they intend to show every opponent as they bid to regain the World title that they won two years ago.
“We know that Austria played well to qualify at the Europeans this season, so we knew we’d have to play well to beat them and getting a pretty convincing win is nice to go into the rest of the week hoping for the best,” said Mouat.
“The Japanese team is really strong too, so we’ll have to play well again to get the W in our next match.”
Having won their World title in the country that is the hotbed of the sport, the Scots are once again revelling in the atmosphere and the playing conditions which are invariably of the highest order.
“We absolutely love coming to western Canada,” said Mouat.
“They are massive curling fans over here and they make us feel very welcome every time and playing a Worlds in Canada is something amazing.
“We practised yesterday, getting 15 minutes on every sheet, so we knew that today if we were throwing it pure we would be making a lot of shots.”
Scotland face both Japan and Korea on the second day of action, the matches starting at 4pm, Sunday and 2am, Monday BST. The Scotland and Japan game is available on the BBC iPlayer.
The BKT World Men’s Curling Championship runs from 29 March – 6 April, Moose Jaw, SK, Canada.
Scotland Team
Bruce Mouat
Grant Hardie
Bobby Lammie
Hammy McMillan
Kyle Waddell (alternate)
Michael Goodfellow (Team Coach)
Greg Drummond (Olympic Head Coach)
Please click here for draw and results.
Images: Anil Mungal /British Curling
