Only a few days after contesting the Euro Super Series Mixed Doubles final, Fay Henderson will lead her women’s team into action at this weekend’s Aberdeen Classic buoyed by that confidence enhancing experience.
In her first season focusing on the senior game, the skip of last year’s World Junior Women’s Championship winning team believes she has made progress with teammates Katie McMillan, Amy MacDonald and Olympic gold medallist Hailey Duff.
However, she feels that the opportunity to mix it up with some of British Curling’s leading men and against some of the best mixed doubles pairings in the world, was hugely beneficial.
The Euro Super Series Mixed Doubles featured five players who have been World champions in that discipline, as well as another that won silver medals at both last year’s Olympics and this year’s World Championships. 
Yet none of those players got as far as the semi-finals in which Henderson and Euan Kyle met her 22-year teammate Katie McMillan and 2022 men’s World Junior Championship winning skip James Craik and they are hoping to carry that momentum into the team game.
“We are looking forward to our weekend in Aberdeen and excited about getting back on ice with the team,” said Henderson.
“Obviously last weekend we had a wee break with the switch to Mixed Doubles which was nice.
“It gives players a good chance to try out new things and experience different dynamics which we can bring back to the team game.
“There are definitely advantages in getting the opportunity to work with different people and also for me and Katie, both having a good run in the event just boosts the confidence knowing that we are playing well.”
She felt she particularly benefited from playing alongside Kyle, who has a burgeoning reputation at global level as lead for Team Whyte who have made steady progress over recent seasons, getting as high as sixth in the world rankings earlier this season. 
“Euan was a great partner and he literally makes you feel like a million dollars in every game that you play,” said Henderson.
“The confidence and trust in you is really good so I am just looking to bring that back into my team.
“Looking to boost their confidence and just really celebrate good shots is definitely something we can do this weekend as well as seeking that from my team as well as we look to build our communication and dynamics even further.
“We have already got a really good base so just taking it to the next level will definitely benefit us.”
Team Henderson’s main objective is to close the gap to Team Morrison, the only women in what is the largest ever Scottish contingent lining up at a Grand Slam of Curling event in The Masters in Canada next week as they look towards the national championships early in the New Year.
“I think with the Scottish Championships being so close now is definitely in the back of our minds and a good performance this weekend would give us a good boost with that coming up and only a few more competitions before that event,” said Henderson. 
“Aberdeen is a great venue. They have hosted many successful events including the Europeans recently and it’s also where I have won my two Scottish junior titles as well so it is a special venue.”
Henderson will be up against the line-up led by her World Junior Championship winning vice skip Robyn Munro and another British Curling supported quartet in Team Blair, as well as Czech Republic’s Team Synackova and Hronova.
With four Scottish men’s teams heading to Canada for The Masters, the men’s event meanwhile represents the latest opportunity for Team Waddell, currently ranked 27th in the world, to pick up valuable points as they seek to join them at future Grand Slam events.
In a 10 team competition, they will vie for the title with skip Kyle Waddell’s fellow 2018 Olympians Team Muirhead, as well as Team Carson, the Scottish Junior champions of the past two years, Team Ross Craik, who claimed their first senior tour title last month and a strong overseas representation in Teams Stocker and Iseli from Switzerland, Team Gosgens from the Netherlands, Team Kapp from Germany, Team Haarstad from Norway and Team Zbraslav from the Czech Republic.
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Please click here for results from Curling Zone.
