Team Mouat began their 2024/25 season by creating yet another piece of history for themselves by becoming the first Scots to win the Baden Masters as they defeated the host nation’s top ranked side at the extra end of a top quality final.
Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan had reached the knockout stages of the Swiss event as the only unbeaten team in a 20-strong world class field that contained representatives from 11 countries, including five from Scotland.
After a comfortable win in Saturday evening’s quarter-final against locals Team Hoesli, the team that has finished each of the last two seasons in second spot in the world rankings, then faced their closest domestic rivals, world ranked number five Team Whyte in the semi-final and were made to work hard for their 6-3 win.
That set up a clash with Switzerland’s Team Schwaller, who had beaten Sweden’s reigning world champions in their semi-final and it was nip and tuck throughout. 
The Scots registered a two at the opening end, then looked to have gained a telling advantage when they forced their opponents to take a single at the next, only to be left with no choice but to concede a steal at the third end which levelled the scores.
After a brilliant double takeout by Benoit Schwartz van-Berkel resulted in a blanked fourth end, Mouat was then left needing an accurate takeout inside the four foot with his final stone at the next, but made it for the two.
For the first time in the event, however, the Scots found themselves trailing in the second half of a match when, following another double takeout by Schwartz van-Berkel, Mouat left him the chance to register a three with his final stone at the sixth.
When McMillan’s second stone was then thrown off track when it struck something on the ice at the seventh, it seemed like the momentum might be shifting away from them, but another perfectly weighted last delivery from Mouat shifted a Swiss stone just enough to count two and move his team back in front.
Schwartz van-Berkel then looked to have played a decisive shot at the eighth end as he produced a double takeout, with his shooter rolling in behind cover, but a tiny gap had been left through which Mouat squeezed his last stone for the takeout which denied any chance of a two and took the match to an extra end.
The drama continued to the final stone which aptly saw the Scottish skip pick a Swiss stone off the button, to leave his own lying and wrap up a 7-6 victory.
“It was a very tight final and although it did feel as if we were in a control, we just had a bit of a slip up at the sixth end which was a bit unfortunate and cost us a bit of that control,” said Mouat.
“However, that only made it all the better that we managed to fight back again to get the win.”
He drew satisfaction from having become the first Scots to win the event that has been running since the year 2000 and from getting the season started in the best possible manner.
“It’s great to win Baden for the first time,” he said.
“I think we’ve been here five plus times maybe and not always performed that well, but this time it felt like a really good event for us.
“The ice suited us really well and the boys and I played really well throughout the event.
“It was really pleasing to have no blemishes and win every match.
“Last year we won our first two events as well and it’s nice to win another one this year to start off our season.
“Hopefully that can continue into next week when we’re playing our home event at the NCA.”
He noted, too, that at the start of the last full season before Winter Olympic selection, the 2023 World Champions and 2022 Olympic finalists know how tough the domestic competition will be.
“It’s a very important season for us,” said Mouat.
“We’re obviously trying to prove ourselves, so getting a win at the start obviously helps with that and we’re going to look to build on this going forward.
“The semi-final (against Team Whyte) was pretty tense and the sixth end there was very important.
“It’s obviously very important for both of us to start off the season well and a lot of key shots needed a lot of discussion at that end, so I’m not surprised that the tempo and pace of the game started to slow down.”
The Scottish rivals will once again be expected to be among the leading contenders when Mouat’s men look to defend their Euro Super Series title at the National Curling Academy in Stirling next weekend.
Baden Masters results on Curling Zone.
