Eve Muirhead will round off her career-defining season when she partners fellow Olympic medallist Bobby Lammie in defending the World Mixed Doubles Championship title won for Scotland by two of their regular teammates Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat last year.
It will be a first appearance in the event which takes place from April 23-30 for the woman who has dominated the domestic women’s game in recent years in establishing herself as one of the most recognisable figures in the global game. 
For all that vast experience, this has been a unique season for the 32-year-old which began with her starting the season battling for a place in a team, rather than being guaranteed a skipping role, as part of the innovative nine player squad system introduced by British Curling to identify its best women’s line-up.
That led to golden glory at both the European Championships, Muirhead’s third success at that competition and at the Olympics, along with teammates Dodds, Vicky Wright and Hailey Duff, while Lammie was part of the team skipped by Bruce Mouat which claimed silver for Team GB in the men’s event.
It now ends with another doubly unique opportunity as she and Lammie, having won the Scottish Mixed Doubles title soon after returning from Beijing, make this World Mixed Doubles debut at one of the few major curling venues Muirhead has never played in and she is looking forward to the big event buzz.
“I’ve only been to the airport before, so I haven’t actually been in Geneva itself,” she explained.
“I’ve heard that the arena is great and I know that next door is the ice rink in which the World Seniors is taking place, so there’s a couple of events going on at the same time.”
Hugely in demand over the past two months, since the Olympic win, she has found the return to on ice action with her team at The Players’ Championship in Canada last week, ahead of this competition something of a haven. 
“It has been busy since the Olympics, a complete whirlwind without really having a chance to stop, so events like the Players; Championship last week and the Mixed Doubles this week bring a bit of a normality, so it’s a time to step back and breath and do what I love doing, which is the competing side of it,” she said.
The success achieved by Dodds and Mouat last year puts Muirhead and Lammie in an unusual position as both debutants and defending champions, but she is confident that they are well prepared for the challenge.
“I think Bobby and I have had a good focus on the Mixed Doubles event leading into it. We had several practises before we left for Canada, along with Greg Drummond, the Mixed Doubles coach, so I feel we’re in a good place,” said Muirhead.
“It’s our first World Mixed Doubles experience and of course there will be new challenges, but it’s not a discipline that we haven’t done before and I’m sure both of our experience will help us through that.
“I enjoy playing with Bobby a lot. He’s a great guy and he’s also a great player and we get on well.
“We know when we step on the ice that we’re out there to win and there’s a lot of focus, but we also have a good laugh as well. 
“With Jen and Bruce being the reigning champions of course there’s maybe a little pressure, but we intend just to work through the field and take every game at a time with the aim of getting to the play off stages and then it’s a new competition.”
Whatever happens it will be her last outing of this memorable 2021/22, unlike Lammie, who will be heading back to Canada almost immediately afterwards as Team Mouat head to the season-ending Champions Cup where they are looking to continue an astonishing run that has seen them contest the last five Grand Slam finals winning four of them, including last week’s Players’ Championship title defence.
“I’m not playing the last Slam of the season, so this is my last event and I’m looking forward to it coming to a close,” said Muirhead.
“An Olympic year is always very, very busy, so I’m looking forward to a break over the summer, but I know Bobby will be looking forward to The Champions Cup, because it’s always a nice event to close off the season with,” said Muirhead.
Scotland open their campaign against former British Curling colleagues Team Fowler, brother and sister duo Ben and Anna who are making their sixth appearance together at the World Mixed Doubles Championship as England’s representatives.
Scotland Mixed Doubles Team
Eve Muirhead
Bobby Lammie
Broadcast games will be shown on The Curling Channel in partnership with Recast.
Monday 25 April - Scotland v Canada (TSN1/3, RDS)
Tuesday 26 April - Scotland v United States (Peacock and Olympic Channel)
Friday 29 April - Qualifier 1 (TSN1, RDS, Peacock and Olympic Channel). Qualifier 2 (TSN1, RDS, Peacock and Olympic Channel), Semi-final 1 (TSN1/4, RDS, Peacock and Olympic Channel), Semi-final 2 (TSN4, RDS, Peacock and Olympic Channel)
Saturday 30 April - Bronze medal game (TSN1, RDS, Peacock and Olympic Channel), Gold medal game (Swiss TV, TSN1, RDS, Peacock and Olympic Channel)
Schedule for World Mixed Doubles Championships 23-30 April – Geneva, Switzerland
Saturday 23 April 
Scotland - England
Sunday 24 April
Scotland – Australia
Scotland – Czech Republic
Monday 25 April
Scotland - Canada
Tuesday 26 April
Scotland – Germany
Scotland - USA
Wednesday 27 April
Scotland - Hungary
Thursday 28 April
Scotland – Turkey
Scotland - Spain
Friday 29 April
Qualification game A2 – B3
Qualification game B2 – A3
Semi final B1-A2/B3
Semi final A1 – B2/A3
Saturday 30 April
Bronze medal game
Gold medal game
#curling #WMDCC2022
