British Curling’s new-look women’s squad has made an excellent start to the new season both at home and abroad and they are attributing part of their success to the feel-good factor thanks to a new kit deal with Hardline Curling.
The innovative nine-player squad system has brought immediate benefits with three different skips leading British Curling teams to appearances in the finals of the inaugural Euro Super Series at the National Curling Academy in Stirling, the St Petersburg Classic in Russia and The Challenger in Switzerland.
In that opener on home ice, the team skipped by Rebecca Morrison claimed the title, while Eve Muirhead’s line-up reached the semi-finals. 
The line-ups were then substantially reshuffled for the trip to Russia where both teams claimed podium finishes, Gina Aitken leading her team to the final, while Muirhead’s rink won the third-place play-off, before Muirhead steered yet another combination to victory in Switzerland.
The innovative approach is providing backroom staff with an opportunity to monitor and measure individual and collective contributions, both in terms of technical compatibility and team dynamics in recognising the need to ensure that no stone is left unturned in the bid to win qualification for next year’s Winter Olympics.
And as the squad’s most experienced player, Muirhead reckons that feeling properly looked after is key to ensuring that they are as confident as possible heading into competition.
“The whole squad are really enjoying using the new Hardline kit,” said the three-time Olympian and former world champion.
“The trousers and gloves are really comfortable and we all know that if you feel good and look good it can all add up to a good performance. 
“We’re all really enjoying using our new brushes and all the gear we’ve been provided with by Hardline Curling, too, so let’s hope we can continue with this good form.”
At the start of a vital season, which sees British Curling targeting success at the Winter Olympics in Beijing in the New Year, the organisation’s Executive Performance Director Nigel Holl said he was hugely encouraged with developments on and off the ice.
“This deal with Hardline Curling reflects our determination to provide our players with all the support they need to be successful, which is also why we have introduced the new system for selecting the women’s teams that will represent Scotland and Great Britain this season,” he said.
“The response from the players has been superb, with a real buzz around training in early season and that upbeat mood has contributed to the performances we have seen in the first two events.”
