Scotland’s Team Munro have claimed their first win of the World Junior Championships in Finland, beating Turkiye 10-5 in their only game of day two.
Despite Turkiye starting with hammer and claiming a three in the first end, Scotland responded immediately with a three at the next and followed that up with another three at the fourth to take the lead and were never headed again for the rest of the game.
Skip Robyn Munro was pleased with their performance coming back from two losses on the opening day and feels the team can build on today’s momentum now they have settled into the event.
“We are very happy to get back to winning ways now,” said Munro, who hails from Stranraer and was vice-skip when Scotland’s women won gold at last year’s event, playing alongside current team mates Laura Watt, Holly Wilkie-Milne and Amy Mitchell.
“Obviously going 0-2 wasn’t the start we hoped for going into these Championships, but we have definitely bounced back with a really strong performance there and we would like to keep that going.
“Once we got that three back we knew it was back to level again, so we didn’t get ahead of ourselves and just played some key shots.
“Then once we got ahead on the scoreboard we just kept that lead going.
“They were very strong and made some really good shots and put some pressure on us, but we just applied that pressure back and I think that is the difference in the past few games we have had, so it was good to be on the better side of the scoreboard in that game.
“I think with any new competition it does take a game or two to just get used to the ice conditions and know where to put the brush and I think we have got rid of all of the teething issues now, so after a strong performance there we will just be looking to keep that going.”
Commenting on adjusting to the arena environment and reading the ice conditions, Munro was not making any excuses for her quartet’s day one performance.
“Everyone is playing on the same ice, so we are just trying out ways to deal with it and feeling confident now going into the rest of the event with six more games in the round robin,” she said.
They now also know they can count on strong Scottish support in the crowds for the remainder of the week as a contingent of fans from home arrived at the arena this morning.
“I got a lovely surprise today at the fifth end break when my granny walked through the crowds and I definitely wasn’t expecting that, so we all have some family out here watching us and the cheering from them is that extra motivation that we need,” said Munro.
“We are really going to use that to our advantage for the rest of the week,”
Scotland’s women have two games on day three against Canada and Sweden and Munro is relishing the prospect of what look set to be high quality games.
“It’s always great playing Canada, you are guaranteed a good game when you play them, but we will be fired up for it as usual and we will just have to take it a game at a time,” she said.
“You have to at these types of Championships, so we will be looking to get two more wins on the board.”.
In the men’s event Scotland’s Orrin Carson and team mates Logan Carson, Archie Hyslop and Charlie Gibb suffered their first defeat losing out 6-10 to Italy. They played USA later in the day and battled back after their opponents claimed a four at the second end, but eventually lost 6-10. They take on Germany in their only game of day three.
The competition takes place in Lohja from February 17 to 24.
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Team Scotland – Team Munro
Robyn Munro
Laura Watt
Holly Wlkie-Milne
Amy Mitchell
Hannah Farries (A)
Team Coach: Alan Hannah
Head Coach: Nancy Smith
Team Scotland – Team O Carson
Orrin Carson
Logan Carson
Archie Hyslop
Charlie Gibb
Hamish Gallacher (A)
Team Coach Ryan Carson
Head Coach: Nancy Smith
Team Scotland Schedule:
Saturday 17 February
7.00am – Team Munro
Scotland – Germany 4-6
12.00pm midday – Team O Carson
Scotland – Canada 9-4
5.30pm – Team Munro
Scotland – Japan 5-8
Sunday 18 February
7.00am - Team O Carson
Scotland – Italy 6-10
12.00pm midday - Team Munro
Scotland – Turkiye 10-5
5.00pm - Team O Carson
Scotland – USA 6-10
Monday 19 February
7.00am - Team Munro
Scotland – Canada
12.00pm midday - Team O Carson
Scotland – Germany
5pm – Team Munro
Scotland – Sweden
Tuesday 20 February
7.00am - Team O Carson
Scotland – New Zealand
12.00pm midday - Team Munro
Scotland - Switzerland
5.00pm - Team O Carson
Scotland – Switzerland
Wednesday 21 February
7.00am - Team Munro
Scotland – China
12.00pm midday - Team O Carson
Scotland - China
5.00pm - Team Munro
Scotland – Norway
Thursday 22 February
7.00am - Team O Carson
Scotland – Denmark
12.00pm midday - Team Munro
Scotland - Korea
5.00pm - Team O Carson
Scotland – Norway
Friday 23 February
12.00pm midday Women’s semi finals
5.00pm Men’s semi finals
Saturday 24 February
8.00am Women’s FINAL
1.00pm Men’s FINAL
Image: WCF
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