A run of 21 successive victories in matches at the Le Gruyere European Championships, dating back more than four years ended today when Team Mouat were beaten 7-2 by Switzerland’s Team Schwaller in Ostersund.
However, the Scots will be hoping that history repeats itself, because they avenged their last round-robin defeat in the subsequent play-offs when they beat Sweden in the 2018 final and they already knew before today’s game that Switzerland would be joining them in this year’s semi-finals.
Despite the loss there is still everything to play for in terms of semi-final seedings when they meet unbeaten Italy in their final round-robin match. 
However, having looked increasingly impressive in winning seven matches this time around, to add to the 11 straight wins that brought them the title last year, Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan had been hoping to maintain their dominance throughout this year’s event.
“It was a disappointing performance… not what we were looking for at this point in the competition,” said skip Mouat.
“We’re obviously looking to bounce back tomorrow against the Italians, I think first place is still up for grabs depending on draw shots so we will see how things are going.”
A key turning point in the match came at the third end when, already 2-0 down, the Scots displayed exemplary sportsmanship after Swiss skip Yannick Schwaller accidentally blocked the path of a stone with his foot.
It was difficult to tell where it would have finished and had it run its course it might have left the Scots lying two, but they generously agreed to say it would have finished closer than one of them and that ultimately proved crucial as Scotland scored just one rather two at that end.
“It was a bit of a weird situation to be put into after Yannick Schwaller accidently kicked the stone, normally we would try to reach some sort of agreement between the two teams and I feel like we got there eventually,” said Mouat.
“It is what it is but obviously we are looking to bounce back tomorrow and we’ll see what happens.”
Earlier in the day Scotland’s women had kept their chances of reaching the play-offs alive when they registered a comprehensive 10-1 win over Hungary to be one of three teams in joint sixth position with a 4 wins – 4 losses record going into their final match against Norway, who are also on that mark, just behind three more teams that share third spot with five wins – three losses.
The European Championships qualify teams for next year’s World Curling Championships with the women’s event (LGT World Women’s Curling Championship 2023) also taking place in Sweden in March (18-26 March) and the men’s event (BKT Tires & OK Tire World Men’s Curling Championship) in Ottawa in April (1-9 April). 
Men’s teams: Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Norway, Scotland, Spain (replacing Russia), Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.
Women’s teams: Denmark, Germany, Hungary (replacing Russia), Italy, Latvia, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.
Team Mouat
Bruce Mouat
Grant Hardie
BobbyLammie
Hammy McMillan
Kyle Waddell (alternate)
Coach: Michael Goodfellow
Team Morrison
Rebecca Morrison
Gina Aitken
Sophie Sinclair
Sophie Jackson
Hailey Duff (alternate)
Coach: Nancy Smith
WCF European Champs
Schedule:
Friday 18 November
Women – session 1
Scotland v Turkiye 9-6
Saturday 19 November
Men – session 1
Scotland v Germany 6-4 (EE)
Women – session 2
Scotland v Latvia 7-4
Men - session 2
Scotland v Spain 10-4
Sunday 20 November
Women – session 3
Scotland v Italy 4-10
Men – session 3
Scotland v Sweden 8-7
Women – session 4
Scotland v Denmark 6-11
Monday 21 November
Men – session 4
Scotland v Czech Republic 11-6
Women – session 5
Scotland v Sweden 7-5
Men – session 5
Scotland v Turkiye 10-4
Women – session 6
Scotland v Germany 3-9
Tuesday 22 November
Men session 6
Scotland v Denmark 7-4
Women session 7
Scotland v Switzerland 3-9
Men session 7 - Qualified
Scotland v Norway 8-1
Wednesday 23 November
Women session 8
Scotland v Hungary 10-1
Men session 8
Scotland v Switzerland 2-7
Women session 9 – 19.00/18.00 GMT
Scotland v Norway
Thursday 24 November
Men session 9 – 08.00/07.00 GMT
Scotland v Italy
Women semi final 1 – 12.00/11.00 GMT (broadcast game)*
Women semi final 2 – 16.00/15.00 GMT (broadcast game)*
Men semi final 1- 20.00/19.00 GMT (broadcast game)*
Friday 25 November
Men semi final 2 – 09.00/08.00 GMT (broadcast game)*
Women bronze medal game – 14.00/13.00 GMT(broadcast game)*
Men bronze medal game – 19.00/18.00 GMT(broadcast game)*
Saturday 26 November
Women gold medal game 09.00/08.00 GMT(broadcast game)*
Men gold medal game 13.00/12.00 GMT(broadcast game)*
Images: WCF / Ansis Ventins & Celine Stucki
