Team Whyte narrowly failed to claim the WFG Masters title when they were edged out by Italy’s world number one ranked Team Retornaz in Saskatoon, but their appearance in a Grand Slam final still represented a significant breakthrough for the British Curling quartet.
Ross Whyte, Robin Brydone, Duncan McFadzean and Euan Kyle had been made to work for their tilt at their title, coming through a punishing schedule on what became their Super Saturday as they beat three opponents that have consistently featured among the top five in the world in recent years.
It had opened with a 7.30am start against Sweden’s six-time World and reigning Olympic champions Team Edin in which they twice came from behind on their way to a 5-3 win, before they again recovered from an early deficit to beat former World and Olympic champion Brad Gushue’s men 5-2 in the mid-afternoon quarter-finals. 
Starting without the last stone advantage of holding the hammer for the third time in the day against Switzerland’s Team Schwaller who won medals at both the World and European Championships this year, they dominated from the outset to set up a 9-4 advantage after six ends, which drew an early concession from their opponents.
The final was then another battle with no quarter given as, unusually in the modern game, the first three ends were blanked before Retornaz, having started with the hammer, finally got the chance to score a two at the fourth end and take a lead into the midway break.
The team that was on its way to a third Grand Slam title in three events this season, matching a rare feat last achieved by British Curling’s Team Mouat two years ago and by only five men’s teams in the sport’s history, then looked to have consolidated their advantage when they forced Whyte to take just one at the next.
However, the Scots battled their way back into contention by stealing another shot at the next to level the scores at 2-2 and, only lost out when Retornaz managed to set up the chance to score the winning shot at the last after yet another blanked end at the seventh.
“It was a great final which unfortunately we fell a touch short in,” said Whyte.
“Team Retornaz are the number 1 team in the world for a reason as they are very tough to beat.
“We had a couple opportunities to force early on in the game which could have helped the outcome but unfortunately we didn’t manage to capitalise.”
The Scottish skip was, however, able to reflect on a powerful weekend’s work that has reinforced their status as one of the top teams in the global game.
“It was a tough week playing a lot of strong teams and a long Saturday saw us take on three very good teams in the tie-breaker, quarters and semis,” said Whyte.
“All three of those teams are excellent, but we managed to get the best of them whilst running on a good bit of adrenaline.”
With Scottish curling on a high as Mouat’s men head into the New Year as reigning European and World champions, while a record four teams contested this latest Grand Slam event, Whyte and his teammates will consequently head into the New Year full of belief that they can challenge for further honours and their ultimate goal of representing their country at major championships.
“2023 started a bit slow for us, finishing last season with a tough finish at the Scottish Championships, so we knew this season we would have to be better than ever and we feel we are proving ourselves each time we are out on that ice,” said Whyte. 
“Hopefully we can start next year sharp and give ourselves the chance to get the Scottish jersey on our back.”
However with those four teams that competed in Saskatoon, led by Whyte, Mouat, James Craik – the former World Junior champion skip – and Cammy Bryce, joined by 2018 Olympian Kyle Waddell’s rink, all the evidence now suggests that this year’s national championships will be among the most fiercely contested ever, as Whyte acknowledged.
“The Scottish teams are improving every year and we have many great teams on the circuit now,” he said.
“Every time you play one of these teams you know you are in for a hard game and it’s good to see for the sake of our country going forward, but we are looking forward to the challenge at the Scottish Championships this year and will be looking to progress on our successful start to the season and improve even more in the hunt for our first men’s Scottish title.”
The Scottish Curling Championships take place from 5-10 February 2024 and will be hosted at Dumfries Ice Bowl.
Please click here for Grand Slam of Curling results.
Image: Anil Mungal @PhotoVagrant
