After their latest victory at the globally renowned Mercure Perth Masters, World Champions Team Mouat will once again fly the flag for Scottish and British Curling in Canada this week, but they have added their support to a campaign to save the venue that hosted last weekend’s event.
Bruce Mouat, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan continued a six year run of success at the Masters when they pipped compatriots Team Whyte in a magnificent venue at the Dewar’s Centre, where they have also enjoyed success at the National Championships. 
However, this year’s event was overshadowed by growing fears within the local curling community that have been generated by an apparent threat to the future of a facility that is regarded as one of the finest in Scotland.
That, in turn, reflects wider concerns across the sport as a whole with a number of venues in the sport’s spiritual homeland having been closed in recent years in spite of the unprecedented success being enjoyed by Scottish curlers.
No fewer than five Scottish men’s teams are currently ranked among the top 21 in the world, while Scotland’s next generation women are currently competing for the right to defend the Olympic title won two years ago, so while they revel in the opportunities to travel to hotbeds such as Canada and Switzerland to compete, leading players understand the importance of being able to learn the game, practice and compete in quality conditions on home ice.
“Perth is one of the key places for curling in Scotland,” said Team Mouat’s vice skip Grant Hardie.
“It has hosted a number of Scottish Championships over the years so fingers crossed from all of us that we find a way to keep this venue going.
“There are so many top Canadian and top European teams that have competed at this event over the years and after a final like we played against Team Whyte, with those ice conditions, you can see why this has been so well supported over the years.”
“We feel incredibly fortunate to have our names on this trophy for a fourth time. It is such a well hosted event, with great crowds this is an important part of our schedule at this time in the season and the strength and depth now in Scotland is so good especially on the men’s side and these events play a huge part in that.”
The win put Team Mouat back in front of Team Whyte as the top Scots in the world rankings and they go into 2024 as World, European and National champions.
However, as they prepare to compete against the three teams currently above them in the world rankings – Italy’s Team Retornaz, Canada’s Team Bottcher and Switzerland’s Team Schwaller - at this week’s Astec Safety Challenge in Alberta, ahead of next week’s Grand Slam event in the same province, the Canadian Open, they are still looking for improvement over the coming year.
“We had a chat after the last Slam in 2023 and we felt it was a disappointing year at the Slams so there is no better way to start than with a win at Perth Masters and hopefully that now kicks us on to up our game and just be that little bit more consistent,” said Hardie, who missed that last trip to Canada in December as he underwent minor surgery.
“We would like to make the play-offs, having struggled the last couple of times.
“It was horrible missing it and watching it on the TV and leaving the team with three players is not what you want to be doing, so I am really excited to get back out there next week.”
The inaugural Astec Safety Challenge gets underway on January 11, with finals day on January 14, while the Canadian Open, which will feature three Scottish men’s teams, with 2022 World Junior champion James Craik’s rink joining Teams Mouat and Whyte in the field, while Team Morrison will be the lone Scottish challengers in the women’s event.
Follow the results from Astec Safety Challenge on Curling Zone.
