UK Sport

• You are here:
• Media Centre
• News

aberdeen to host european curling championships

Subscribe

Jessica Whitehorn 02 December 2009

Le Gruyère European Curling Championships 2009, supported by UK Sport’s World Class Events Programme, begins in Aberdeen on Saturday, where the Scottish men’s team will be looking to defend their European title in front of a home crowd.  51 teams from 30 different European countries will be competing, before heading off to the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver in February.

Scotland’s men, captained by David Murdoch, head into the event not only as defending European Champions for the past two years, but also as reigning World Champions. Among their “A” division rivals will be Norway’s Thomas Ulsrud, losing finalist in the last two European championships. 

The women’s team will also be looking to impress on home soil, which will be fantastic preparation for Vancouver. Scotland’s women’s team is led by 19-year-old Eve Muirhead, who is the current and three-times world junior champion. Muirhead’s opposition in Aberdeen includes defending European champion Mirjam Ott from Switzerland and reigning Olympic champion Anette Norberg from Sweden. 

UK Sport’s Head of Events, Simon Morton, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Le Gruyère European Curling Championships 2009, and hope that this not only provides a world class competition for our athletes in this crucial preparation period for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games, but also a rare opportunity for British spectators to watch the Winter Olympians in action on their doorstep.”

George Esson, Chairman of the organising committee, said: “We have a great team in place, ready to deliver what I’m sure will be a memorable week of high standard sport and superb Scottish hospitality.”

UK Sport recently announced a proposed 64-event programme of world class competitions across the UK in the last 1000 days to the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games, helping prepare Britain’s athletes, but also officials and volunteers, for the home Games. It is hoped that this programme will include winter sports events, including the 2011 ISU World Championships (Short Track) and Wheelchair Curling World Championships.

UK Sport has invested over £7 million in the preparation of Britain’s best winter Olympic and Paralympic athletes throughout the Vancouver cycle (2007-2011) and recent results suggest Vancouver should be a successful Games. The European Curling Championships in Aberdeen will be the only chance for British fans to watch their Winter sport athletes in international competition on home soil ahead of the Games.
 

Back to news listing

Most Viewed