Notes from the Euro Mixed 3

Not a cloud in the sky, perfect weather, perfect ice...... and it´s Day 3 of the European Mixed Curling Championship in Madrid. It´s a four draw day today and crunch time for the teams looking for a place in the quarterfinals.

Before I forget though, I should point out that there are no rocks and no tossers here at the Palacio de Hielo. The World Curling Federation has decreed that the things we throw up the ice should be known universally as ´stones´. And the decision on who has last brick on the first end is decided , not by tossing a coin, but by a single granite draw to the button. The team whose chuckie is nearest the tee gets to play the last Ailsa of the first end.

Muirhead, Muirhead, Muirhead and Sloan (Curlers) faced France in the morning game. It was going well until Glen missed an open hit in the fourth and the Scots were down 3-1. France took another single against the head. The Scots got three back - it was a roller coaster.

Down one with last stone in the eighth, Glen then played what he will probably remember as one of the worst in his career. Instead of two (or even three) for the game, the Scots picked up only a single, and it´s on to an extra end. This correspondent could hardly watch!

Suffice to say that with his last stone of the game Glen played a perfect draw to the button round the guards. All is forgiven! The French skip attempted an angled raise, but missed. Talk about ´get out of jail´cards!

Anyway, with one game still to play Scotland share top place in the section with England, with three wins and one loss each. They play each other tonight, the winner through to the quarterfinals.

Photos to follow.