Saturday gallery

Here they are! European Champs Scotland L-R David Murdoch, Ewan MacDonald, Peter Smith, Euan Byers, David Hay (coach), Graeme Connal (alternate). Photo by Hugh Stewart.

And Mirjam Ott's Switzerland with their gold medals in the women's event. Pic by Hugh Stewart.

This is the Finnish team which won the B Division and then earned their place in the World Championship at the expense of Sweden in a best of three series. Pic by Hugh Stewart.

Norway topped the women's B division and defeated England in the best of three to ensure that Norway would be in the lineup for the World Women's Championship in Korea later this season. Pic by Hugh Stewart.

Well done to the English women in defending their place in the A League for next season's Euros in Aberdeen. They lost at an extra end of the third game of their world challenge series against Norway, or they would have been going to Korea. L-R: Kirsty Balfour (skip), Caroline Reed (third), Claire Grimwood (second), Sarah McVey (lead) and Suzie Law (alternate) with Alistair Burns (coach) and Stephen Watt (coaching assistant). Pic by Hugh Stewart.

No, it's not a Woolies sale! It's everyone crowding in to the office at Lockerbie Ice Rink for the extra end of the men's final where it's showing on the desktop PC, thanks to the Eurosport player. Photo by Bob.

David Murdoch being interviewed by Christine Stewart after the game. Professional as ever.. David I mean!! Pic by Bob.

THAT'S MY BOY! Marion Murdoch (centre) watching David being interviewed. That's the Ed in the pic too, with RCCC coach Brad Askew, Hannah Fleming and Blair Fraser. Alistair Stevenson took the pic!

ECC2008: Report 23 Women final Swe v Sui

Sweden and Switzerland met in the final of the 2008 European Curling Championships. Anette Norberg, skip of the Swedish team, was aiming for her eighth European title, Switzerland's Mirjam Ott last won it in 1996.

This was a very tight game right from the start, with last stone Switzerland got a two score, Sweden could score only singles but in the fifth they tied the score at three all. Switzerland got one in the sixth, Sweden one in the eighth. Switzerland with last stone blanked the ninth to keep last stone.

Mirjam Ott made a takeout with her last stone in the tenth to win the game and the Championship 5/4.

Switzerland got gold, Sweden silver and Denmark bronze.

Finland beat Sweden in the men's challenge for the eighth world spot and Norway beat England in the women's.

Over and out from Sweden!

ECC2008: Report 22 Final Scotland beats Norway in Championship decider

It's finals day here in Ornskoldsvik and the sun is shining, who will it shine for in this game? Scotland against Norway, a repeat of the 2007 final, Scotland won that one, can they win this one?

Well in the early ends it looked as if it was going to be Norway, they dominated the first half of the games, Scotland were not quite making the shots, the hit and rolls didn't roll, and the draws were a fraction heavy or light.

The Scots looked better in the second half but trailed by two after nine ends, they had last stone for the tenth, they needed two to tie the game. And they got it thanks to a great double by David Murdoch with his last stone... an extra end.

Norway were hitting everything in sight in the extra but had left one short stone, Murdoch drew round it, it was just behind the T line. Thomas Ulsrud for Norway had a draw for the game and the Championship, he was a tiny bit heavy, Scotland, Euan Byers, Peter Smith, Ewan MacDonald and David Murdoch scored one shot for the gold medals.

And who knows the game might make the history books, it lasted all day, that's right the sun had just come up when it started at 11 am and was slipping below the horizon when it finished just after 2 pm!

ECC2008: Report 21 semi final women

So it's the women's semi final and it is Anette Norberg for Sweden against Denmark, there was a good crowd in the arena, Swedish of course, but they were making quite a noise.

The cognoscenti, and that includes me, had of course predicted game to Sweden in eight ends, how wrong can you be. Both teams were making mistakes in this game, Sweden more than Denmark. In the sixth Anette was heavy with her last stone, Denmark stole a single for a lead of two. Now in a Championship semi final that's quite a lead.

Denmark held on to that lead going into the ninth and that's when Sweden started playing, with last stone of the game Norberg made a great come around tap back for four shots and a two shot lead. That was enough, the Swedes removed all the Danish stones that came into play in the final end, Denmark got a single but Sweden won the game 8/7.

Tomorrow they meet Switzerland in the final.

ECC2008: Report 20 Scots win semifinal

David Murdoch, Ewan MacDonald, Peter Smith and Euan Byers had made it through to the semi final to meet Germany. They had lost to Germany in the opening round but this was the semi final.

Team Murdoch looked up for game, Germany had last stone and blanked the first. In end two Scotland lay two shots, Andy Kapp for Germany was heavy with his last stone, it slipped to the back of the house, Scotland stole two.

Germany got two back in the fifth and the sixth end was the winning end, David Murdoch had a hit to lie two, the bonus came when he also managed to move a German stone about an inch, enough to lie three shots.

A mishit by Germany in the seventh allowed Scotland to steal a single. End eight, Andy Kapp played a hit with his last stone, he hit and rolled, Dor Borthwick stepped in to do the measure, Scotland lay shot and Germany conceded, final score 2/7.

Tomorrow Scotland meet Norway in a re run of the 2007 final.

Top: David Murdoch and Andy Kapp in the semifinal. Photo courtesy of the World Curling Federation.

A wee note of thanks from the Editor to two members of the Scottish Curler team who are in O'Vik. Here are Christine and Hugh Stewart at work on the media bench. Photo courtesy of Wim Neeleman. And well done to Team Murdoch! It was great being able to watch the semifinal on the Eurosport player.

ECC2008: Report 19 Playoffs men v Switzerland

Team Murdoch had won their way into the three/four playoff, lose this one and they were out, they met Switzerland. The Swiss weren't the strongest team on paper but had made it to this stage.

This was a one sided game, Scotland had the best of it all they way, they led by three after six ends, a steal of two in the seventh took that lead to five. Switzerland got a single in the eighth and conceded, Scotland won 6/2.

Norway beat Germany in the one/two play off so Scotland will play Germany for the second final spot.

In the women's Championship, Switzerland beat Sweden for a place in the final, Sweden now face Denmark who beat Germany, for the second final place.

England beat the Netherlands to take eighth spot in the league, they are safe in the A league for 2009 but now face a challenge for the World spot.