What happened?

Sorry folks. Coo and I were on duty at Curl Aberdeen watching the Netherlands beat Austria to qualify for the women's A Division next year. And we weren't able to put anything up on the blog when the main website went down again this afternoon.

These Aberdonians must really pay their bills! Seriously, I gather it was overload again with interest in the results.

We're back on station at the Linx now, and will try to help if there are problems again.

Reform CC friends will be interested in the fact that the Latvian girls beat the Czech Republic at the last stone, and now meet Austria - the winner qualifying for the A Division next year.

Action from Netherlands v Austria at Curl Aberdeen

Back at the Linx, the Russian women beat Sweden in the tiebreaker for fourth place, and will be up against Germany in the Page 3-4.

Lead me not into temptation!

Lead players in big curling competitions do not usually get much recognition for all the hard work they do for their teams. Today the Blog presents a photo feature on the women's lead players at the Linx arena in Aberdeen at the European Curling Championships. These pics were taken during the eighth and ninth rounds of play. Enjoy!

That's Sweden's Anna Svard in the pic above.

Switzerland's Janine Greiner

Lorna Vevers, Scotland

Russia's Ekaterina Galkina. (We like the eyes!)

Kristin Skaslien, Norway

Italy's Elettra De Col

Giorgia De Lotto is the Italian alternate, and played lead in the ninth game.

Germany's Stella Heiss

Alternate Corinna Scholz played lead in the last round robin game for Team Germany

Elisa Alatalo, Finland

Caroline Reed, England

Camilla Jensen, Denmark

Pics by Bob

Scots women out

Eve Muirhead's Scotland team of Jackie Lockhart, Kelly Wood and Lorna Vevers are out of the Le Gruyere European Championships, losing narrowly this morning to Denmark. Madeleine Dupont (above) plays last stones for the Danish side, who now progress to the Page 1-2 against top of the table Switzerland.

Mike Haggerty's match report and roundup is here, and all the results and standings can be found on the official website here.

Here is Coach Nancy Murdoch, in a timeout in this morning's game.

The Swiss finished the round robin on a 7-2 win-loss record. Denmark, Germany, Sweden and Russia were all on 6-3. On ranking, Denmark placed second, Germany third, and Sweden and Russia will contest a tiebreaker for the last playoff slot.

Scotland is ranked sixth, ahead of Norway, Finland, Italy and England. The last of of these are relegated to the B divisions next year.

Morning Call: Thursday, December 10

Here's the blog team on the bench last night, Coo and me working late, getting ready for today's action. It's the last round robin game for the girls today against Denmark at 08.00.

Defending champion Mirjam Ott of Switzerland is in top place in the round-robin rankings with a 7-1 win-loss record, two ahead of the chasing pack with just one game to play. Behind her, five teams - Denmark, Eve Muirhead’s Scotland, Anette Norberg of Sweden, Liudmila Privivkova from Russia and Germany’s Andrea Schöpp – all are on 5-3. This morning's results will sort it out!

The men's tiebreaker is at noon against the French. It will be an exciting day.

Coo, meanwhile, continues to misbehave. Saskia Kruegl, the ECF Secretary, visited us on the bench. It seems she's a big Coo fan. So off they went together, and they had a look at the calendar - the one with the girls in it which can be purchased online here.

Saskia has only a few more copies to sell here at Aberdeen and these MAY be available tomorrow, perhaps at Brian Martin's stand (Ailsa Craig Jewellery), or at Zander McIlwham's stand (Curling Supplies) in the foyer, but probably not at the Ladies' Branch stand. They will have them below the counter! £25, just ask!

Coo couldn't wait to open her copy and see Katja Kiiskinen in the ice bar, with her cuddly toy! But Saskia wouldn't let her see it, and covered her eyes! If you would like to see Katja with her clothes on go here.

Men's round robin final positions

It's all over in the men's round robin at the Le Gruyere European Curling Championships. Tomas Ulsrud (that's him in the white above) and his Norwegian side finished top of the standings with eight wins. Niklas Edin's Swedes are in second place, with seven wins. Niklas is in the yellow above. So these two will meet again in the Page 1-2.

France, Scotland and Switzerland all finished on six wins. Switzerland had the best Draw Shot Challenge average - indeed they had covered the button to win the toss on six of the eight games that were considered! That put them into the third place in the rankings.

Scotland will play France in a tiebreaker game for the remaining place in the playoffs at 12 noon tomorrow.

Mike Haggerty has the official take on it all on the Royal Club website here.

Rick's Picks Wednesday

Ewan MacDonald and Pete Smith sweeping

Swiss action

David Murdoch

The 'eye of Stockli'.

Photos by Richard Gray

Scots women still fighting

Eve Muirhead, skip of the Scottish women's team, faces the press at the Le Gruyere European Curling Championships in Aberdeen. That's Mike Haggerty and Katie Still asking the questions.

The Scots had just played Norway. That's Linn Githmark and Eve in the head above. What happened. Read Mike Haggerty's report here. I'm a tease!

Travels with Coo

She turned up. Coo apparently spent the night with Rita Esson, above. What they got up to I dread to think! What more can I say?

She had her coffee and a wee read at the P&J's coverage of the event, this whole page having been put together by Paul Third who was helped out by Coo on the media bench yesterday.

Fran Empay from Canada was courier to the Scottish Ladies' tour to Canada some years back. She's come over for a reunion...

And here are some of the ladies. That's Jo Pegg with the big smile.

Kate Caithness is WCF Vice-president and Mike Haggerty is Scotland's curling journalist, whose reports we have been linking to every day.

Coo ran a mile when she saw Gordon McIntyre, who is the Development Officer at Greenacres, and also, as you see, an Irish supporter!

She was to be found helping out behind the bar at Curl Aberdeen, getting in the way of Gemma and Jamie.

Coo even managed a visit to Jimmy Cheung's restaurant, along from the Linx, here with friends!

And sooking up to the VIPs again! Les Harrison on the right is WCF President, and Mike Thomson is the organisation's Secretary General. What a girl! And don't think I didn't see Mike surreptitiously plying her with drink.

It came down to the last stone

Scotland's Team Murdoch had the chance of securing a place in the playoffs with a win over Switzerland. That's Ralph Stockli in the head with David in the tenth end.

Did they do it? You will need to read Mike Haggerty's report here.

It was exciting. There were two timeouts worth of discussion before David went to play his last stone in the tenth, with two Swiss stones lying against him. In this not-very-good Bob pic, umpire Anne Malcolm is signalling the end of the timeout.

Spain was in the stands. Yes, I didn't want to look either! And talking of glamour calendars (see here), that's Ana Arce on the right. I must send Coo to find out how she views the men's charity calendar efforts (see here).

There has been groups of schoolkids in each morning, and they certainly add atmosphere to the early draws!

Morning Call: Wednesday, December 9

After yesterday's play in the men's Le Gruyere European Curling Championships, Norway shares the lead with Sweden, both teams with the same won six, lost one record. Scotland now is 5-2. Team Murdoch has its final two round robin games today, Switzerland at 09.00 and Italy at 19.00. The standings with just two games remaining in the round robin are:

Norway, Sweden 6-1
France, Scotland 5-2
Switzerland 4-3
Germany 3-4
Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland 2-5
Italy 0-7

Defending champion Mirjam Ott of Switzerland tops the women’s table following two wins yesterday. The Swiss now have won six and lost just one game. Russia’s Liudmila Privivkova had a bad day yesterday and has dropped to 5-2. It was a better day for the Scots, and Eve and the girls are very much still in contention. They have just one game today, against Norway at 14.00.

Women’s standings after seven games:
Switzerland, 6 -1
Denmark, Russia 5-2
Germany, Norway, Scotland, Sweden 4-3
Finland 2-5
Italy 1-6
England 0-7

In the B Divisions at the Curl Aberdeen rink, Netherlands and Latvia lead the women’s B1 division, unbeaten on four wins, while Austria leads the B2 division, on three wins and no losses. Russia is on top of the men’s MB1 division on eight wins and no losses, well ahead of the field, and Hungary leads MB2 on six wins and one loss, with Austria and Wales both on six wins and two losses.

The live scoring, statistics and results can be found here: www.ecc2009.co.uk

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Linx is a sell out for Saturday's final games, and there is a waiting list for tickets. If you don't have a ticket, don't travel to Aberdeen expecting to get in on the door. If you do have a ticket, and don't plan to use it, please pass it to someone else! But there's a PS. The local organising committee is looking at the option of bringing in extra seating!

There is certainly space today, tomorrow and Friday (check the main website for draw information) if you want to experience this great event at first hand.

Have you seen Coo? She didn't come home last night. I'm worried someone has led her astray... again! Update later.

Rick's Picks on Tuesday

Richard Gray takes great curling pics. This gets my award for the best of the championship to date. It's Katja Kiiskinen of Finland. It's the spider that does it, of course. Well done Richard!(Click on the pic to see it in larger size)

Grrrrrrr. Martin Snitil, Czech Republic

It's Lucy! Liudmila Privivkova.

(Remember, these are Richard's selection. I guess he's joined the fan club! Great pic too!)

Kirsty Balfour, England

Madeleine Dupont

Now I've seen everything!

Good win for the Scots against Finland tonight, completing a successful day on the ice. Mike Haggerty's report is here.

The blog had an assistant tonight. Becky is studying photography at the local college. The only problem is that Coo has gone off in the huff. Apparently another redhead on the team was too much for her! See jealousy!

But seriously. There has been an outbreak of flyposting at the arena. The organising committee won't be pleased. Crowds of women curlers grouped round one of the posters on the stairwell and I had to fight my way in to see what the fuss was about! "Scandal", "disgusting", "sexist" were just some of the words I didn't hear.

"What a big curling stone", seemed to be the general opinion! In case you don't recognise him with no clothes on, it's Ewan MacDonald!

This is NOT a windup. The calendar does exist. A 'rival' to the Fire on Ice calendar being sold by the ECF, see here!

Now I've seen everything!

Scotland v Norway

Scottish timeout in the tenth end of the game against Norway. Find out what happened by reading Mike Haggerty's report here.

Norway's Thomas Ulsrud

Ewan MacDonald and Pete Smith hard at work.

Christoffer Svae, with Euan and Ewan