Scots in threes. Korean girls in the extra end.
The match, which kicks off at 9am, will determine the morning's schedule. So, to get everything done, we have to leave the hotel by car at 7.45. We go to breakfast at seven, which means setting the alarm for 6.30 a.m. Given that evening training usually ends after eleven o'clock, there is not enough room for a good night's sleep. Complicating matters further today was the overnight frost that painted intricate patterns on our car windows, which were difficult to remove with flexible plastic accreditation. I had to sit in the freezing car for an extra ten minutes anyway - good thing I had some time to spare. The first opponents were the Scots, who although they have experienced players in Aitken, Sinclair and Jackson, are struggling with Covid and therefore only played with three. We took an early lead, by as much as five points, but the Scots tightened up and were a stone up after the ninth end. We played well in the tenth end and even without having to play the last stone we achieved victory. After a short break, in which we barely had time for lunch, the Korean silver medallists from the 2018 Olympics were waiting for us. At the halfway point it was tied 3-3. The Asians pulled away from us by three stones in the ninth end to 7 : 4, but we evened the score after a well played tenth end and the match went into extra time. Despite our promising opening and a good situation at the end, it was not enough for Kim and a little unexpected, maybe a win slipped away. But it was a great match that entertained the crowd and the players.
rnphoto: before the match against the Scots