Curling in Russia - Le Gruyere European Curling Championships 2006

16.12.2006 Le Gruyere European Women's Curling Championships 2006

Russian girls defeated Italy 9-4 to win the women's 2006 Le Gruiere European Curling Championship, the first major curling title for the country that made its international curling debut in 1992.

Group A. Final:

Skip Ludmila Privivkova, the defending world junior champion, added the prestigious European title to her trophy case by scoring three points in the third end and stealing the sixth and seventh ends. Italy's Diana Gaspari scored three in the second end but could only muster a single point the rest of the way.

Privivkova and teammates Olga Jarkova, Nkeirouka Ezekh, Ekaterina Galkina and Margarita Fomina went undefeated in the round-robin with a 9-0 record against a strong field of Olympic champions and medallists. Russia then lost to the Italians in the first "Page" playoff game 7-5 but recovered to defeat Switzerland's Mirjam Ott 7-5 in the semi-final.

Overall Standings of Women Group A:

At next year's Le Gruyиre European Curling Championship in Fussen, Germany, B-pool qualifiers Austria (B-pool champion) and Finland graduate to the A-division, while Norway, skipped by two-time World and European champion Dordi Nordby of Norway, falls to the B-pool, along with the Netherlands.

Group B. Final:

Overall Standings of Women Group B:

16.12.2006 Le Gruyere European Men's Curling Championships 2006

SWITZERLAND ENDS EURO DROUGHT

It was going to take a special performance to upend defending world champion Scotland in the final of the 2006 Le Gruiere European Curling Championship.

To the joy of a boisterous home crowd at St. Jakob Arena, Switzerland's new - and now disbanded - all-star team did just that, beating Scotland's David Murdoch 7-6 to win the championship.

Skip Andreas Schwaller and new temporary teammate Ralph Stickli rode their experimental lineup right through the eight-day event, ably supported by front-enders Thomas Lips and Damien Grichting, in winning their country's first European title in 20 years.

Murdoch's men fell behind 3-1 and 5-2 before roaring back with a three-ender in the seventh frame. With the Swiss clinging to a nervous 6-5 lead in the 10th, the Scots maneuvered well to lurk for the deuce, but an uncharacteristic miss on Murdoch's first stone forced him to take the tying single with his last rock.

Switzerland held the hammer in the extra-end, played it cool, and after a critical double-takeout on his first rock, Schwaller made a cool draw to the four-foot for the win.

Group A. Final:

Overall Standings of Men Group A:

At next year's Le Gruiere European Curling Championship in Fussen, Germany, B-pool qualifiers Czech Republic (B-pool champion) and Italy graduate to the A-division, while Ireland and Wales both drop to the B-pool.

Group B. Final:

Overall Standings of Men Group B:

Russia National Men's Team lose two last games and takes only bronze medals.

Russian National Men's Curling Team 2006: Vadim SHKOLNIKOV, Alexey KAMNEV, Dmitry ABANIN, Petr DRON, Alexander KIRIKOV (skip).
Coach: Juri ANDRIANOV

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