Never mind the summer, British curlers set for Winter Olympics
LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - With temperatures set to soar and sports fans focused on a coming feast of tennis and cricket, Britain named 10 curlers on Friday as the country's first picks for next year's Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Beijing 2022 silver medallist Bruce Mouat will captain, or skip, the men's team of four after a dominant season that brought a second world championship title.
Mouat leads an experienced line-up of fellow Olympic silver medallists Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie and Hammy McMillan with Pyeongchang 2018 Olympian Kyle Waddell as alternate.
"Team Mouat have had an outstanding run of form this past year, becoming the first-ever rink to win four Grand Slam titles in one season, and I know they will be wanting to better the silver medal they won in Beijing," said Team GB Chef de Mission and Olympic champion skip Eve Muirhead.
Olympic champion Jennifer Dodds partners Mouat in mixed doubles.
Team Morrison replaces Team Muirhead, the only British gold medallists in Beijing, in the women's competition with Rebecca Morrison, Sophie Jackson, Dodds, Sophie Sinclair and Fay Henderson as alternate.
Curling team leader Nigel Holl said the early announcement of the teams was only possible because of the form and performances shown in the past season.
"The early selection allows British Curling to run the Olympic season for these athletes and teams with Milano Cortina as the only priority, so giving them the ultimate chance to perform when it counts in 2026," he said.
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