Curlers get 'royal treatment' in win

A group of curlers are celebrating after clinching the Muriel Fage Trophy for Scotland in Canada-and have hailed their hosts for treating them like royalty.

- PAUL THOMSON

Fanfare A piper and a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at the opening ceremony Homecoming heroes The Scotland curling team received a heroes' welcome at Glasgow Airport when they returned from Canada to greet their friends and family with the coveted Muriel Fage Trophy Feature A piper and a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at the opening ceremony

Twenty-four women from across the country competed in the Friendship Tour event, held every five years since 1955, and Team Scotland managed to reclaim the trophy on foreign soil, having lost out to Canada in the last meeting.

The competition, described as a once in a lifetime experience as squad members can only feature for their country once, was played in British Columbia and the team arrived to much fanfare from their hospitable hosts.

The 19 BC Curling Clubs who hosted the tour greeted the Scots with pipers and pageantry, served delicious fare, gave unique gifts and offered lifelong friendship after competing fiercely on the ice.

Held from November 3-23, the Tour proved to be a very close affair - but the Scots came out on top, scoring 775 points to Canada's 735 points.

And what's more, the competition has helped raise thousands of pounds/Canadian dollars on either side of the pond.