Hardie expects 'battle' with former team-mate Mouat

Grant Hardie is predicting "a great battle" between his current and former teams after leading his new rink to European curling glory.

Following nine successful years with Bruce Mouat's rink, Hardie decided to leave and skip his own team earlier this summer and faces the prospect of coming up against Team Mouat at this week's Grand Slam of Curling in Canada.

Hardie, 34, with team-mates Ross Whyte, Euan Kyle and Craig Waddell, were crowned European champions on Sunday, edging out Italy 6-5 in the final in the Czech Republic.

And Hardie told BBC Scotland: "As much as I have been to the Europeans six times before, there were still new things I was learning during the week.

"[Being the skip is a] very different position, Bruce having done it for most of his life was very used to it - it is something I am just trying to learn.

"We had lots of good conversations during the week of just trying to help me progress, trying to pick up little things. Even in the final and the semi-final we played really well in, I found myself thinking about little tactical mistakes I made or things you could change.

"It was a great time for us to have those Europeans and to get the win was great."

As part of Mouat's rink, Hardie won two Olympics silver medals, two World Championship golds and four European titles, as well as achieving a raft of Grand Slam successes.

The fact he has now topped the podium with his own team would suggest there could be some interesting times on the ice ahead.

He said: "Myself and Bruce had a lot of success together. The guys I am now with were actually pushing us pretty close. Three very good curlers and for being their first Europeans you wouldn't have had a clue, they handled the environment they handled the pressure of it all very well.

"It is going to be a great battle between these two teams. I know we have not played them yet but there is a chance we might play them next week so we are excited to get a chance to play them at some point."

Hardie has now secured his own place in curling history. His success in Ostrava is a record-equalling achievement and he joins his uncle Hammy McMillan Sr and Mike Hay as Scots who have won five European golds.

"I was made aware of that before we went into the week and you have got it in the back of your mind as much as you are not thinking about it," he added.

"My uncle is one of the guys I tied with that record so it was nice to get a text from him saying congratulations and just further proof we are on the right track and hopefully continuing success."