Brewster picks up winning double at World Curling

Posted: Saturday 31st March 2012 | 22:40

SCOTTISH skip Tom Brewster made a winning start to his campaign at the World Curling Championships in Basel.

Brewster, looking to upgrade the silver medal his rink won 12 months ago, claimed wins over New Zealand and Norway on the opening day of round robin matches.

And he admitted his victory over the Kiwis - who featured two Scottish ex-pats, Peter de Boer and Kenny Thompson, now living in the southern hemisphere - was a major relief.

"It was the one game I wasn't looking forward to," said Brewster, after a close fought 5-3 victory.

"I know Peter and Kenny well and because it's a derby game between us really, form goes out the window. I thought we were pretty solid, we were just a wee bit slow to get going."

Experienced Norwegian skip Thomas Ulrud, the Olympic silver medallist, raced into an early lead against the Scottish rink but Brewster turned the match when he picked up a massive five-point haul in the ninth end.

"I was going to be happy to be 1-1 after the first day," he added.

"That's a big win for us and I'm really pleased. The five? It just built out of nothing. He realised if they didn't score they were going to lose the game, so they kept gambling and didn't make the shots."

Scotland only have one game on Sunday, when they take on Denmark, who beat New Zealand but lost to Norway in their opening matches.