Curling: Last-eight heartbreak for Gina and Bruce

Bruce Mouat has the World Junior Championships coming up

The Scottish champions won four of their five group matches before taking on their old rivials, Stirling husband and wife Lee and Judith McCleary, in the last eight. Aitken and Mouat were beaten 7-5, although the scoreline actually flattered them as the McClearys led 7-1 until conceding four stones at the penultimate end.

Mouat now turns his attention to next week’s World Junior Championships in Copenhagen, where he is determined to improve on last year’s bronze medal in Tallinn.

Meanwhile, at the Scottish Seniors Championship in Hamilton, Murrayfield’s Mike Dick saw his title dreams dashed in the semi-finals.

Dick had won all five matches in Group B but could not repeat Friday’s 5-3 victory over Billy Howat as the Ayr skip took revenge 5-4. Clubmate Susan Kesley also lost 5-4 to Elizabeth Glennie (Kinross) in the ladies’ quarter-finals.