Curlers reach European final

Team skipper Andreas Schwaller gave Switzerland its victory over Norway Keystone

The Swiss men's curling team, Biel-Touring, are through to the final of the European curling championships in Finland, after defeating Norway.

The Swiss team won 8-6, a result which will allow them to face Sweden in the final in Vierumäki. But Friday’s European semi-final victory – the first in six years for a Swiss men’s team – was the fruit of much sweat and tears.

Victory seemed close at hand, with Switzerland leading 7-2 after a perfect start. But Finland then caught up, giving the Swiss team cold sweats on the ice.

Andreas Schwaller, leader of the Swiss men’s team, stayed concentrated, and gave his group the much-sought victory.

Saturday’s Swiss-Swedish final will be a repeat of the world championship final early this year, a match which Sweden went on to win.

Swedish skipper, Peter Lindholm, fired a warning shot to the Swiss side that his team was ready to put their opponents on the defensive.

“We’ll play offensively in the final,” Lindholm said.

“I think we have a psychological edge after beating them four straight times,” he added.

Swiss women take bronze

Earlier, Switzerland’s women’s curling team narrowly failed to make it through to the final of the European Championships.

Luzia Ebnöther’s team lost out by just a single stone to the unbeaten Sweden side in Friday’s semi-final, going out 8-7.

However, there was some consolation for the side from Bern on Saturday, after the Swiss saw off multiple European champions Germany in the battle for third place.

In a hard-fought third-place playoff, Switzerland defeated Germany 8-7 to take bronze.

In Saturday’s final, Sweden took gold after defeating Denmark 6-3.

swissinfo with agencies