Change of team for Grant

SCOTLAND’S top two men’s curling teams are undergoing a major swap ahead of next season.

Dumfries-born curler and long-term third for Team Mouat Grant Hardie has swapped to Team Whyte, with Robin Bryden to join Team Mouat.

After nine years with the team, 34-year-old Grant has decided to take on a new challenge of skipping his own rink — named Team Hardie, along with current Scottish champions Ross Whyte and Euan Kyle, plus Craig Waddell.

Meanwhile the other three members of Team Mouat, including Stranraer curlers Hammy McMillan Jr and Bobby Lammie, have signed on in hopes of winning an Olympic Gold, after the heartbreak in the Winter Olympics earlier this year.

Team Whyte, previously skipped by Ross Whyte, sit fifth in the world team rankings. Hardie will move in as the team’s new third, the same position he previously played. He will also take over and serve as skip and look to knock Team Mouat off the top spot, to complete at the Games.

This change marks the end of nine extremely successful years that Hardie spent with the team. Leaving not only his teammates, but also three of his ‘closest friends’.