Perthshire curler Eve Muirhead has confirmed the new member of her team for next season.
Lauren Gray, who was a reserve for Team Muirhead at the last Olympics, will replace Sarah Reid and hopefully get the chance to compete in the PyeongChang Games in 2018.
Muirhead said: “Lauren has had experience of high level competition and is used to being on the big stage having been our alternate at the world championships in Riga in 2013 when we won gold, and also in Sochi too.
“This was an important factor as we needed someone that could make the smooth transition into our team who had that background of competition experience.
“It will be a big change for Lauren but she will adapt quickly from skip to lead as she is a very good player and her ability to analyse and read the game will be an added strength to our rink.
“Winning the Scottish Champs this year and being the best team in our country was an obvious step closer to getting on that plane to South Korea in two years’ time. However at this halfway point nothing is a given and there is a lot of hard work ahead to give us the best chance of medals and to ensure we peak at the right events and for that I need the best sweepers in the world in my team.”
Gray, who skipped the beaten finalists at this season’s Scottish Championships, is excited by the prospect of becoming a full-time curler.
She said: “It is a fantastic opportunity to join such a highly experienced and successful team and I feel very fortunate to be in this position.
“As we build towards the pinnacle event in our sport I know the girls will be a great support network for me to help me reach my full potential in this new role.”
British Curling’s Performance Director Graeme Thompson commented: “The programme is focused on providing our teams with the best medal chances.
“Team Muirhead have already enjoyed some outstanding successes and with Lauren Gray now on board we look forward to supporting them in pursuing even greater achievements in the future with the main focus for all our leading players on the preparations and build up to the next Winter Olympic Games in 2018.”
