Muirhead looks to bright future after World Curling silver

 SCOTTISH skip Eve Muirhead was forced to settle for silver as Germany's Andrea Schoepp claimed the title at the women's World Curling Championship - 22 years after she last won.

SO CLOSE: Scottish skip Eve Muirhead (far left) settles for silver and she lost to Germany in the extra-end of the World Curling Championships in Swift Current

Muirhead, 19, was looking to become the youngest skip to win the event. However, the experience of her 45-year old opponent was to prove telling, but only after a tense final went to a thrilling extra end.

Shoepp finally secured her 8-6 victory with a straight forward take-out after Muirhead's final guard had fractionally over curled.

"It's been a long and difficult time finding the right team but we finally got there," said Schoepp, who skipped Melanie Robillard, Monika Wagner and 17-year-old lead Stella Heiss, the youngest player in history to win the title.

"We had a really good game and the girls have done a magical job. I had a good feeling before the tournament and it worked out.

"I thought we'd win this eventually and now I will think we can do it again - that's the next goal.  Maybe we can win this again in 22 years. Do you think would be a record?"

Schoepp describes Muirhead as the ‘future of the sport‘ - although that will come as little consolation to the Scottish skip, whose rink of Kelly Wood, Lorna Vevers and Ann Laird have certainly avenged their disappointments from last month's Winter Olympics in Swift Current.

"We're definitely disappointed but I'm not going to be too hard on myself," said Muirhead.

"Hopefully I've got a long way to go and there is so much to take out of this week.

"Germany played a fantastic game and Andrea's really on-form but we gave them a good run.

"It's gutting that it ended like that but we've still got a silver medal and we'll cherish that. However, we went out there to win the game and it just didn't quite happen."

Canada's Jennifer Jones salvaged a bronze medal after defeating 22-year-old Swedish skip Cecilia Ostlund 9-6 in the third place play-off.