Hardie clinches fifth gold as Scots win European Championship

Grant Hardie claimed a record-equalling fifth European Curling Championship gold after Scotland edged out Italy 6-5 in the final in the Czech Republic.

Hardie - who previously won the event four times as part of Team Mouat - led his new rink to glory in Ostrava, beating an Italy side who had inflicted their only defeat of the competiton in the group stage.

In a tense contest, the two countries traded scores for the first seven ends - with a steal of two in the fourth crucial - before the Scots snatched the decisive score in the eighth to frank their pre-tournament favourites tag.