Martin, Murdoch get Olympic nod

The decision has been announced: following a scrappy tiebreaker performance at last week's European Championships, 2002 Olympic Gold Medallist Rhona Martin (photo) will skip Great Britain's Olympic curling team in Pinerolo at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

Joining her is one teammate from '02, Debbie Knox, as well as 2002 world champion skip Jackie Lockhart, defending Scottish champion skip Kelly Wood, and Lynn Cameron.

On the men's side, 2005 world runner-up and '05 Euro bronze medallist David Murdoch made it through along with mates Euan Byers and Craig Wilson, as well as 1999 world champions Warwick Smith and Ewan MacDonald.

The highly-controversial GB selection process is sure to cause waves in the lead-up to the Games, just as it has during the fall World Curling Tour season.

Stunning is the news that Murdoch's brother Neil did not make the men's team, as is the non-presence of a single member of the Tom Brewster foursome.

Already stunning is the fact that Martin was placed on the recent Euro squad along with two rival skips – Lockhart and Wood – and is now off to Italy.

Brewster lead Colin Campbell chatted with The Curling News last weekend, and was ready for the disappointing news.

Dave (Murdoch) has done pretty well at the Europeans and won bronze, and as a result I can't see (the coaches) changing the team for the Olympics. It could be a pat on the back and better luck next time.

The first two of many news reports is here and here.