Thun/Baden – A weekend that will go down in the history books of curling in Baden. Both the junior team Brand in the men’s competition and the team Jerger in the women’s competition celebrated impressive victories at the 37th International European Junior Curling Tour (EJCT) tournament in Thun. Team Brand’s dramatic victory was particularly outstanding, with the team staging a sensational comeback after a false start.
A triumph after a tough tournament
The junior team Brand, consisting of skip Nicola Brand, vice-skip Siro Schmid, second Nils Freimann, lead Simon Rauchenstein and alternate Gian Loritz, showed top-level curling in Thun. The road to victory was anything but easy: they already faced strong opponents in the preliminary round, including the reigning Swiss champions, teams from the Czech Republic, Thun and New Zealand. With impressive precision and tactical skill, the team from Baden was able to overcome these challenges – only the German team, led by skip Lukas Jäger, was too strong and inflicted their only defeat in the preliminary round.
The setback against Team Jäger meant that Team Baden-Zug Markstein missed out on a direct place in the semi-finals. Instead, they had to compete in an additional quarter-final game. There, they faced the South Korean team around skip Keonwoo Park, known for its precision and endurance. But the team from Baden was not impressed and played a concentrated game with a cool head, which they ultimately deserved to win.
A memorable semi-final victory
In the semi-finals, they faced the Italian team Gilli, the reigning junior vice world champions – another mammoth task. But the Baden boys showed that they were in top form that weekend. With precise draws and powerful take-outs, they kept the Italians under pressure and ultimately won the game in commanding fashion. Reaching the final was the reward for an outstanding team performance.
Final against Germany: revenge perfect
In the final, Team Baden-Zug Markstein met Team Jäger of Germany again. The Germans had qualified directly for the semi-finals as group winners without suffering a single defeat, and they played in impressive fashion in Thun. After losing in the preliminary round, the team from Baden was eager for revenge. But the start was anything but according to plan: after two ends, Team Brand was already 0-3 behind. The Germans, whose team members come from the country of the current men’s European champion, seemed to be on the right track to claim the title.
But then the Baden curling school showed what it is made of: fighting spirit, tactical skill and physical fitness. In the third end, they managed to catch up with two stones. In the following ends, they repeatedly stole stones from the Germans – a feat of strength that was testament to intensive preparation on and off the ice. The fourth and fifth ends were particularly decisive, in which they stole one and two stones respectively.
“After the false start in the final, we had to work even harder as a team. We knew we had the quality to turn the game around – and we did it,” said Nicola Brand, skip of Baden-Zug Markstein after the game.
The preliminary decision then followed in the seventh end: a three-house provided the unassailable lead. After two hours of highly intense play, victory was perfect. Team Brand celebrated their well-deserved tournament success, which had demanded everything from them after an exhausting day with three games.
Summer training pays off
Team Brand’s performance impressively demonstrated how important athleticism has become in curling – even at the junior level. While other teams’ stamina deteriorated towards the end of the tournament, the team from Baden maintained the same high level right up to the last stone. The intensive summer training, which focused not only on technique but also on physical fitness, paid off. The wipers did an impressive job right to the end, which was crucial for success. Considering that it was the fourth day of the tournament and the fifth game lasted over two hours, the sporting value is clear.
“All the hard work we did over the summer finally paid off. We not only played better, but also had the decisive physical and mental advantage,” said lead player Simon Rauchenstein, who made a significant contribution to the team’s success with his sweeping. He was no doubt also thinking of the many hours spent with mental trainer Christian Härdi, who has been working with the team for almost two years now.
Team Jerger: perfection in the women’s
But it wasn’t just the men of the Curling Club Baden-Zug Markstein who caused a stir. The St. Gallen women’s team, led by Skip Elodie Jerger from Baden, also made history. After a disappointing Swiss Championship in March – also in Thun – they showed their class at the EJCT tournament.
With victories over high-caliber opponents, including the South Korean team, they achieved a brilliant tournament victory. Particularly impressive was the fact that they met the reigning Swiss champions twice – and emerged victorious both times. They secured the title unbeaten and made the weekend perfect for the Baden curling team.
A weekend for the history books
The weekend in Thun was a milestone for the Curling Club Baden. The victories of team Brand and team Jerger are not only proof of the talent of the players, but also of the quality of the training and education program in Baden.
The Baden teams have set a strong example with their successes and shown that they are among the best at the international level. The perfect combination of tactics, technique and athleticism made the difference – and is a role model for future generations in curling.
Looking ahead
After this extraordinary success, the focus is already on the upcoming challenges. While the players are preparing for the Elite Tournament in Lodz, Poland, where they will be challenged again. The Baden teams have proven that they can keep up with the best and will enter the next tournaments with new-found self-confidence. It will be particularly exciting to see whether Thun can confirm its strong form at the next Swiss Championship in March. But first they have to qualify, and this year’s qualifier is taking place in Baden on February 1-2.
For the young athletes, this weekend was a taste of what is possible when hard work, team spirit and passion come together. Curling in Baden has a promising future – and perhaps the victories of Thun are just the beginning of a great success story.
