After nine remarkable years as a unified force, the Scottish curling powerhouse Team Mouat is moving forward to the 2030 Olympics—but not as they started. Grant Hardie, 34, who has been playing third for Bruce Mouat since the squad's formation, has decided to step away and skip his own rink, ending a partnership that delivered two Olympic silver medals, two World Championships, and a record 12 Grand Slam titles.
Hardie's departure marks an end of one era and the beginning of another for Scotland's most successful curling team. After losing the Olympic final in Italy in February, there had been speculation that he might leave competitive curling entirely to pursue engineering. Instead, he has chosen to remain a full-time curler—but on his own terms. "If I was going to carry on, I needed something different, a challenge to get my teeth into and keep me motivated," Hardie told BBC Sport Scotland. "Playing third to Bruce for the last nine years has been amazing, but skipping is always something that's been a goal of mine, so I'm going to do that."
The decision was not made lightly. Emotional conversations with his longtime teammates—Mouat, Bobby Lammie, and cousin Hammy McMillan—preceded the announcement. McMillan joked that he had already been "doing the rounds of their family to claim their support in the new era," with Hardie's own father being the first family member to hear the news. The levity helped ease the transition, though the moment carried weight: as McMillan reflected, "Most curling teams last about four years, but we've lasted nine. And it's been a brilliant nine years, even if it's a sad ending."
Hardie joins forces with Ross Whyte and Euan Kyle—both April world bronze medallists—plus Craig Waddell to form Team Hardie. His ambition is direct: to become Scotland's top curling team and represent Great Britain at the 2030 Olympics. "In an ideal world, we'll kick on and be the top team in Scotland," he said. "There's no denying that Bruce's team is still going to be every bit as strong and there's going to be a great challenge to see who can come out on top."
Team Mouat, meanwhile, has secured Robin Brydone as Hardie's replacement at third. Brydone, who also earned global bronze this year, is widely regarded as one of the best thirds in the sport. Bruce Mouat and Lammie see his arrival as an injection of fresh energy after a nine-year partnership that had grown insular. "It brings some new energy and a new set of eyes to the team," Lammie said. "We've got our own ways after working together so long, so bringing someone in who might have fresh ideas would be good for us."
The split comes at a pivotal moment for Scottish curling. At one stage last season, Team Mouat, Team Whyte, and Team Waddell—all based in Stirling—were all ranked in the global top 10. Yet only one can represent Great Britain at the Olympics. Both rinks now have their sights trained on March's World Championships, with the 2030 Games the ultimate prize. For Hardie, the path forward was not about chasing that one moment again. "I didn't want the next four years to be entirely about that one medal," he said simply. Instead, both teams now have something to prove.