2024 European Curling Championships: Germany end Scotland's reign for men's title; Switzerland's women sweep Sweden 

Germany claimed their first European in 20 years after they dethroned Scotland 9-7 in the final of the 2024 European Curling Championships in Lohja, Finland on Saturday (23 November)

The four-time champions may have had the experience but it was the Germans, led by Marc Muskatewitz, that had all the say in the three-hour final epic.

Bruce Mouat's Scotland, as expected, starting brightly capitalising on the hammer to go 2-0 in the first end but it was the three-point momentum-switching response from the Germans in the second that determined the course of the encounter.

Sensing a shift the Scots searched for a counteroffer in the third end but the pressure seemed apparent after Mouat declined the chance to draw for two points and instead play for three. The decision ultimately backfired with the Germans able to steal a point to go 4-2 up.

It would be one of two crucial steals by the German team in the final. The second came in the eighth end off the back of a two-point seventh end powering Germany to an 8-6 lead.

With the Scots only mustering up a one-point ninth end, Mouat and his men were forced to try and an engineer a steal of their own in the 10th. But Musaktewitz, was a skip not to be denied and with a clincal final stone, the Germans snatched the win.

Germany's victory, as well as being the first since 2004, also brings about an end to the 10-year-long duopoly held by Sweden and Scotland on the European crown.

"It's unbelievable," Muskatewitz reflected after. "We had nothing to lose here. We knew that we would face the best team in the world. And so we had nothing to lose.

He continued: "For us, scoring a three against Scotland in a final was really, really nice but also scary because if you get an early lead against Scotland they will always know a way to go come back so it was a tough game."

Switzerland go back-to-back in women's event

Earlier in the day, the sound of cow bells heralded Switzerland's women as they dispatched Sweden 8-4 to claim their second consecutive European title.

The Swiss, led by seasoned skip Silvana Tirinzoni, were clinical throughout the course of the two-hour final at the Kisakallio Sports Institute.

Starting with the hammer, they opened for two points before seizing on a steal of one to take a 3-0 lead.

After blanking the third end, Sweden had the opportunity to draw for two in the fourth, but a heavy draw by skip Anna Hasselborg meant they were only able to score one point

It was an opportunity the Swedes would come to rue, as Swiss fourth Alina Paetz responded with a sublime hit-and-roll for two points in the fifth end to sit 5-1 up at the break.

With a mountain to climb, Sweden tried to find a way back into the game but a decisive last stone by Paetz in the seventh end for two points to go 7-2 all but sealed the deal for the Swiss.

Sweden responded in kind in the eighth end with a hit for two but after the Swiss added one final point in the ninth to take the score to 8-4, the overwhelming sense the fight was done won out prompting Hasselborg to concede the match and accept the silver.

"It was actually a dream start to be three up after two ends but then you know they're going to attack you for two hours so, you know, we started to get nervous," Tirinizoni said afterwards."

"You know you have to be careful they don't come back but it was nervewrecking for two hours."

She continued: "[It feels] Amazing. As you can imagine, there's no better feeling than winning a big championship."

Following their unbeaten run in Lohja, the Swiss are now 22 games undefeated at the European championships having won their title last year also without dropping a match.

Victory brings Switzerland’s total number of European women's titles up to nine.

Yesterday, Scotland defeated Italy 6-4 to claim the bronze in the women's contest while Norway bested Switzerland 7-4 in the men's event.

• 2024 European Curling Championships: Full schedule, all results, scores and standings - complete list