Kinross curler Beth Farmer is to join reigning Olympic and European champions Team Muirhead for the 2022/23 season.
The announcement comes as British Curling sets out on a new four year cycle targeting further success in Milan-Cortina in 2026.
The 21-year-old, who has previously combined her career as a freelance shepherd with establishing herself as an up and coming talent in the sport, will work with Eve Muirhead, Jen Dodds and Hailey Duff.
Vice skip Vicky Wright and alternate Mili Smith recently decided to retire from the British Curling programme following their Olympic triumph.
Farmer, who has been skipping her own team, readily accepted the invitation to step up from being supported at Performance Foundation level, to being offered a place in the Podium funded squad.
“I wasn’t expecting the opportunity to move up into Podium this year, but I was over the moon when I got the chance,” she said.
“I am so excited to get going on ice with the girls and hopefully we can have a good season on tour.”
Blair Atholl skip Muirhead has vast experience of dealing with line-up changes in the course of a career that has seen her lead British Curling teams into the last four Olympics.
She welcomed Farmer’s recruitment as her team prepares for a new challenge.
“We’re really excited for a fresh start and pleased to have Beth on board,” Muirhead said.
“Obviously we’re going to miss the two girls that have stepped away from curling, but Beth’s been around the curling scene for a number of years now and I have no doubts that she will fit in very, very well.”
Following a highly pressurised 2021/22 campaign, which began with every woman in a nine player British Curling elite squad fighting for selection in the team being sent to the Olympics, Muirhead is looking forward to a four year period in which they can look to build on their new status.
“We are looking forward to a fun season ahead,” said the 31-year-old.
“When it’s the first season of an Olympic cycle you’ve always got to look to enjoy it and as a team we’ll have a lot of fun as the current European and Olympic champions.”
