WATCH: 36 curling teams from across the world compete at Highland Week of International Curling in Inverness
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TEAMS from across the world are in Inverness to compete at the Glenmorangie Highland Week of International Curling which is underway.
The biggest curling competition in the Highlands started at Inverness Ice Centre on Sunday morning with 36 teams taking part and competing for the Glenmorangie Quaich.
The opening ceremony took place on Sunday morning and matches will start today and continue across next week with the final on Friday afternoon.
In total, 36 teams will be taking part which include 10 from the United States, eight from Canada, seven from Switzerland and two from Norway, along with eight teams from Scotland and one from England.
HWIC chairman Alan Durno says it is a hugely important competition to promote curling in the region and has a large international appeal.
He said: "It is fantastic to be back in Inverness, long may it continue.
"We are up to 36 teams, normally we have 30 teams but 36 is fantastic and we will keep it going.
"Ten American, eight Canadian and seven Swiss teams are here, it is fantastic.
"The tournament is played in a Schenkel system, the winners keep going forward and rise up the table until we get into the final on Friday.
"It does so much for the whole of Scotland and promotes the area, it is a boost to the Highland with the curling coming here and the foreign players love it.
"Inverness Ice Centre needs a boost and this is what it needs with foreign teams coming and enjoying it."
Defending champion Andreas Flammer from Switzerland and his team are returning to defend the title.
Flammer won the Highland Week of International Curling for the fourth time last year when his team of Alexandra Luscher, Serge Lusser and Graham MacKenna defeated Craig Hamilton and his team from Lanarkshire 8-5.
The winners will receive the Glenmorangie Quaich, with the whisky distillery becoming the new sponsors of the tournament.
Highland Week of International Curling was first competed for in 1967 in Aviemore.
Following the closure of the Aviemore Rink in 1999, the event was moved to the Inverness Ice Centre in 2000 where it has taken place ever since.
