The 18-year-old from Lockerbie said she was "thrilled and honoured" to be chosen as Team GB’s flag bearer, leading the 32 athletes out in front of a packed crowd in Szczyrk.

 

Sloan has been curling since the age of nine and earlier this month her team, Muirhead, won the Scottish Junior Championships qualifying themselves for the World Junior Championships next month in Vancouver.

 

Sloan and her team are coached at the EYOWF by 2002 Olympic gold medallists Rhona Martin and Debbie Knox.

 

Sloan said: “It was such a surprise to be chosen as Team GB’s flagbearer and I was so excited to lead the team out.

 

"The EYWOF is a great way to gain international experience.

 

"My ambition is to be selected for Team GB at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.”

 

The ninth EYOWF has suffered a troubled start with heavy snow conditions affecting the competition schedule for the outdoor events.

 

Tomorrow sees the start of competition for Britain's team with both the men’s - versus Norway and Switzerland - and women’s -versus Russia - curling teams in action.

 

The alpine programme also gets underway with the women’s slalom and Katie Powell performs in the women’s figure skating short programme.