In sport, 15 years is a long time. That's how long it's been since Scotland - the country that gave curling to the world - last staged this winter sport's world championships, so it is little surprise to learn that many in Scotland's curling community believe that today, the first day of competition in this year's event in Scotland, has not arrived too soon.

For Scottish curling fans, the next week at the Braehead Arena, the spanking new facility on the border between Glasgow and Renfrew that will host the world championships, represents a unique opportunity to see the sport's best in action at close quarters. But for some, this week means more than that.

For Bob Kelly, Scotland's men's skip, these championships are an opportunity to wipe away the memory of a wonder shot in the Scottish championships 15 years ago that robbed hin of his previous chance to represent his country on home ice.

For Richard Harding, chairman of the organising committee, this week marks the culmination of a preparation period that, while it was long enough, now seems like it has lasted all of 15 years as he and his team enter the last lap of their work.

In 1985, Scotland hosted a memorable world championships in Glasgow's Kelvin Hall. Scotland's skip then was Billy Howat from Ayr, who, like every other Scottish skip before him, had gained that right by winning the national title in the same season.

But to do so, he had played that wonder shot in the final to beat his opponents, a draw round a tight guard, swept all the way. The team was skipped by Gordon Muirhead - fifth player for this year's Scottish squad - and included Edinburgh-based Kelly. After beating reigning national, European and world champion Hammy McMillan from Stranraer to this year's Scottish title, Kelly will lead his Inverness-based team of Tom Pendreigh, Ross Hepburn and Neil Hampton on to the ice in Scotland's colours this week.

''I have to admit that watching that shot 15 years ago was the most painful 30 seconds of my life,'' Kelly now concedes. He also admits that he finally brought himself to look at it again only recently. ''My brother has it on video and it was only a couple of years ago that I could bear seeing it again,'' he says.

Since then, Kelly has played in the world championships twice, winning a sliver medal in Brandon, Manitoba, with Gordon Muirhead in 1995. But he readily agrees that playing at home will be something special.

''I'm sure the crowd will be fabulous,'' he says. ''Of course, there will be added pressure on both home teams to do well, but I think our crowd will be right behind us,'' he promised.

''I also believe that our lot will match the Canadian support,'' he said, and given that almost half the arena's capacity will be taken up by visitors from the world's strongest curling nation, that sounds as much of a rallying call to Scotland's supporters as a vote of confidence.

While she would be the first to insist she has not been trying for as many as 15 years, Scotland's women's skip, Rhona Martin from Green-acres, readily admits that making it on to the world stage this year is the culmination of a long-term ambition.

Martin, who has won European bronze in the past, has a new team this year of lead Janice Watt, a previous world silver medallist, second Fiona MacDonald, a former world junior champion, and third player Margaret Morton.

On their international debut in last year's European Championships, this new combo gave a good account of themselves and are desperate to do even better this week. ''As a new team, we have worked very hard, and it's great to feel that everyone's behind us,'' Martin said.

Meanwhile, as Kelly and Martin battle it out on the ice, Harding's team will be working round the clock to keep the show on the road.

Reviewing the situation at Braehead, Harding speaks with the authority of someone who has attended more world championships than he cares to admit to.

''The arena looks great, and with the best ice-maker in the world here, Shorty Jenkins from Canada, we'll have the best conditions ever,'' he says.

In putting on next week's extravaganza, Harding is surrounded by a sizeable team of volunteers, and he is quick to praise their efforts.

''Many of our volunteeers are doing a fabulous job under testing conditions'' he says, and promises: ''I'm sure that everyone who comes this week will enjoy it.''

For Scotland's curlers, medals from the home team will certainly add to their enjoyment. Whether that happens will become clear next weekend.