pipe final, a very fitting Olympic final. Thank you, snowboarding.
Shaun White, the only man to get the perfect 100 in the half pipe,
something he has done twice, gets Team USA's 100 ever Winter Olympic
gold medal. That is history in the making ). Shaun White, an absolute
legend. Amongst all the excitement, sad announcement about the women's
slalom. So many weather issues with the skiing events. That has now been
postponed we believe until Friday but we will keep you updated. The
wind and the conditions just don't make it safe enough to compete and
that means and that means -- and that means Mikaela Shiffrin, another
legend like Shaun White, will be competing later. The thrill is
extended right the way over into the curling, particularly on the Red
Button. Let us put this into context. Team GB have made their
debut, skipped by Kyle Smith. Every single member of Team GB, this is
their Winter Olympic debut, they took on Switzerland in the court of
islands -- the quarterfinals of the Perth masters and were beaten
convincingly however this game was so close, the very first game of the
round robin, it went to a final end, and extend and buy one stone, Team
GB beat Switzerland. Congratulations. Absolutely
nailbiting scenes on the rent Red Button. We have been asking you to
get in touch with our hashtag #BBC Olympics, specifically your head
again, what have you been wearing on your head?
This is the bobble goggle combo. He is a very happy man. We'll give him
an unofficial partial snowboard score of 86. C J Jardine has gone to
the matching based on the curling he watched in the Red Button. That kind
of commitment, you get yourself 86 as well. It's over to poorly and the
boys, a.k.a. The lads. They have gone for a combo. We have a beret on
the left, in the middle, possibly a flat situation on the right, a.k.a.
Samuel L Jackson and we also have a twill be meeting cowboy hat meeting
Inspector Gadget but it works for me, that gets 89 points. -- trilby.
A man fast becoming a legend on BBC Olympics. His name is our lead. He
said as the picture of a cabal of a few nights ago. -- Aled. He
few nights ago. -- Aled. He is now Nessie Aled. He donned Nessie in an
ode to all of the Scots, even though he is Welsh. Even though they are
Scottish, they are representing Team GB. The drama will continue on an
incredible day five. Not even sure what time it is in the UK, just
after three o'clock in the morning, so we are going to head to the ice
arena specifically for the pairs skating short programme. And here
are the ones to watch.
are the ones to watch. When it comes to the pairs, this is going to be
the most open competition of the Olympics. The Chinese, the world
champions, they are probably favourites for the Golden what a
story they have as well.
story they have as well. Some nasty injuries but they will put together
aged ten and 12. Knowing potentially a second games in Beijing, they have
to be
a second games in Beijing, they have to be favourites, although quite
uncommonly, one of them fell in the Grand Prix final and made a mistake,
which is something they have never done so they are not always going to
be perfect but to me, they are the favourites and exquisite and
brilliant. But then you have the Russians dominating pairs skating.
It is going to be down to them to take a medal. We will wait and see.
The Canadians, they have been on podiums. They are back on form and
again, Cisco to be the last season. They have something to prove.
They have something to prove. But then Bruno Massot, he did everything
he could to get a passport. They decided not to compete at the
European Championships. Again, where are they going to fit into the
field? It is very open but there were four, if not five teams all
capable of delivering winning performances. Five teams, three
medals. It's going to be very tight and competitive. Some great stories.
Not among the medal contenders perhaps. The North Koreans have
created a huge stir. Whenever they step onto the ice, they really
winning people over and great to see North Korean athletes here but let's
make it clear, they are not just stepping out for the first time,
these are global athletes. Yes, they are. They came into the world
skating is seen already at that level and what surprised us was the
quality of the skating and where have they learnt that. Who has been
teaching them the basics. Top 15 in the world, they are going to be
top-10 eventually. Who knows if they have great performances. These two
are beautiful skaters and are going to be stepping onto the ice in the
first Olympics representing North Korea going, this is who we are and
this is how we perform and we do deserve to be here because they fit
in very nicely. I'm looking forward to this one.
Now we know the ones to watch, the very first pair we will be seeing
are the aforementioned North Korean pair, with our commentators,
Catherine Downes and Robin cousins. COMMENTATOR: A historic moment as
the pair from North Korea skate out onto the ice in South Korea. There
was a time when we didn't know whether these guys would be here,
because they missed the deadline for entry, but the selectors granted
them permission, and here they are.
The first element, the triple twist.
Easy.
Side to side triple toes. Yes.
Triple loop.
Terrific footwork through the lift. Change of direction midway as well.
Taking a moment of history in their stride. Don't forget, though, this
isn't the first time the world has seen these skaters. They are global
athletes, they travel the world. Some of these guys, perhaps, do not.
Their chance to cheer on competitors from North Korea at the Olympics.
15th at last year's World Championships. They have improved so
much. I saw them at the qualification championship in
Germany in the autumn 2017, where they skated another clean
performance. They train part-time in Montreal with the great Bruno
Marcott, who has, I think, three teams at this Olympics in the pairs.
Say what you like about the Korean cheerleaders and what they
represent, the fact that they are here is remarkable in itself. They
were so light and airy when they perform it. I love to watch them.
They burst onto the scene at the 2017 World Championships, but you
can just tell, the quality of their basic skating skills has been learnt
so well, such great and strong technique. Working with Bruno,
they've been able to really honed their
their pair skills. They want to get a little more height and flight on
the throw, but again it's the quality she has tingled ash I think
she's absolutely delightful on the ice. 25 and 19, they are, he being
the elder. With a bit of luck, we'll see them at another Olympics, at
least. I'm sure they are thinking Beijing would be another opportunity
to get onto Olympic ice.
to get onto Olympic ice. 65 to five, a personal best. I have a feeling we
might see a higher score here. #65.25. The cheer squad would like
that, wouldn't they? Flags at the ready.
There's a question as whether they were actually qualify. I think this
performance has guaranteed that.
Ryom Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik in the short programme have heard... A
massive new season's best. 69.25 their previous, and 69.40, and
appreciation around the stadium from North and South Korean 's alike.
Ryom and Kim.
Kersten Moore-Towers won silver in Sochi with their previous partner.
This is her first Olympics with Michael. We have Megan
Michael. We have Megan Duhamel and Eric Radford to come, the Canadian
superstars.
Lovely speed into the triple twist. Good flight and control.
Absolutely no problems on the throw triple loop.
Oh, that's such a shame. First two elements were fantastic. She did the
triple toe loop. He had something of a nightmare on that
Well, I don't know about sweet dreams... That stumble by Michael is
enough to keep you awake at night. Well, what should have been
side-by-side triple toe loops with a decent base score went to doubles,
and it got them just 0.77 of a mark. So that's going to be costly. Their
skating skills, the transitions, interpretation and composition are
going to be high. But they are going to be way off Internet score. -- in
the tech score.
Great height and flight on the twist.
Good air position. Now watch her landing position - absolutely rock
solid. Beautiful, that free leg drawing way back. He was so twisted
and at an angle on that takeoff. He did make the rotation for a double.
She just about managed squeak out the triple, but, if somebody only
does the double or single, the duet both get downgraded. Double toe
loops they were given credit for. Step sequence was deemed level four,
as was the lift, spiral and combination spin, so they did pick
up a good few base points there, but it's going to be tight, I think the
with where the Germans are. Certainly not their season's best.
And a qualification for the long programme in the balance I think
here. Everybody back home, thank you for your support. Happy birthday,
Clarkey!
65.68 points, just a fraction of a mark of their season's best, not too
bad in the best, and that means they have qualified. They are in third
position behind the Olympic Athletes from Russia and the pair from North
Korea as well. So maybe he will get some sleep to night. Our next
skaters represent the People's Republic of China.
last season. Zhang Hao, his fifth Olympics.
Beautiful side triple toe loops.
The twist.
Chinese are known to their jobs. Beautiful triple loop. -- the
Chinese are known to their jumps.
Their performance so beautifully, don't they? They are such a
mismatched but it comes together on the ice. Olympic silver-medallist in
2006. This partnership has just grown in the last couple of seasons.
Look at his strength next to her delicacy. You wouldn't necessarily
put them together because off and you are looking for people who match
physically. He knows how to work with her. They do match their styles
and techniques. He is certainly think a lot softer and dare I say it
prettier. The performances collectively prettier here than when
he was on the podium. He has adjusted his style, do you think? He
has softened his style. He was more of a brute. He is the master
manipulator of his swan.
manipulator of his swan. In terms of layout and choreography. I'm hoping
the school will reflect that. It was beautifully done. Fantastic
side-by-side toe loops.
side-by-side toe loops. Great flight on the twist. Easy quarter in the
air. The Chinese are known for their pro- jumps and the speed across the
ice. It is the smoothness of that speed that really sort of sets them
apart. Again, beautiful, original entry into the lift that they had,
choreography sequences.
choreography sequences. Plus is on every element. To hold points of
execution. The base score of 660 becomes 860.
I don't think it's a question of seeing new leaders, but by how much.
Qualification in the bag. We just need to find out in which position.
A new season 's best. They are currently in first place. Pretty
handy from the Chinese. They take the lead. They are through to skate
in the free programme tomorrow. In marked contrast to the Chinese
performance...
performance... From the United States, Alexa Scimeca
States, Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim. Happy Valentine's
Day. Enjoy this one.
A little tight on the landing of the twist. Terrific speed and a huge
flight.
This throw, slightly off. A fitting theme for the newlyweds on the 14th
of February, skating that so beautifully in the team event. A
couple of warbles creeping in this time around. And costly ones as
well. The triple twist was only level. It is a whole point lower
that we have seen so far.
that we have seen so far. We will see in the replays, the triple for
Chris stepping out. Then the handsdown on the pro will be minuses
on the GOEs from the judges. -- pro. -- throw.
Not bad. Not bad, she says. Here is the twist, terrific height. A little
over rotated. Again, that brings the level down. She wasn't free of his
body when she landed. Just slightly over rotated on the landing. A good
recovery, though.
recovery, though. And then the review of the triple twist, now at
level three. Minuses on the grid of execution.
execution. Minuses on the triple. Also on the pro flip. It's the
result of her putting the handsdown. Again, a few points here, a few
points there is the difference between being in the mix or not.
6975, their season 's best.
Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim have earned 65.55 points and
are currently in fifth place. Fine, they say. And that will be fine.
That is a qualification for a lax and Chris. They will get to skate
their long programme tomorrow. -- Alexa. The Canadians
Alexa. The Canadians second pair, they finished just outside the top
ten. We haven't seen them much of them this season, Charlie Bilodeau
and Julianne Seguin.
Solid on the triple twist.
Side-by-side triple.
There is the triple Lutz. Handsdown. Rotation made.
Moody from the Canadian second pair. Big smiles, though, at the end. Just
those fingers on the ice. But they are happy. They haven't had the
strongest of seasons. They've been a bit hit and miss. They came bounding
onto the scene, and it's kind of just not happened for them in the
past season also, and I have to say the performance and their commitment
to it was fantastic. Yeah, they were in the top ten of the 2015
Championships, but slipped down to 11th in 2017. As you say, they've
had a bit of a hit and miss season. They'll be happy with that.
Everybody wants to rule the world... Is that Alana Del Ray? Lorde. Is it?
I thought it was Alana Del Ray. Side-by-side triple sarkos.
A lot of the teams doing what's called entry into death spirals,
including throws and triples. There is the handsdown, looking to pick up
some bonus points.
67.06, season's best.
The only minus was on the handsdown for the throw.
So, despite those fingers on the ice, a couple of wobbles, it's the
season's best for Seguin and Bilodeau, and they are safely
through as well. Qualified, green tech next to their name, fourth
place for the Canadian second pair.
So Vanessa James and Morgan Cypres get things started for us in this
penultimate group of skaters in which we will see some of the finest
talent in the world. European bronze medallists, these two, who have
already competed in the team event, but this is them out on their own.
Vanessa and Morgan opening with the triple twist.
That's probably one of the best ones I've seen them do lately.
Beautiful, side-by-side triple tell three -- salchows.
And solid on the throw, triple flip.
We didn't get to see them skate the free skate in the team event, but
that will surely be enough for Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres to
qualify for tomorrow's competition. They had a fantastic skate in the
short programme at the European Championships. Not such a long one,
knocked them off the podium, but they wanted to be clean here, and
that was a strong and fantastically solid short programme.
Greens across the board, pluses on every symbol.
every symbol. GOE, grade of execution, some ten plus additional
points on those GOEs from their base score.
It's going to be very, very tight between these two and the current
leaders from China. Fantastic side-by-side triple salchows.
This huge throw, triple lutz.
The score please. Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres have earned in the
short programme 75.34 points, currently in second place. Not
enough to biff the Chinese off the top spot. The European bronze
medallists from France are through, safely qualifying. They have the
vital green cue, which is the pass through to tomorrow's free skate
competition.
Looking to join them in tomorrow's mix, Della Monica and Guarise from
Italy. He is a former World Championship rollerskate. But he has
been skating for a few years now, he's no novice.
Side-by-side triple salchows.
And the triple twist. Rotates so fast in the air.
Almost caused them a problem in the team event, but that was a much
stronger throw, triple loop.
Team Italy finished just outside the medals in the team competition, but
they are looking to get two pairs of skaters through to skate for the
medals tomorrow out of this next group of four, and they are the next
to go. Green boxes across the board. Yeah, they will be very, very happy
with that. Very pretty skating. Yes, he was world roller pairs champion
back in 2008. Turned to figure skating in 2010. And he competed at
the last Olympics in Sochi with an injured knee. Whereas Nicole retired
in 2010. Eight years later, she is still going... And said, I haven't
had enough yet! You've got to retire for the right reasons. She finished
through injuries, got herself fit, and went, no, I'm mentally ready, I
can do this again. Showed great metal. Not the best performance from
them in the short programme in the team event, but that was lovely.
Bravo! Side-by-side triple salchows.
In 40 twist. And, as I say, normally, she rotates so fast -- in
for the twist. Level three for the twist. Fours for the step sequence,
the spiral and the lift. Solid on the throw. She has a habit some
signs of letting that free leg drift onto the ice on the landings, but
not today.
Season's best of 70.65. I think this may well have just slightly eclipsed
that. We will see.
The score, please.
A new season's best, just under four points above their last and they are
up into third place. The Chinese lead the way, the French in second
and the Italians currently qualifying in third place.
All that could be about to change.
This is our first look at the reigning world champions. We haven't
seen them yet on the Olympic ice in Pyeongchang, they didn't feature for
China in the team event, the Chinese choosing to keep their powder dry
but what a story, what a comeback for them to wind the last World
Championships in 2017. Terrible injury,
injury, she had double surgery on both feet and she had to learn to
walk again.
APPLAUSE
Watch the size of this throw triple flip.
Absolutely glorious.
The triple twist. APPLAUSE
APPLAUSE
And that is why they are the world champions.
She is high school. She's known among her fans as the Empress. I've
got goosebumps on the back of my neck firstly because k.d. Lang's
version of that song is my favourite, but I also think they are
exquisite. We just haven't had the chance to see an off of them, have
we, Robin? I was talking about the surgery she had on her feet at the
end of 2016, remarkably she learned to walk again and skate again and
she had to come back. They won the World Championship in 2017 a few
months later but they had problems with injury this season which means
we haven't seen them that much on the ice but they're back and back in
time to stake a real claim for the Olympic title. They've been skating
together since I think they were ten and 12 when they were put together
with this Olympics in mind. There's no question when you watch them
skate, they have this wonderful connection. This is their hero, who
is now their coach. They say they started skating
started skating because of her coach. That throw is exquisite,
flying across the ice. I'm always amazed she can do what she does with
her air across her face. She always does great hairography. It's the
quality of the elements, there's plusses on every single element from
judges for the grades of execution. Level four for every single element
they have there. We're looking at 12 plus points of grade of execution
over and above what their base score would be. 32.8 is their base and
they're going to be over 40 poor points overall just for the
technical. There's no question we will have new leaders -- 44. Nine,
nine tos across-the-board for their component score, skating skills,
transition, performance, composition and interpretation -- nines. Those
scores come out of ten. This is the gauntlet being thrown down. 80.14 is
their season best.
It's another season's best, 82.39 four Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of
China. The world champions leap to the top of the board. Another
Chinese pairing in second, the Nasa James and Morgan Cipres of France in
third. They're going to be the ones to beat going into tomorrow's final
without a doubt -- Vanessa James.
Valentina Marchei and Ondrej Hotarek, we saw them in the long
programme event, a really entertaining routine and this is the
first look at their short programme.
Side-by-side triple salchows to open.
Got it!
Well that got the crowd going, and where these two go there's always
theatre. They will be very happy, absolutely! Having delivered that
free programme the other day, which was the skate of their lives,
admittedly a very short life so far as pair skaters, but they both have
great experience. They both skated at the last Olympics. She is a
singles skater, she came 11th. He is a pairs skater, he came 11th, so
it's all fair. Triple twist just 22 this time around but level fors for
everything else.
everything else. -- fours. I enjoy watching them. It is joyous, they
have such a laugh on the ice but they are focused to deliver the
elements at the same time. She never forgets the performance, does she?
Some of these skaters say it's lovely to see them crack a smile at
the end because they're focusing so hard on hitting the elements but she
blames it all together with the performance and a theatre and
exuberance, as well as hitting the big jumps and throws.
Didn't quite have the flight. There's the touch on the arm that
brings it down from level three to level two on the twist. Easy there
on the throw. Looks lovely.
They had no pair skating experience four years ago when they had their
tryouts I credit to Valentina Marchei for getting ready so
quickly.
It's a new season's best! Taken Valentina Marchei by surprise.
They jump just above their countrymen, Nicole Della Monica and
Matteo Guarise, who are in fifth. So this is it, the final four of this
short programme competition. Just to remind you, the top 16 from the 22
today go through to compete in the free skate tomorrow and we're
starting with an absolute bank. Representing Canada, Meagan Duhamel
and Eric Radford. Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford have already won a gold
this Olympics, they won the team competition over the last few days
but this is it, it's all about what they can do. Meagan took to Twitter
an hour ago and said she dropped her phone into a non- flushed toilet.
Let's hope for her that wasn't an omen going into today's performance.
Triple twist to open there. Their jump of choice, side to side triple
Lutz. Hardest jump in the pairs event. This is their second element.
They made them happen, but they were not the prettiest or the cleanest,
but they were there.
They touched down there on the landing of the throw for the triple
Lutz.
The stakes are so high for these two at these games. Since the last
Olympics, they have 12 world titles and they are gunning for their first
medal here in South Korea. You can see the tension creeping into the
performance. Certainly in comparison to the
performance they did in the short programme of the team event, this
was not as clean, they have so much going for them. So much stronger
emotionally and the connection between each other. The scores are
going to be higher. The green boxes across the board in the top
left-hand corner, technical score box. That means each element does
count. But the timing on the triple Lutz
was off going in all ready, managed to squeak them out. They were not
the best. And then she put them down on the landing of the road. You can
see that second box, which if you decide either side triple Lutz being
scrutinised again. Here is the Twist... Doesn't have the flight
that a lot of the other twists do. But again, no connection between her
arms and his body. The jumps way off in terms of, touchdown with the
landing as well. Here is the throw. And there is the foot down on the
landing there as well. Got to remember though that when
they are doing this, judges don't have the benefit of the slow motion
replays, do they? We are privileged to get a look at the nitty-gritty of
what is going on. And the judges will also see the
replays that are played from Tech panel that you will not have been
able to miss the fact that he landed that Lutz on two feet or touched
down she touched down on the throw as well. Again, there are a couple
of minuses there.
And you have no say when she came off the ice that it was not as good
as their performance in the team event. -- you heard her say.
76.8 points. A couple off their season best and they are up into
second. The world champions from China lead the way, an exquisite
performance from them. And they are exactly where you would expect them
to be, given the performance from the Chinese.
The first of two pairs from the Olympic athletes from Russia in this
final group. Bronze medal winners at the recent Europeans and they will
go away from this games in the silver in the team event. Having to
settle for silver behind the Canadians.
Great height on the triple twist. Not a lot of speed coming into it.
Side by side triple toe loops.
And that is the throw, triple loop.
Precision skating from the Olympic athletes from Russia.
They will be pretty pleased with that, green boxes across the board.
No technical mistakes spotted so far. One of their better
performances I think. Clean, precise. Together. It was nicely put
together. Nothing too exciting. I was going to say that. I didn't want
to sound unfair. It didn't excite me the way it we have seen the Chinese
go out there all the Canadians go out there.
They don't have Alexander Enbert -- oomph. You just want a little bit
more, I guess, for me, attack across the ice into the elements. They have
pluses for role of the base scores. -- for all. They want to be into the
ninth with their component scores and then
and then it aids -- mid eights. Level four for the lift, the step
sequence and Paire spin.
I think they are going to beat their PD.
PD. -- PB. Where do they slot in? Stick my neck out to why and say
they are going to be somewhere around fourth? Fourth or fifth? You
are not one for sticking your neck out. If they normally the winner
will be the one in the sequence with escape son. -- you say normally. --
with the skate on.
It is a new season 's best of them. It is a marked improvement on their
previous best. They qualify in sixth position for now, but if you think
perhaps the only big athletes from Russia lacked attack, like Robin
did, then there will be no lack of it from this pair.
Aljona has won bronze at the last two Olympics. She has paired up with
Bruno who only just got his passport in time to compete at these games.
This is a really fun routine.
The height on the Twist. That is a massive!
Bruno! Just a double Salchow!
She has got the throw on one foot. She has a habit of other touching
down and landing on two feet.
Personality and pizzazz by the bagful from the Germans. You can see
the disappointment on Bruno's face instantly, the smile fades. Just
missed that jump. Such a costly error as well. There's no question
that they'll qualify, though. But the position in which they qualify
matters. They will want to be in a medal position already now. Going to
get just one point plus change for that double salchow as opposed to
five to six points they could have got had they done the triples. So
it's going to be costly. The rest of the elements, great. Two points for
the triple twist. The throw flip was OK, she said that landing, made it
stick. Two points plus for the steps sequence.
Each of the judges will decide once the elements have been cleaned up
weather they thought it was a plus or a minus, weather it was really
good, then they can do plus three, plus one, plus two grades of
execution, or if it wasn't then they can go -1, -2, -3. She did really
well not to put that foot down. Points can either be added to or
taken away from the base score for each element.
Way down on their season's best. They are in third place, though, so
bronze medal position going through to the free skate tomorrow but there
is one couple yet to come. They will be relying on a brilliant
performance tomorrow if they want to hang onto their medal chances. We're
finishing with some real class. Olympic Athletes from Russia,
Evgeniya Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov.
Evgeniya Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov were head and shoulders
above the rest of the field in the short programme section of the team
event a couple of days ago. The Olympic Athletes from Russia took
home the silver of course in that competition, but these two really
catapulted them up into the mix with this routine. They're the newly
crowned European champions and world bronze medallists.
APPLAUSE Exquisite triple twist. Great flow across the ice and
beautiful control.
They'll do the same on the side-by-side triple to whip.
Triple loop. Beautiful again.
APPLAUSE The European champions faultless once again.
That was quite the performance. For me this was even better than the
short programme they did in the team competition. Just looks so calm and
relaxed and yet you know there has to be tension in order for these
elements to work properly. Olympic Athletes from Russia... Evgeniya
Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov.
They'll surely be in the mix tomorrow when the medals are decided
in the free skate.
A beautiful performance that catapulted the Olympic Athletes from
Russia into the lead in the team event.
It's going to push the Chinese, I'm not sure it's going to beat the
Chinese. Their season's best, 89.2. The Chinese at the moment on 82.39.
I think it will be very close, as we would want it to be. Again, look at
the timing here, absolute perfection.
Love to see the continuation of the movement from the takeoff and the
flow into the air from the landing, it just continues, doesn't crack
onto the ice. For the throws you can't beat this team or the Chinese
team. Phenomenal. Right, where do they end up?
The European champions not quite done enough to knock the Chinese
world champions from their perch. But a season's best, you can't ask
for much more than that, can you? Looking like a fight for the bronze.
Certainly is. Let's look at the standings going into the free skate.
Sui Wenjing and Han Cong looking to add the world title to their --
Olympic title to their world crown and then the Olympic Athletes from
Russia second and the Canadians third, looking for the second medal
of their dams after winning in the team event and the Germans will need
excellent is to keep their chances alive but they aren't far away from
the Canadians --. -- their Games.
Thank you very much indeed.
Thank you very much indeed. The figure skating pairs will conclude
tomorrow. Now it is time to talk about social media because via our
hash tag you can get in touch with us, it is #BBCOlympics and lots of
you have been getting in touch with what headgear you all wearing while
watching the Winter Olympic coverage. I will kick off with
Jaidee who has gone for a deerstalker.
I've never
I've never seen one of these in the flesh, thanks for educating me in
head architecture. That has got you 85 points, we're giving it an
unofficial snowboarding score. Our next one is Stephen Rogerson. He's
wearing a rainbow had representing all the LGBT athletes representing
and I give that an 86. By no means least but last is a man who has
golden in this survey, Danny Golden, it isn't this real -- this real
surname. When your surname is Golden annual from Yorkshire and you were
the original Yorkshire flat cap you have to be welcomed into the cloud
and the Brownlee brothers wouldn't have it any other way.
Time to talk about inspiration. After what happened with Shaun White
earlier, he made history and became the 100th Winter Olympic
gold-medallist for Team USA and with that and everything else that has
happened over the last four days, we hope it has left you inspired.
Everybody has to start somewhere. BBC Get Inspired will help you to
get involved and get active. Go to:
Enter your postcode, the sport you would like to try or just click
search to find out how to get involved here you. Where will you
start? Get active, get involved, get
inspired.
Back to the curling centre and specifically Great Britain versus
Switzerland, this was the nailbiter of all-male biters and it was only
game one of the first round Robin for Team GB. This win to 5-5 in the
final end so it had to go to an extra end, which is where we join
the action right now with our commentary team of Steve Cram and
Logan Gray.
Well, here's the chance then. Extra end, Great Britain with the hammer.
I can very quickly update you with the match that is still out there.
Canada leading 4-3 in the final end. Italy have got a time out.
Guide put in place. Comes across the centre line.
centre line. So I think if you are Great Britain, do you think, yes, we
manage those last three or four ends well. At one point, we could have
said the momentum was just slightly with Switzerland. During that last
end, beginning to look as though just that one shot, tap their own
stone back far enough
just that one shot, tap their own stone back far enough. Then that
shot from Smith. It is all about inches and if and only and all the
rest of it, but at least they limited Switzerland to the one there
are now in a good position will stop in a position you want to be in.
Only need one of course now. Definitely. That shot might have
looked a little bit strange. It is a first time we have seen a shot of
its type in the game. Basically what you are trying to do is move the
opposition stone to the side because it can't remove it from play because
of something or the free guard rail because it prevents you from
removing opposition stone from that area of the house.
area of the house. Basically, what GB are going to do here is keep that
centre wide open soap I'll can lay one down there to win the game. --
so Kyle. Another one of them, please.
They are sweeping this hard. Don't want to hit it too skinny. Yes, all
done. Maybe thought for a moment it was closer than that.
A lot of smiles now and a bit of a swagger, not getting too confident
or anything. At the last three or four ends really have pulled it back
together. It is those shots that he just may
be that gives them a good eyes and a good feeling and just by making,
because they play a lot of the more mundane shots, the drawers and the
guards, but actually, in this situation, they can really make a
massive difference to the outcome of the game and how straightforward the
final stone is for the skip.
You can just see a bit of that stone. Peel I think made the call.
Ideally, they would go after the one in the house here, but they don't
want to risk just feathering it like the last end. So going the safer
route here. He is not going to hit it. It is the wrong side. Keep
watching the TV screen, it is a much better view. As you said, just
keeping things nice and clear. Half watching the end of that Canada
Italy, that is what they were doing. Canada just kept giving themselves
plenty of room. They had the last stone and they ran out victors by
5-3. Picked up one in the final end. It was tight all the way through
that one. Italy giving Canada plenty to think about there. Great Britain
will face Canada in this evening's session. I would love to go there
with the correct -- they would love to go there with victory under their
belt.
Same again, another Peel for Kyle Waddle.
So far, so good. Absolutely. Another three of them would be quite fine.
Then you would expect Kyle wouldn't have two vital to win the game.
Switzerland to have one in kind of reasonably close. That is certainly
their friend at the moment.
Any skip, though, if you said just draw to the forefoot to win the
match with fairly clear ice ahead of you, you take that, wouldn't you?
Yes, absolutely.
No change in the tactics here. Switzerland just hoping that somehow
they get this wrong and they said to Kyle at the end, OK then. Not much
else they can do.
else they can do. Thomas Muirhead... Doing a good job. What you don't
want to do is stick it, don't want to hit it on the nose and leave your
rhinestones sitting there. -- leave your own stone sitting there. That
is the difference in what they are calling a Peel from peeling your own
stone away from the playing area as well as the stone in play already.
Here we go again.
Off the centre, play is lovely and open, exactly what you would want if
you were GB, and that is largely down to the terrific to shots by
Cameron Smith at the end, making those little shot than opening
things right up.
Another must shot from Tulasne Muirhead. -- and other nice shot
from Thomas Muirhead. The last ends have been good.
So now, they are just trying to work out where they want to put their
last stone at the end rather than this one. They would let me throw a
guard in this one and then they will probably put one somewhere in around
the centre line about a similar distance from the bottom of the one
at the back. It is just about protecting the back one at the
moment.
You can see where he would like it to finish up. The blowers have come
back on again.
I think Great Britain was no cause has been called -- Great Britain's
course has been helped. The last stone in that ended just catching
the guard on the way through as well. Get this across...
Just want to move out out the way, keep trying to keep this nice and
clear, the skip for, for great written will have a shot at the end
we are shinning here to win the match. -- we are assuming.
It has gone quiet in here. British contingent, including... The British
dignitaries from the British team watching this.
Oops. That is not what they were looking for but I guess they get
second prize there. All of a sudden, the difficulty for Kyle Smith's shot
at the end has gone up by a few fold. Now he has the chance to draw
in behind that and close in. He has got some being to make Kyle Smith
have to work around. Depends how good he goes here as well, of
course. Work out exactly where they would like to be.
It is never rover, is it? Never over. You just think this was going
nicely, Great Britain's wave will stop the ice could be nice and
clear, it could be drawing to the forefoot to win the match and you
still don't have a chance to win it. It is just that it has to be a very
good shot. Let's
good shot. Let's see what Benoit Schwarz can do here. Good players
come good when it matters. Somewhere just touching the edge of the button
on the left-hand side is what Benoit Schwarz is looking for here. Find it
really close down in our scoring area for Kyle Smith's last one.
That line looks pretty good, that they are all having to work this to
get it as far as it can. Just catches the guideline again. It is
not even in the house. It is a real mistake from Benoit Schwarz. He has
made a few and that is a cardinal error. He has just come up, it was a
tight line but it will shorten is well. They were trying to sweep it
in, get it passed that guard, at least into the house would have
given Kyle Smith something to think about. The more straightforward
shots from him just to draw this into anywhere in the house and Great
Britain will win their first match. Thomas Muirhead certainly played his
part after a couple of indifferent shots in the middle of the match. He
has come good towards the end. Kyle Smith has struggled with one or two
McGauchie shots, but this is pretty straightforward. -- one or two Macca
of his shots. This to draw in, the extra end, the last stone.
I'm holding my breath as well. I don't know why. It is such a
straightforward shot. It looks fine. The handshake comes in as well for
the what a win for Great Britain. It was an incredibly tight match all
the way through. Nobody got more than one shot ahead of the other.
Great Britain in the final end holding Switzerland to one, which
meant we went into the extra end. Great Britain with a hammer and they
played it brilliantly. One to make mistakes from both teams and it was
a bit of a nailbiter. What a way for the men's fingers bar. They have a
difficult first day but they won this match against Switzerland. In
the end, the score 6-5 to Great Britain. When you consider that that
is the first Olympic Games game that the men's British team have taken
part in, that performance was absolutely remarkable and long may
it continue by the way. Now, however, it is the turn of the
British women, who take on the 11 athletes of Russia, and it is safe
to say that the Sochi bronze medallists have a point to prove.
We went into Sochi as current world champions and I guess having that on
your CV is always going to make it a little bit tougher for you. You are
listening to add some pressure. There was expectations, but it is
probably more that we put on ourselves because we know we have
beaten everyone there. So really, who was going to play better for
that week. They fought so hard and this is potentially her last stone
of the match. It has a chance... And that is a nice shot! The pressure
made us know that we could perform at that high level. It made us know
we were the best team in the world and we were capable of hitting the
podium. A big pressure shot here. This to close out the match against
Great Britain. They had to work hard. They had to work it really
hard! Is it going to get there? I think it is! And Canada have won it.
When we lost that semi-final, I'm not going to lie, it was probably
the most devastating defeat of my career. I knew my Olympic gold-medal
dream was over. Losing that semi-final was definitely the
hardest loss. At the time, we thought this was a really quick
turnover, but that is probably what helped us in the end. They are the
world champions. And now they could be the Olympic bronze medallists. If
this stone is right for Muirhead. The stone is going to get there and
the pressures go in the air! They have won the bronze medal! To come
home with the medal was outstanding. I am still really pleased with that.
I think now I have a taste of the Olympic podium and all I want to do
was build my way up there. Obviously, we have a bit of
unfinished business, getting the bronze medal was amazing, but you
always want to do better and so if we just, we had to break it down
into each game and then once we get to hopefully the play-off stages,
that is a brand-new competition. We are feeling like we are in a good
place at the moment. We have been working really, really hard and that
is something I feel I have to constantly say to people about
curling is it is much harder than it looks and we wouldn't have to train
so much to be a top of game if it wasn't. We had a great win at the
European Championships. Scotland gold-medallists here in Switzerland.
The gold-medal Olympics is the only gold-medal I am missing in my
collection. For me, it would mean a lot of very, very hard work has paid
off and I have put in a ton of work to get to the position I am in just
now. To stand on top of the podium would be something extra, extra
special.
Bring it on! That's it from me today. My colleague will take over
as soon as the curling has finished. Now time to hand over to the curling
in the President Erdogan curling centre. Your commentary team is
Jackie Lockhart and Steve Cram.
Welcome everyone to the first match in the women's competition and Team
GB led by a Muirhead. These are the Olympic Athletes from Russia. There
is their skipper. A tricky start for the British quartet, but they will
be hoping they can do what the men did earlier on today and win their
first game. They came through in a tight match against Switzerland and
Great Britain with Lauren Gray, the lead, all the lit in Sochi last time
around and then the very experienced trio, Vicki Adams will play second
and Anna Sloan plays third. Some nervous smiles from the guys this
morning. Eve Muirhead, she's just going to get on with things. The
skip, this is her third Olympic Games, 19-year-old in Vancouver.
Sochi of course on you've just seen in that film there, coming away with
a medal, brilliant performance four years ago. Some expectation they can
match at least that this time round. If from nobody else then from
themselves. The round robin, ten teams taking part, you play all the
other 19 is and the top four go into the semifinals. Jackie, expectation
for the Great Britain team is because of their success last time
and their continued success and their experience. Eve into her third
Olympic Games as skip, that's got to help an awful lot and against an O
AR team that has an awful lot of talent and ability but without
necessarily the same level of experience. Nothing less than a gold
is what the Great Britain girls are looking for here. These Olympic
Athletes from Russia won't be a walkover. They beat the top team out
of Russia at the time. They had a 5-game play-off and they qualified
successfully, winning four of those games initially. On paper I think GB
should really have control here. Our girls have got great experience. Let
me tell you, they have left nothing unturned in preparation for this
Olympic championships here. We had great fun with the mixed doubles,
great competition that resulted in a win for Canada, the gold to them.
Switzerland took the silver and OAR, the married pair, picked up the
bronze medal. Eve Muirhead and the rest of her team getting down to
business here right at the very beginning knowing that a win at the
beginning just sets you up very nicely. Of course it's a long week,
nine matches ahead. You've got to be consistent through each match and
right through the week as well. Great Britain have the hammer, they
have the last stone advantage in this first end. It
this first end. It will be Guzieva who will send this first stone down.
Jackie, mentioned the mixed doubles, it took me a while this morning to
get used to the longform game if you like. The mixed doubles with clay
stones and lots of scoring. What we saw last week was a very aggressive
start to a game because there were stones already placed in the house,
but of course in the team game there is no stones placed in the house,
everybody just has two stones to throw. They do play the three guard
zone, which means if the opponents drop the shops just why of the house
and the white part between the hog line and the house, Great Britain
aren't allowed to remove that until after four stones have been played
-- drop the shots. Lauren Gray, the lead for Great Britain. Lauren
stepped into this role really well. She was of course the fifth man in
Sochi four years ago. As I expected, Great Britain have
the hammer and right away we see them putting on the corner. I know
it seems strange the object of the game is to get as many of your shots
close to the centre of your house, putting your opponent on the wings,
but you have the hammer and you want to put them in the middle clear so
you have an easy shot with your skip's last stone to pick up two or
three and they'll use these corners as protection and they'll come round
about them. We had blank ends galore in the matches this morning, of
course in the mixed doubles, it's not like you're not allowed but you
don't maintain the hammer if you have a blanked end. By contrast this
morning Redbridge and again had the hammer in the men's match but I
don't think we got a school in to the third end and even that wasn't
intentional. Both teams wanting to settle down and it's a first-time
tournament for the GB boys team, nerves can play a big part but this
is team Muirhead's third Olympics.
Plan B, you've always got to have in the back of your head, if you don't
make the initial shock, what is your next best result?
Oddly enough there was an extra end in the men's match and we saw Smith
play a nice deliberate shot like that, ticking the centre guard over.
This is Arsenkina second, from Moscow, began life as a figure
skater. Something I seem to say a lot about curlers from OAR and
Russia in the past. She changed her sport because she had a leg injury.
Did you play her? -- did you change sport? I did, from four to 14, from
one eyes to the other. Anything in figure skating that can help you in
curling apart from being on the ice? -- one eyes. Not at all, apart from
balance. I was very good at falling gracefully. Vicki Adams second for
Great Britain, looking for the take out now. Ideally here she wants to
hit this and get a Dell might get a little role in the hind the Reds.
Well done. Very good. She used the red as protection for the yellow
stone.
You were remarking watching both this morning and in practice before
the match started that the ice doesn't seem to be curling as much
as it did during the mixed doubles. Why would that be? We've watched
five days of curling for the mixed doubles and there was lots of
movement for the stones but here we've seen a different set of stones
to the mixed doubles last week, I wonder if they're a bit straighter
on this ice. They have been on the ice cooling for the last couple of
days because they have to be the right temperature. I will wait and
see how the games progress but I thought this morning when I saw some
of the men's, I wasn't commenting but I was watching, there wasn't
quite the movement we've seen in the mixed doubles. Even asking Vicki
Adams to come and use those two British yellow stone is and try and
draw in behind them. -- yellow stone is.
Watching this poor line and sweeping hard as well. Got to come round the
two guards -- watching this for line. That was pretty good. A little
bit far at the back but as you see from the picture, right behind the
two corner guards and they can't force these corner guards out
because of the angle they are sitting at so that's protected. As I
said, it is behind the horizontal treeline through the home circle. A
chance for Olympic Athletes from Russia to follow that shot up and
sit on top of it.
Vasilyeva playing third. The teams get to do a profile about their team
and all of the others, including herself, say that she is The Joker
of the team. I don't know... In the old days you know you could have a
joker, play your ace card, maybe she's the one doing the comedy act.
Not quite managing to end up where she wanted and that one just sitting
out. A chance for Anna Sloan to come up to that back read, tap it
through. -- red. She would like to roll away from it as well, create
some distance between the two yellow stones. Doesn't want to roll out,
though. Trying to hang on but I don't think it will. Again, that is
almost there, not quite rolling across but as you said, take out
first, if you roll across, great for the bonus, but not quite. Hitting it
on the nose would have made a mess to the two yellow stones for the OAR
team to come and rest on and that wasn't what they were looking for,
they wanted to create some distance between their stones. They over
curled and ran out the back.
The girls having to work this one really hard and I think that's going
to be high, not enough weight at all. Suffering even more protection
there.
there. Exactly what evil is asking for there, top eight, somewhere in
the white circle -- Eve was. Don't want this to go too far back.
Ideally in the first end, you know, if you want to score two really you
will be doing well. They have played this end to get a two. Great
communication from the girls.
communication from the girls. Vicki telling Eve how far it was. This one
is going to go over the back, she has just overthrown that.
Disappointing for Vicki Adams. Sorry, and. She already threw her
stones, Vicki. And with two stones, that one with partial success, that
one going through -- Anna. Always hard coming out first game, hit your
straps from the start, I know they get some practice first few minutes
but it isn't the same as gameplay. These two works so well together.
They've been long-term friends for a long time on and off the ice, so
that makes a big difference for the girls. Another opportunity here for
OAR to come round these corners and sit high above AGB yellow stone,
making it difficult for Eve to get a two here. The skipper for OAR,
Moiseeva. This one looks like it is heavy, just struggling with the wake
here at the moment.
Funny, exactly the same piece of ice they have all gone through, or both
of them have gone through. It's amazing how quickly the ice
conditions change, this is the first end and quite often you want to see
all the stones running across the house... As much of the playing
field as possible but two or three stones up makes a difference and it
gets quicker and quicker.
Eve would really want to use this because these girls, they can make a
difference for five feet to the stone, they could take it further
will stop you are better to under three than overthrow.
Once they have overthrown a couple, to take some weight off and let the
guys sweep it in, you have more chance of controlling the stone. If
it is heavy, you have no chance.
Liking this one better. Just staying off its still, though. Just would
love it just to curl a little bit more. The girls desperate for that
to sit high on the T-line there are, and that is a good attempt to bear.
-- a good attempt there. You are almost waiting for the way to come
off the stone and when it comes off the stone, and we can see from the
picture, that is right in behind. And if the OAR team don't play this
correctly and freeze on top of Eve, there could be an opportunity for a
three here. A little early test for the
Russians, excuse me, OAR skip. Previous stone laid too heavy, went
straight through. Trying to find the right weight here, and the line. So
we see that stone starting to cross the centre line there, and it really
is just about weight now. If she passes the guards. Oh, she has just
caught... And I think... An opportunity here. Take that stone
out, stay in the house. Three draw. Even just near that red
stone there, she will just draw. Yeah. They are already laying too.
-- two. If you have the two anyway, you have
got a free draw for free, don't touch anything else.
I mean, if that red stone had just gone a little bit further in, I'm
sure we would have seen even try and hit it out, but she is lying two
stones here and she will just have a simple draw for three back. --
three. This time she has played from the wings out into the centre. They
were just making sure they understand the ice. You don't want
to be anywhere near catching the red.
She is playing an anticlockwise rotation of the stone. Up the
right-hand side and she sees it. It should draw into the centre.
Just as a nice gap to come through and they have a reasonably good view
of
of this, sweeping it in. It is beginning to look very good. That is
a great start for Great Britain. And for Eve Muirhead. And a few mistakes
creeping in right at the very beginning. That is understandable.
But it was Great Britain who held their nerve there, and Eve Muirhead
with two nice shots has meant that Great Britain have jumped out to an
early lead and a very important first match against OAR. 3-0 after
one end. Exactly how he would like to start the match. Yes, that is a
great start, and that will be a great settler for the girls. They
know they have got the ability and they have got the passion, that's
for sure. Going back to that point again, don't be heavy. Just let them
sweep it in. These girls are in the gym
practising weights and sweeping programmes and that is what they are
there for. Once the skip lays the stone, then control goes over to
your two sweepers and it is their job to then manage that stone up the
ice. The whole 150 feet. Keep an eye on the other matches
being played. Slip it all and picked up one in the first end against
China. The same goes for Sweden. -- Switzerland picked up one. Canada,
the gold-medal favourites, they managed to come through. They were
very, very difficult Canadian Olympic trials. Few come in when
you're not playing? It a bit of a feel for the atmosphere.
I think they will be probably watching from the Olympic Village.
They have had their two days practice on all the sheets, so I'm
sure they will be resting up.
Of course, Great Britain without the hammer in this end, and they have
just asked Lauren Gray to draw one in. She has played very, very well.
We will see OAR put on the corner. Try and do exactly as Eve did in the
last end. Use that as late protectorate to put something round
in behind late. Belanov is just checking his order
for later on. OAR were delighted with the bronze medal in the next
doubles. Was met with a huge amount of celebration. The unmarried
couples who beat the engaged couple from Norway.
from Norway. Looking to get onto the centre line here. Working this
really hard. A little more, a little more... Well done. Very good. It has
been a good start. Yes, the communication has been very
good so far. There is Glenn Howwood, coach of team Muirhead --
coach of team Muirhead -- Howard. He was brought on board for the
strategy of the game. Technically, they can play and throw very well so
at the end of the day it is a strategy that is going to help you.
Julia Guzieva throwing her second stone. Trying to draw in here.
She just wants to come in as far as she possibly can. The type of shot
we have watched the last five days.
Team Muirhead, they are going to move this corner shot. They are
allowed now to remove that out of play. She will want to also remove
her own stone. She doesn't want anything out in the wing there that
can act of a project for the OAR team to come behind. -- protector.
Slightly easier in this game, when you are up, to what we would say is
head for home or run for home, but very early when it is in the first
end, the girls have to be careful. Yes, the match this morning, neither
team got in the situation, but we talked a lot about managing the
scoreboard. There was always one shot and Britain having the hammer
and whether it was worth blanking and end to switch from the Eappens,
sorry, from the odds to the evens. It didn't quite work. They certainly
tried it. Then they had to keep Switzerland to a single shot in the
final end. But there was a lot of that going on between the two teams,
starting to think about the last three, two, three ends long before
you ever reach them. A lot of these teams are looking to
score in the eighth and so they can try and force the opposition to take
one in the 19th to give you the hammer down a 10 cents. Yes, they
are always two or three shots ahead of what they are playing at the
time. -- in the ninth end. It really is a thinking game.
Preferring to play the run back here.
Second player strength is often hitting, so it is probably a great
call here for Vicki. Run this straight back onto the red in the
house. They don't want clear the fourth up. -- they just want to
clear. That is a nice stone. She still has left the centre, that is
to their advantage.
So the game so far going definitely in Britain's favour.
Arsenkina... Her second stone. Just playing a controlled take out
here. But she also wants the shooter to stay in the house, which it has
done. At the moment, Olympic Athletes from Russia still lying two
shots in the house. Eve just asking for a a role here.
Anna Sloan.
If they can hit this outside read, roll into the centre, use the yellow
guard they have at the front of the centre.
Just catching it on the nose. She didn't get the first option.
Lambie is to make sure you keep your shooter in the house as well. The
OAR team having to go after this.
We talked a lot about when you have the hammer, at what point you start
to think about blanking and end if it is not living in the way in which
you want, to try to get your two. Vasileva playing third.
Russia still with two there. Again, Eve is asking for the same shot as
last time, justifiably execute it a little better. -- just to execute it
a little better. So Anna should be able to make a
couple of little corrections, hopefully give her sweepers a chance
to sweep this and get a hit across, but not hearing any calling so far.
She wanted to sit. -- she wants it to sit.
Just hangs onto edge of the 12 foot. You decide on tea. They are still
having a discussion. I said turquoise.
I don't even know what colour to your lives. I'm just being contrary.
-- what colour teal is. They have actually made a wonderful
venue here in Gangneung. Eve, of course, played in this arena 2009 in
the World Championships as a young girl. Now there's a mistake there.
They really needed to be loud behind that guard sitting in for the second
shot. She actually, even out in the wings, in the open...
No help whatsoever. If anything, it's a hindrance.
Crazy shot there. Great opportunity now here for Eve to come around
behind the guards, set shot. And ask the question of the skip from OAR.
Again, if OAR take one here, right, fine, move on.
The object of the game in this team event is take a two and try and
force a one, and if you keep doing that, you have to be smiling at the
end of the game.
She threw a couple of good stones in the first end. Love this, just to
write in and be in line with those two stones, just passing now. Not
looking bad.
It is a
looking bad.
It is a little light... A little
wide of the line. They had to take it right to the very back as far as
they can.
That's a great attempt. Use or even say that took a while to curl, so
the swing on the ice for this team players isn't as good as it was
earlier in the week -- you saw Eve. That's all about checking the ice
and checking the conditions. A little discussion going on between
the skip, Moiseeva and Vasilyeva, the vice skip.
the vice skip. She wants to tap it and tap it through but she has to be
careful she doesn't tap very yellow onto the red, it's about how much
ice she takes, as we've seen it doesn't take the curl and it would
hang straight. Her first objective is to hit the target and it's just
where after that. A difficult shot, not an easy one for her at all.
The OAR skip, engaged to one of the players from Denmark, one of the Du
Pont family. Lives in Saint Petersburg.
Petersburg. -- Dupont. Didn't play with her team last summer, not sure
what it was, was hospitalised for a month or so and her team had to play
without her for a while. They carried a photo of her to
competitions whenever they needed her.
Just going to jam on... Just gets it out. Just hanging on another there
and they are sitting to shops, the OAR. I felt for a second she hadn't
quite got this right but it's worked out OK for OAR -- two shots. Once
they were passed to the top guard they kind of stopped sweeping and
they I think they needed to stop sweeping but the red stone, and a's
brush is to the side, so a great opportunity for Eve to hit this on
the nose -- Anna's. Even on the nose and she could hit that red one as
well. Eve Muirhead, the British skip, her final stone of the second
end. Just trying to be landing a shot
here. Can she take both of them out? Sounds like it's a little high at
the moment. She just missed that back one. You heard her calling for
only Vicki to pull the stone closer to the shot in-house. Just missed
it, really needed to glance it and they both would have gone. Close but
not close enough. A good chance for OAR to take two.
Fairly straightforward. She has to just be anywhere in the house here,
fully in not counting the yellow stone on the other side of the
house.
house. Vasilyeva initially indicated the one to the side. The Russians
skip, Viktoria Moiseeva, trying to reply to the three that Great
Britain took in the first end.
Britain took in the first end. They are working on this pretty early,
asking all three of them to work it. Has she given this and other? This
is so light. They are working it pretty hard but I'm not sure if it's
going to make it. It's pulling up, it's pulling up, it's pulling up
short. It certainly is, a missed opportunity for the OAR. Just the
one for OAR. Sometimes when you've got such an easy shot to play, I've
seen this two or three times this week, almost makes it... I don't
know, do you not concentrate? Anyway, the result is just one to
OAR, Great Britain leading 3-1 after two ends and then take the hammer
into the next. So early stages in this match but things working out
pretty well for Great Britain. What a mistake from the OAR skip. A great
opportunity for Great Britain to capitalise on that mistake. The team
didn't actually have to force one there, it was just mistakenly given.
Great Britain going into this next end with the hammer and will again
be hoping to pick up a couple of shots, rather than just one.
Earlier in the week we were seeing lots of flashing headgear. It's all
been a little bit more civilised as the week's gone on. Good support in
here, though, this afternoon session here in Gangneung. Three sessions a
day in the team curling. They rotate round. The men have got two matches
today, the women, one, then flips over. A really busy schedule. Get
through this round robin stage, and, as I was saying earlier, top four
Mac, the best for records after we've played all the matches, and if
there are any teams tied, the tie-break scenario. Then we're into
the semifinals. Lots of curling between now and then, though. Lauren
Gray, sister of Logan, who's been working with Jackie and are in the
commentary. -- Jackie and I. Is this going to go all the way in? There. I
think she asked it to come in, she'll be quite happy if it sits in
the back here.
It's got chilly again. I see you got your coat on! A woman's always
prepared. Yeah, the ice rink... The women down on the street are
actually all in their short-sleeved tops, it will be very hot on the
playing field but up here in the commentary box where Steve and I
are, there's huge blowers lowing behind us and it's pretty cold.
They're there for a reason and they're keeping the ice conditions
down on the playing field just at the right temperature so they keep
the same weight throughout the whole ten ends here. We see the OAR team
coming up short again and to be honest it's not a disaster, they
don't have last stone, they will use the shots coming forward to come
round behind them. Eve, of course, still not able to remove any of the
opposition stones until after four stones have been played.
She's going to ask Lauren Gray to come round behind these now. She's
going to say, well, you've put the two red stones there first, if I get
round about them first, you've got to chase me. They've got to work
this, though. Just biting the red colour will be good. That's a good
attempt. Didn't want to come behind the Central line, the horizontal
line through the house. They just wanted to sit high, protect that
four foot.
four foot. Very quickly, elsewhere, Japan have picked up another two, a
steel of two in the second end so they lead 4-0 over the USA. Sweden
still 1-0 up against Denmark and China responded in this second end,
picked up two, so 2-1 to China over Switzerland.
She looks a bit high and heavy, once again she hasn't got that weight in
her pocket at all. This will go right to the back, 12. Great Britain
still lying two shops and an opportunity to pull another one in.
She's either got to pull another one in or removed the Reds out the
front. -- shots. If you look at the round robin competition and the big
threats, Canada obviously there, you would have had OAR up there as one
of the teams certainly capable of putting in a good tournament,
European champions two years ago. Win against OAR at any stage of the
competition, but if you're going to play them early in the week or early
in the competition... We've got... I say we, Great Britain I think play
Canada right towards the end. On paper, let's say on paper, we should
have a relatively easier start but we've got all the big teams at the
end, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland all in the latter half of the week and
you want to be having some wins under your belt before you get
there. Another one overthrown. That might just catch that red.
Overthrown by a lot, she wanted to sit in front of her own yellow on
the 8-foot there.
Still not an easy shot for OAR because our GB stone is sitting high
of the one foot and if the girls want to better that they've almost
got to sit on top of it or have the weight to push it back. It's a game
of setting things up for yourself, though. The object isn't always to
get to the one foot first, it's about setting it up and making it
easier for your last stone. Looks a little better. OAR have just been
struggling somewhat.
struggling somewhat. Arsenkina doing a better job. This time Eve going to
take off that guard, open up the shops on the house so they can see
them. -- shots.
Last stone and it's an early advantage. When you've got an early
advantage you don't want to give it away, capitalise on it, they did
well in the second end, OAR, more by their own fault more than anything
else only picking up the one. Two here will see them set up really
nicely.
nicely. Sounds like she's asking her team to just come up to their own
red stone and sit right on top of it. I mean, she has the opportunity
of tapping her own red onto the yellow but the angle would make it
very difficult for Great Britain to remove them without a jam. This one
seems well high of the... Not curling at all. Trying at the end.
They might just try and take it back. Yeah, that's another poor shot
from the Olympic athletes of Russia. Eve just wondering whether or not
they can take both out here. Just looking past the there, you can see
how much of it they can see, she's looking at that inside stone.
Doubletake out here. Either way... She's looking at how she can take
this double here because the red stone on the right-hand side may jam
on the back yellow. She's hoping to hit.
hit. And are stone, a bit more weight this time. -- and a stone.
Just a little nudge across, good try. -- Anna Sloan. That's OK. She
has pushed the red across the house. Unfortunately she's left a double
there and OAR have the opportunity of hitting these two yellows and
removing them and still lying the second shot.
Vasilyeva, along with all of the OAR team, have struggled at one point or
another. That's better. They've still got shot, Great Britain.
The red stone of Russia is a danger because it is just sitting.. .
Sitting above it. Difficult to get rid of it without taking your own.
Anna just going to come up and have a look at the head.
The OAR team didn't get the shot they were looking for but this has
made it very difficult for our GB team to try and remove that without
hitting the yellow.
She is thinking, even if all three of those stones, the first one, is
that takes out the British stone, but the shooting stone goes across
and hit the other opera one stone,
that is a sitting shot...
OK. So she has decided she is not going to worry if she uses the
yellow in the forefront, because at the end of the day, she wants to
clear up the forefoot. If she doesn't do anything, it is easy to
OAR to tap and so she is just going to try and capture the edge of the
right-hand side as we see it. It will hit the yellow but then the red
should lean across the left, the running stone should go to the other
red. Anna Sloan of course a left-handed player, the only
left-hander in the team. So she has removed one of them. She still left
OAR one shot. It nearly worked. Just trying to
come across to hit, you see there, want to be a little thinner there.
Just got too much. Yeah. Good try. And again, you know,
if the plan pay doesn't work, as long as the plan B happens and plan
B, as you said, was very much trying to clear things out.
Yes, and the forefoot is open at the moment. It has the last stone. Even
if they are forced to take the one that would go for- one up into the
next end.
next end. -- 4-1.
The OAR skip has to calm herself down as well because she has not
made a good start to this match. And if the skip is not playing well, it
doesn't matter how well everybody is setting things up and you are in
trouble.
She has just played a hit in the back of there, and she does lie
first and second shot with a group, the third shot there.
the third shot there. The eve just going to remove the red stone in the
right-hand side there are. And if she gets a little bit of the
outside, she could roll towards the forefoot and used the OAR as a
protector. That is the short she picked,
That is the short she picked, so Eve Muirhead then trying to maintain the
advantage that they have built in the first to ends. Just going to try
and hit this inside the centre, as it were. Just turning a little bit
now. It has a chance. Not quite, right on the nose. Sit there.
right on the nose. Sit there. So... Great Britain sitting second in
third shot here. They are just wondering if they were
to hit that on the nose whether or not they have a chance of lying for
the two. Yes, she really needs to, I think,
catch a little bit of the inside of it. But we have seen slightly if you
overthrow them and give them too much weight, they are not taken at
all.
So in order to force Great Britain, they have to hit and lie here for
that second shot. Otherwise it would give Aman meant opportunities, two
for Great Britain.
Is this too tight? It is not going to stay.
So hit and roll there, gives us... She was just too tight to the guard
there up in court that way too thin. Yeah, too much over correcting of
the stone Berrer. I think she saw a few shots down there that haven't
moved on that one was really close to catching the guard.
Another great chance here for Eve Muirhead. She didn't manage to pick
up the two.
up the two. Sorry, chance to pick up the two here, the lead would then be
5-1. Just a simple hit, remove that
stone, stay in the house, pick up your two, and as you say, increased
that lead, moving into the next end. Always good when you hear your skip
telling you to clean slowly. You know that it is going to be good and
on target. Well done, Eve Muirhead, and the
whole team pulling together really well here. It is a wonderful start
to their first match. And Great Britain pick up another two. In the
third end, and they let OAR 5-1. -- they lead.
That was a great and there are, and I think a good call from the team to
clear up and open up the front and make it much more simpler, the
stones that the last end there. Even as the skip, they'll have good
experience now and they have played together so much so everybody
chipping in with thoughts and ideas. Yes, it is a real team sport. Think
many years ago, you are told a few other leader, you stay down the
bottom of the end and say nothing. But the whole point is understanding
the game and every player has got to understand the strategy of the game
and we can see that in this team here. They have all got an opinion
and it is great that Eve can say, what you feel like you want to play
here? At the end of the day, you might be having a bad day all you
are playing really well at the heating and either strategy could
help you, but play to your advantage. Play to your strengths
even. We shouldn't underestimate the
importance of the lead. Lauren Gray looking at that. The Acres three, 90
6%. For the lead, that is often the case.
Often very high. The level of different kitty is not as high as
you get further the team. But a huge, huge part of the game is where
the lead places that first stone because that determines the rest of
the gameplay. That is after a saying how well she has played there,
should have just over three nights and it has come into the backup of
the forefoot which really wants to finish in the top.
Julia Guzieva, Great Britain are playing very well. OAR up making
more mistakes and certainly been struggling. Actually with both line
and league, links will stop I am slipping into cricket parlance now.
The weight. Yes, a couple of the girls in the
OAR team just performing well enough at the moment and that is putting on
a lower pressure for the team. They have a hammer in this for then.
They are right up against it early this match.
Once again, we don't want to see this coming in too far into the
house. Want to stopping at the top. -- want to see it stopping at the
top. It might be OK. Just a fraction heavy if we are being picky.
We should see the Olympic Athletes from Russia, they have put a corner
guard on and what they want to do with you that corner guard now so
they will come around, they were not worry about the 2 gigabytes are
stones in the centre, they will deal with them later. They want to
protect it. -- 2 gigabytes stones in the centre. -- two Great Britain
stones in the centre. That was better. Finishing well at
the end. I thought she was really high when she let it go, but she
could have done it much tighter to the guard. She is only leaving maybe
half of it. Right away will see either say, I'm going to clear the
front one up there. It is the one that is going to bother me if I
don't remove it. Vicki will want to remove this.
That is just going to stay there. What she has done is cheap to put a
corner in the other side. So Russia can use that now.
You can see her deciding, will try and split the house and put another
one behind the yellow guard?
This OAR team went to Japan to prepare, same as Great Britain did.
In terms of why Japan, Jackie? I think the girls are played a
number of competitions in Japan and I like the arena and they are
comfortable and that it was far enough across that they could get
over the jetlag as well, so they had a few days out there to practise and
play and get over the jetlag before they came here.
Where was that? I want to say it is in Nagano, and
it is an ice rink we played in in 1998, the Olympics in Nagano. Nice
facility. That is better from Vicki Adams.
Talking about Japan, actually, they are 7-0 up against USA. USA having a
shocker. Steel of three in the third.
That is a slightly poor shot there. The object or OAR there was to hit
the stone but also keep your running shot in the house. They needed to be
lying two shots here. Didn't matter if they were first and second, it
could have been first and third, they needed to ensure they kept a
shooter in the house. So a great opportunity here for an to hit this
out. -- for Anna to this out and roll towards the centre. The girls
working this really hard. Well, another end building well for
Great Britain. It has been a fantastic start to this fast match
for them. They lead 5-1 Russia over three and is. -- three ends. We are
about to take a bit of a channel hop from BC one half BBC Two. We will of
course stick with this match once we get onto BBC Two to see how Great
Britain can begin their Olympic campaign here in Pyeongchang. The
women aiming to build on that bronze medal in Sochi. We will be back
O'Brien BBC Two were the culmination of this match. Please come and