GB reach curling semi as Muir impresses in slopestyle qualification

Team GB's mixed doubles curlers clinched their place in the Winter Olympics semi-finals with two matches to spare, after statement victories over heavyweights Canada and United States maintained their 100% record.

US honorary coach, hype man and rapper Snoop Dogg was not in the house on Saturday, but Bruce Mouat and Jen Dodds made their own headlines, first with a 7-5 triumph over the Canadians, then a 6-4 success over the previously unbeaten US.

That took their record to seven wins from seven round-robin games and put them clear at the top of the standings.

It means Sunday's contests with Switzerland (13:35 GMT) and hosts Italy (18:05) - live on the BBC - will determine who they face in the last four.

"We're coming here to try to get a medal. We've been after it for four years at least now," said Mouat, who lost the bronze medal match alongside Dodds in 2022.

"I feel like a hot mess at the minute, but the energy levels are good. I'm playing the sport I love at the Olympics, so I don't need any more adrenaline or caffeine."

Only the US had beaten Canada until Saturday, but neither of those rinks could halt the growing momentum of childhood friends Mouat and Dodds.

In the first game of the day, the Canadians lost three points in the first end, were 5-2 down at the break, and would have conceded after seven ends had Dodds not made a rare error before redeeming herself to secure the win.

A few hours later, the Americans found themselves in a similar predicament, trailing by three after two ends.

The deficit remained the same at the interval, but Korey Dropkin and Cory Thiesse snatched three in the fifth to send a cascade of noise rolling down from the wooden bleachers and haul themselves level.

Britain nudged back ahead, then stole one in the seventh to go two clear. The US retained the hammer as a result, but could not take advantage, a Dropkin error giving Dodds the opportunity to close out yet another victory.

"We had a really clinical last end," she told BBC Sport.

"I don't actually know who we're playing first tomorrow - that's how far ahead I look - but we just need to keep doing what we're doing."

Kirsty Muir enjoyed a confident start to her Olympic campaign, placing third in freeski slopestyle qualifying.

Muir, one of Team GB's best medal hopes, scored a best of 64.98 from her two runs in Livigno.

That put the 21-year-old behind Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud and China's Eileen Gu - the gold and silver medallists from Beijing 2022 respectively - in the standings.

"I am feeling really relieved. I was really nervous this morning. Putting a good run down in the qualifications was important for me because I wanted to be in that final," Muir told BBC Sport.

"In the qualifying, it is sometimes more nerve-wracking, whereas, in the final you go all out and you either get it or you don't. That's what I am going to be ready for."

Gu, a triple medallist from four years ago, is one of the biggest global stars at these Games and avoided an early shock after crashing off the first rail of her opening run.

After almost a year out with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury, Muir has won three World Cup golds in the past year, including two in slopestyle.

The Olympic final takes place on Monday from 11:30 GMT.

Chris McCormick could not match Muir as he attempted to reach the men's slopestyle final, missing out on a place in the top 12 with a best score of 33.90.

The 27-year-old, who learned to ski on Bearsden dry slope, came into his debut Olympics nursing an ankle injury.

"To even make it to the start gate is a small victory," McCormick - who will also compete in big air - told BBC Sport.

"I really wanted to show my best skiing. But I'm super happy to be here, especially when I think of where I've come from, from the dry slope to here, that's a big achievement. And I've had a lot of fun, despite all the pain I've been skiing through."

In Tesero, Anna Pryce made history by becoming the first British athlete to compete in the women's 10km + 10km skiathlon at an Olympic Games.

Pryce, who switched allegiance from Canada last year, came 42nd - finishing seven minutes and 24 seconds behind gold medal winner Frida Karlsson of Sweden.

Pryce said she was so excited to make her Olympic debut that she was "giggling at the start".

"Maybe I should have felt more nervous, I don't know. But I feel pretty relaxed and maybe that translated into my skiing - which was great," she said.

As expected, Team GB did not progress to the final of the figure skating team event - despite their men's representative setting a personal season best score.

Edward Appleby, 21, produced a tidy routine, earning 69.68.

But it was not enough to move GB into the top five teams that progressed to the finals.

They needed to at least finish in the top two of the men's event and Appleby's score was only enough for 10th.

"I feel like I'm on quite a bit of a high right now," Appleby said. "Obviously it wasn't a clean skate, but it felt very solid and it was one that let me enjoy the moment even more."

Japan's Yuma Kagiyama, who won silver in the men's event in 2022, scored 108.67 to top the standings for this stage, finishing ahead of two-time world champion Ilia Malinin of the USA (98.00).

GB, competing in the team event for the first time since 2014, finished in ninth.

With three rounds to come on Sunday involving the surviving five teams, reigning champions USA lead with 44 points - five ahead of Japan, with Italy currently third.