Statement win underlines GB curlers' golden claim

Team GB's men's curlers reinforced their credentials as Winter Olympic gold medal favourites in Cortina with a statement 6-3 win over the Swedish rink that consigned them to silver four years ago.

After a mismatch against China in their opener, Bruce Mouat and his rink knew they would face a more significant test in their second game. But the Scottish quartet controlled the heavyweight meeting from the outset.

It was a less enjoyable day for a recast women's rink, though, as they started their campaign with defeat against China.

The inexperienced GB quartet, who were sixth at last year's world championship, were always in a cagey contest with the side who took world bronze, but a couple of decisive errors late on allowed the Chinese to record a 7-4 victory.

Seven wins from the nine round-robin matches will guarantee a place in the semi-finals - fewer may well still be sufficient - and both British rinks will continue their attempts to reach that mark on Friday.

The men are back on the ice in what should be another top-tier contest against Italy at 08:05 GMT - live on the BBC - before the women will play their second match against South Korea at 13:05 GMT.

Mouat has beaten Niklas Edin in eight of their last 10 meetings, and the Swede could not disturb that trend high in the Dolomites in northern Italy.

It continued the Scot's recovery from his mixed doubles medal disappointment and leaves the Swedes - who lost their opener against the hosts and face another medal contender in Canada next - in a perilous position.

"All four of us were really shooting well," Mouat told BBC Sport. "We've not trained together for a month so to come back and the flow to be where we want it to be is excellent."

These two are arguably the best rinks in the competition, with the Canadians, Italians and Swiss also likely to be in the medal conversation, and this was a high-grade contest.

However, Mouat, Hammy McMillan, Bobby Lammie and Grant Hardie won the hammer - the right to throw last and, in theory, control the game - and dictated from there on.

Edin failed to pull off a high-tarriff double takeout in the first end, allowing Mouat to claim two points and establish a lead that the GB rink would keep throughout.

Missing became a theme for the feted Swedish skip, the 40-year-old repeatedly failing to answer the questions that Mouat posed. As a result, the British team led 4-1 at halfway, and eked that advantage out to 6-2 with three ends remaining.

Sweden needed something big but could only find something small. They were restricted to one in the eighth and Edin decided he had had enough, offering a hand to Mouat and ending this contest with two ends to spare.

"Everyone keeps reminding us they beat us in Beijing so we had that motivation," Hardie told BBC Sport. "They had an off-day and we took advantage of that."

China were bronze medallists in worlds last spring so represented a tricky start for the callow British women's team.

Jen Dodds is the only survivor from the group that won gold in Beijing four years ago but she and 'the kids' - as the rest of the rink refer to themselves - kept their shape well for the most part in an unfamiliar environment.

They won the hammer, and chose to blank the first two ends before a fine throw by Rebecca Morrison cleared out for two points in the third.

The Chinese drew level in the next end and perhaps thought they would steal a lead in the fifth after a stunning clearout removed three British stones, but the Scottish quartet responded well to blank another end at keep it 2-2 at the halfway mark.

Morrison said earlier this week they dreamed of a medal, but that it would not necessarily be the only gauge of success. After all, this is a GB team that finished sixth in last year's World Championships.

Performances, then, carry significant importance and this had the makings of being a decent one until a poor final few ends.

A single in the sixth end edged GB in front again but a Morrison mistake gifted the Chinese two in the next, and another error allowed them to steal another two and suddenly take a 6-3 advantage.

The British rink needed something special, but couldn't find it in the final two ends, and were left to rue what they will consider a missed opportunity.

"We've been in this position many times," Dodds told BBC Sport. "We lost our first game four years ago and look where we ended up there. We've lots to build on."