Austria's Matthias Mayer absolutely flies down the snow to shave 0.1 of a second off Jansrud's and move into the gold medal position.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport in Sochi

Have you heard of skiing's spying game? Seems the US ski team have been employing some high-tech and some not so scientific methods to help their skiers get the most out of this downhill course.

The clever stuff first - the racers have been stuffing GPS units down their ski suits to provide detailed feedback on their exact lines and speed at any given time. The more rudimentary, but no less effective, approach is that head coach Sasha Rearick and four others have been climbing high up into trees dotted down the course to provide a more extensive view to film the racers in certain sections. The Austrians, apparently, are a bit miffed as they haven't brought their tree-climbing gear, so they have taken to helicopters.

Ed Leigh
BBC Sport snowboarding and freestyle skiing commentator on Jenny Jones

"Perfectly measured like a suit on Saville Row. Front side 720, that was beautiful, but she needs that 720 in the final. She made a slight mistake on the rails, but a beautiful grab. She has a face that can help bread rise. She's one of the best all round riders and is looking very confident."

Jenny Jones pulls off a "frontside 720" on a nice clean second run. Her score of 83.25 is a slight improvement on her first run, but she stays in third place and will be confident of challenging for a medal in the final. Set your alarm for 09:15 for that one folks.

Graham Bell
Five-time Winter Olympic skier on BBC TV

"You want an error-free run but I don't think anyone will have an error-free round today. It will come down to who can limit the losses and generate the best speed."

In the men's downhill, Norway's Kietil Jansrud has moved into first place with a time of 2:06.33. Travis Ganong of the US in second, with Carlo Janka now down to third.

Image source, AFP

Great news from the snowboarding. Jenny Jones is guaranteed a place in the final at 09:15.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport in Sochi

"Hard-rock blares out of the stadium PA in the downhill finish area. The announcers shout above that, but even so, you can still hear the blood-curdling screech of the system on the big screen as the racers arc down this course. Reggae just wouldn't do it justice."

This course is stunning. From the start, you can see miles of snowy peaks with pine trees clinging to the sides of the mountain faces for dear life. We've had six skiers so far. Not long to wait for the big guns. Bode Miller is number 15 and favourite Aksel Lund Svindal is 18.

Graham Bell
Five-time Winter Olympic skier on BBC TV

"Carlo Janka of Switzerland has set a good time but he got his stick stuck between his skis at the start - that could have been costly!"

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport in Sochi

"Course designer Bernhard Russi began work here alone in 2006. He says he asked the mountain what he should do, and she told him."

We are under way in the men's downhill. The course is little more than 10 yards wide in places and incredibly steep. Three skiers have completed the course, with Switzerland's Carlo Janka flying into the gold medal spot with a time of 2:06.71.

Ed Leigh
BBC Sport snowboarding and freestyle skiing commentator

"Really solid, no slide, so close, she opened up, the rails were solid, the cab under flip was absolutely amazing. She's still young, so this won't be the last we see of her. She's still got a beaming smile."

Agony for Aimee Fuller. She masters the rails but can't quite land her double back flip and loses control, meaning she misses the final ramp. Her score is just 37.50 so that is the last we will see of Aimee at these Olympics.

What's your prediction for the men's downhill gold? American Bode Miller or Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal? Or an outsider? Use #bbcsochi, text us on 81111 (UK mobiles) or join the debate on our Facebook page., external

Nick Hope
BBC Sport at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park

"Jamie Nicholls has just arrived in the BBC 5 live studio and it would be fair to say he's a little overwhelmed by the reaction he's had from the public since finishing sixth in yesterday's men's final.

'It's been insane,' he says. 'There's even a Lego man of me now I've been told - that's mad. It's changed my life a little bit, I was famous in snowboarding already but now it seems like everyone in the UK is speaking about me and Billy Morgan. I hope this inspires kids and really helps the profile of snowboarding.'

Check this out. In snowboarder speak, it is rad. Watch the incredible footage as former Winter Olympic skier and BBC presenter Graham Bell skis the controversial Rosa Khutor Sochi 2014 downhill piste. Five-time Olympic medallist Bode Miller has said the course "could kill you" and Bell describes the challenges as he tackles the run holding a hand-held camera. Afterwards he says the 46-degree gradient course is "one of the toughest" Olympic downhill runs he has skied.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport in Sochi

"Ok, let's picture the scene: the alpine venue sits high up at the end of the valley. The men's downhill course is on the left as you look up the Aigba Ridge, snaking its way down through the trees to end in the giant amphitheatre at the finish, backed by a colossal stand.

"The slalom slope is in the middle and the women's downhill funnels in from the right. Across a few gullies to your right is the beginning of the extreme park, starting with the halfpipe and moguls hill. Moving right again you have slopestyle and ski and boardercross. The only access, apart from hill workers, between the two venues is a huge blue cable car which spans a yawning chasm. Not a bad commute."

The start of the men's downhill has been delayed by 15 minutes so we will not be starting until 07:15 GMT. No reason given as yet. Steven Nyman of the USA will be the first to race.

Ok folks. Take a deep breath. This is the equivalent of the men's 100m in the summer Olympics. With a bit of snow thrown in. The big guns, such as Aksel Lund Svindal or Norway, Switzerland's Didier Defago and Bode Miller are all going early in the men's downhill. You can watch it live on BBC Two and online, with the women's slopestyle semis continuing on the Red Button and online.