I'll be honest, the noise the curling stones make when they slide across the ice isn't pleasant. You know the horrible grating sound made when you search through the freezer for the oven chips? Or the feeling of scraping ice off a frozen windscreen? Two stones each to go in this end. GB in charge.

Image source, Sarah Hendrickson

American ski jumper Sarah Hendrickson on Instagram:, external We have been waiting for this day for so many years. The training, the World Cups and the rehab all lead up to this moment. But guess what? This too will come and pass and so pressure aside I'm ski jumping for myself tonight. Few people know what it takes so in end happiness is the most valuable accomplishment in this journey. Enjoy watching us girls fly tonight and know we have not just worked for the past four years but for the past decade in the gym and against the politics. Thanks to everyone that made this possible.

After conceding those points in the fifth end, GB have the hammer - the advantage of the last stone - in this sixth. Muirhead surveys her kingdom from the back of the house, watching as her team-mates slide the curling stones towards her. She holds her broom horizontally behind her, with both arms wrapped around it. Cool as.

Cake break over, the curling is back under way. Five ends to go.

Image source, @Andrews14Scott

British men's curler Scott Andrews on Twitter:, external Ready to cheer on Stacey Kemp and David King tonight.

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport in Sochi

"Bode Miller blamed his eighth place in Sunday's downhill on a change on conditions from cold, hard and icy in training to warmer and softer with less visibility on race day, and he says the course has changed again.

"'Now it's a completely different race course'," he said. 'It's going to be tough because of all the good slalom skiers out there.

"'The downhill could have done some real separation if the course remained hard and icy. It could have been a real challenge for the slalom guys. Now the conditions are much easier and it will be much more difficult to put some time on."

Ireland's Seamus O'Connor has missed out on a place in the men's halfpipe final. Only six of the 12 competitors in the semi-final advance to the final and O'Connor, who scored 54.00 in his first run, fell in his second as he scored 43.00.

BBC commentator Ed Leigh says: "He tried a 1260 but the final is the place to try your new tricks. To me that was too flash to do that then. If I had been his coach there's no way I would've recommended that."

The final starts at 17:30 GMT.

According to the BBC Sport guide to curling, curlers can burn up to 1800 calories during a game. 1800! No wonder Eve Muirhead looks as slender as the broom she wields. The USA pick up two points in the fifth end, but they are still miles behind. GB don't look too concerned, they are are replacing those calories by dipping into the cake tin.

Image source, @skeletonamy

BBC Sport's Amy Williams on Twitter says:, external "Got a quick interview with the legendary Shaun White."

White will be competing in the final of the men's halfpipe competition, which begins at 17:30 GMT.

It's a much quieter affair so far in the fifth end, an almost subdued atmosphere in the Ice Cube. Eve Muirhead, blue neckscarf over her red jacket, faces the prospect of three American stones in the house as she takes the first of GB's final two stones. One blasted away, but the US still on course to pick up a couple of points.

Steve Cram
BBC Sport curling commentator

"For Great Britain to lead 9-1 after only four ends means surely there's no way back for the US team after that.

"Right from the start, the Americans have not responded to Britain, who have played well. You are almost embarrassed for the Americans after that end. They almost want to get off the ice straight away.

"This result will get the British women's campaign really under way after they looked out of sorts yesterday."

If that fourth end had been on the vidiprinter, it would have read Great Britain 7 (seven).

Rob Hodgetts
BBC Sport in Sochi

"Women were first recorded as having ski jumped more than 150 years ago but it has taken this long - 90 years after the men - for it to become an Olympic competition.

"There have been bitter debates, recriminations and lawsuits against the IOC. Those against it said it was too dangerous, "unladylike", there were too few athletes, and it was damaging to female health, particularly reproductive organs.

"But women have been doing demonstration jumps and acting as forerunners for years, and in April 2011 the IOC relented and the ladies' normal hill competition was added to the Games.

"American world champion Sarah Hendrickson, 19, will take the first ever jump in Olympic competition at 17:30 GMT. In Sochi, it is expected to boil down to a battle between Hendrickson, who has not jumped since tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in August, and Japan's 17-year-old Sara Takanashi, the world championship runner-up and dominant World Cup leader this season. Austria's 2011 world champion Daniela Iraschko-Stolz is another one to watch."

Image source, Getty Images

Can you believe this? Great Britain have scored seven (yes, seven) points in the fourth end against the US. If you're not up on your curling, that means GB had seven of their stones closer to the central scoring area than their American opponents. Usually, picking up two points is a good return. It's pretty much game over.

British skip Eve Muirhead is a commentator's dream, a fascinating character. Dark-haired, piercing eyes with a hundred-mile stair of concentration. She may be only 23, but she exudes confidence, control and authority. I wouldn't argue with her.

Image source, AP

Veteran American skier Bode Miller shrugged off the disappointment of the downhill to post the fastest time in the first training session for Friday's super combined.

While many contenders sat out the session, 36-year-old Miller, who finished eighth in Monday's downhill, sped down the shortened Rosa Khutor downhill course in one minute, 56.42 seconds. Among other leading contenders French skier Alexis Pinturault was fifth fastest and Ted Ligety of the USA was 15th.

It's coming to the conclusion of the fourth end and Great Britain's ladies have a 2-1 lead over the Unites States. GB also have the hammer and, at the moment, a chance to add two more points to their score.

There are three more gold medals to be dished out today - the women's luge, the men's snowboard halfpipe and women's ski jumping. For now, though, I'm watching Britain's favourite sport - curling.

Aimee Lewis has departed, leaving me, Stephan Shemilt, to talk you through the rest of the day's action. Frankly, there is shedloads for us to cover, so let's get to it.

Jackie Lockhart
2002 world curling gold medallist on BBC TV

"This is the perfect platform for us to sell our sport. It's a huge, huge honour to represent Great Britain and have the chance to win an Olympic medal."