It's almost bobsleigh time, folks! The first of four runs get under way at the Sanki Sliding Centre at 15:15 GMT. Britain's Paul Walker, the pilot, and Rebekah Wilson, the brakewoman, will be in action for Britain and will be 12th to slide.

Brent Pope
BBC Sport ice hockey commentator

Image source, Getty Images

"The Russians got what they deserved. The scoreline does not flatter them, they had chances early on in the game to score but they put the punctuation on the match at the end."

It's been a good day, on balance, for Great Britain, with the men's curling team kicking things off by beating Norway with the last stone in a play-off to progress to the semi-finals against Sweden.

Speed skater Elise Christie then put the disappointment of her last two events behind her to win her heat comfortably and book a place in Friday's quarter-finals.

Jon Eley also go through his men's 500m speed skating heat, but his team-mate Jack Whelbourne was knocked out.

It's not going so well for James Machon and Murray Buchan in the freestyle skiing, but they've still got one run left.

And we've also got the women's bobsleigh team of Paula Walker and Rebekah Wilson to come later this afternoon.

Canada's Mike Riddle, the 2013 world number one, is last to go in the first run. Riddle tries to smile after only receiving a score of 82.20 which is only good enough to stick him into sixth. You're not fooling anyone, Mikey. He is not happy.

Compatriot James Dorey leads with a 91.60, while GB pair Murray Buchan (17th) and James Machon (23rd) have everything to do in the second run to finish in the top 12 and reach the final.

Nick Hope
BBC Sport at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park in Sochi

"Some pretty impressive routines from the likes of Canadian Justin Dorey, 91.60, and USA skier David Wise, 88.40, in the first qualifying round but GB pair Murray Buchan, 58.40, and James Machon, 37.40, have it all do.

"They're in 17th and 23rd respectively chasing a top-12 finish to reach the finals later.

"Great support for the athletes in the sport who is making its Olympic debut here in Sochi."

The Dutch fans in the crowd go wild as their man Bob de Jong, who already has one medal of every colour in this event, clocks the best time of the day by seven seconds with a time of 13:07.19.

The 37-year-old was on schedule to match both the track and Olympic record a few laps in, but his pace dropped off. He did however managed to lap German Alexej Baumgaertener.

De Jong's countryman Sven Kramer, the 5000m Sochi gold medallist and Jorrit Bergsma, who won bronze in the 5000m, are still to come. Could Netherlands take their fourth sweep of the Games in the discipline?

Two goals in the final two minutes give the Bolshoy Ice Dome crowd the chance to celebrate, and put a rather misleading gloss on the scoreline. It was tense for the best part of two periods but Russia see out the third comfortably to beat Norway 4-0 and set up a quarter-final against Finland at 12:30 GMT on Wednesday. But that's not it as far as the men's play-offs go for today, not by a long shot. Coming up at 17:00 GMT is the Czech Republic v Slovakia, which should be tasty.

Image source, Reuters

What's happened to British pair Murray Buchan and James Machon? Scotland's finest Buchan, 22, starts with a lovely back-to-back nine, then lands a 12 despite a bit of a wobble.

Sheffield's Machon, who has struggled with a knee injury, kills his speed with a dodgy landing and limps to the end of his run. Buchan sits 12th, with Machon down in 17th.

Peter Crook hails from the skiing haven that is the British Virgin Islands, and he had to set up the Caribbean island's national skiing association to get to Sochi. But, there is no fairytale as he crashes to the floor in his first effort. Ouch.

It was a photo finish in the men's biathlon 15km mass start, but while the rest of us were scratching our heads, trying to decide whether Martin Fourcade had beaten Emil Hegle with a last-gasp lunge towards the line, Hegle himself was confident. Cool, even.

"It might have looked like I could lose gold, but I had good control over him," said Olympic champion Hegle of the thrilling finish. "I knew I would get gold. It looked closer than it was. I looked at the finish photo and was surprised how close it was."

Nick Hope
BBC Sport at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park in Sochi

On Twitter, external: Really feels like a Winter Olympics now. So much snow here in Sochi

USA's David Wise has been dubbed the 'undude' because he does not conform with the freestyler skier stereotype of youthful exuberance, laissez-faire attitude and super-hipster vocabulary. The 23-year-old is married and has a two-year-old daughter - but that does not stop him storming to the top of the pops. The three-time X Games gold medallist is a favourite in Sochi and starts well with a score of 88.40 in his opening run.

The snow is falling in Sochi, but at least Nils Lauper's impressive moustache is keeping his top lip warm. The Swiss skier's performance on the halfpipe is not so hot, though, as he tumbles into sixth. We've also found out that only two of the Wells brothers are competing in this event because Byron Wells has injured his leg and, so, 'three become two' to paraphrase a Spice Girls song.

American teeny bopsters Hanson may have set the standard for famous trios of siblings, but the Wells brothers of New Zealand are aiming to hit the high notes in Sochi. Youngest sibling Beau-James, 18, is first on the halfpipe ahead of Jossi, 21, and Byron, 23. The impressively named, and impressively hairy, Beau-James produces an incredible run including back-to-back doubles to score 76.80 and go into second place.

Brent Pope
BBC Sport ice hockey commentator

Image source, Getty Images

"Russia needed this like we all need oxygen to move forward in the tournament. That will encourage them and put a little bit of life into their medal hopes.

"The second goal is massive and it forces the Norwegians to come forward and open the game up. That favours the hosts."

Goal! Again. Ilya Kovalchuk pounces first to put away the rebound after a strike at goal hits the post, and Russia have a bit of daylight at 2-0 with one period remaining.

Tough work for Emery Lehman in the men's speed skating. The 17-year-old still competes as a United Statesjunior in world competitions but is now up against experienced Russian Yevgeny Seryayev, who has the vocal backing of the home crowd.

The teenager and the veteran are neck and neck in the final laps and, ultimately, only 0.06 of a second divides them. The Russian is currently third and the young American fourth; however there are plenty of pairs still to come in the Adler Arena.

Nick Hope
BBC Sport at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park in Sochi

On Twitter, external: In Sochi, Team GB freestyle skiers Murray Buchan & James Machon go 19th & 20th in ski halfpipe qualifiers

Over in the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, the men's ski halfpipe is about to kick off. Two British 'dudes' - Murray Buchan and James Machon - will be strutting their stuff, attempting to wow the judges with a series of tricks. The pair are among a 29-man field aiming to reach the final, which will be contested by the best 12 skiers at 17:30 GMT today.

James McCarthy, external: Just seen this mornings curling, Murdoch what a legend! Fortune favours the brave.

David Lynch, external: Dave Murdoch is a lad going for the tricky two when an easy one was there for the taking.