These were the pre-match team snaps. Amateur psychologists assemble.

First, Great Britain. Unity, with the arms over the shoulder, but casual, with Bruce Mouat's hand in his pocket and Bobby Lammie forgetting his mask.

Image source, Getty Images

Sweden, by contrast, are very much a skip and his men, with Niklas Edin standing off to the side and the rest of this team standing to attention.

Image source, Getty Images

Sonia Oxley
BBC Sport in Beijing

The mass start speed skating is like a giant short-track race! A real crowd pleaser!

Image source, BBC Sport

Steve Cram
Curling commentator on BBC TV

Image source, Getty Images

Bruce Mouat doesn’t need too much help from the guys, it comes in nicely onto the button.

That will help his confidence. He might need to do that a few times this afternoon.

Sonia Oxley
BBC Sport in Beijing

Usually speed skating looks like a serene sport - especially compared to its sometimes chaotic-looking cousin short-track.

Not so today, when the men's and women's mass starts take centre stage.

We're used to seeing the speed skating where two athletes race against the clock rather than each other.

The mass start is a whole different story... no fixed lanes and everyone at the starting line for a bunch race over 16 laps.

Normally the long-track speed skaters don't wear helmets - but they do for this event!

This will be a lot of fun.

Image source, Getty Images

Sweden are attempting to put to bed ghosts that have haunted them since Pyeongchang 2018.

In the gold-medal match against the United States, Sweden were in control until a misplaced defensive shot from Niklas Edin opened the door for the Americans to score five and snatch a 10-7 victory, in front of a hollering Ivanka Trump.

Galling.

"Even if we get back and play in another Olympic final, even if we win one, this loss will hurt," said Edin at the time.

"It will always be one we should have won. I have no feelings at all right now."

Image source, Getty Images

Bruce Mouat can't convert the hammer into anything more than a single score. A lead on the scoreboard, but a missed opportunity?

Niklas Edin, the Swedish skip, slldes down his first stone. Nicely weighted.

Red Swedish stones at opposite sides of the circle.

Bruce Mouat takes out one. Great Britiain lie one with one stone to come from each skip.

Katie Falkingham
BBC Sport in Zhangjiakou

Away from the curling...we're under way at the cross-country with Team GB's Andrew Musgrave in action.

In case you missed it/were still asleep, this event has been delayed by an hour and the distance shortened from 50km to 30km because of the conditions.

By conditions, read 'freezing winds'.

Bruce Mouat is down in the house, indicating where Grant Hardie needs to deliver his stone.

He is using his broom to point to the various stones already down there. He looks a little like a World War Two army commander shoving little model regiments around a map with a prodder in a bunker somewhere.

Sweden have the red stones, while Great Britain are using the yellows. Which feels like the equivalent of both teams wearing their away kits...

Bobby Lammie looks a little puzzled as his first stone doesn't grip quite as he hoped.

Here we go.

Sweden's Christoffer Sundgren sends down the first stone of the gold-medal match....

Thomas Duncan
BBC Scotland in Beijing

If GB do win gold today, there will be one heck of a party in the Scottish town of Stranraer.

Mostly known for the old ferry crossing to Northern Ireland and a mention in a Proclaimers song, Grant Hardie, Bobby Lammie, and Hammy McMillan all have roots there.

By lunchtime it could have three Olympic champions. Not bad for a town of 10,000 people.

Simpson: Tucked up in my bed ready for the curling team GB to bring home the gold. Come on boys!

Alex Yau: Never did I think I could get excited about curling. It’s a different pace & like chess on ice. Going for gold.

Malcolm McLeod: After a 4.45am wake-up call here in Calgary to watch Eve and team win through, it's now a 11.50pm start to watch Bruce and co. Sleep can wait!

Franco: Who's up At 6.45 on a Saturday morning to watch the curling? Let's go lads!

British Curling’s performance director Nigel Holl was speaking to BBC’s Kat Downes ahead of Great Britian’s gold-medal match against Sweden:

"The boys have had a day off and that’s given them the chance to do some recovery, get their heads ready, get over the semi-final excitement and emotion.

"They know what they are about, they’re on it.

"The preparation for this match has been going on for the last two or three years. We are really lucky at British Curling – we have a fantastic facility up in Stirling and Team Mouat and Team Muirhead are in there as full-time athletes, that’s where the hard work really takes place."

Rhona Howie
Olympic gold medallist curler on BBC TV

This is what Great Britain have come here for and they will be looking forward to it.

There might be a few nerves but as soon as they step on the ice they’re here to do a job.

BBC One

The BBC television coverage build-up has included an epic montage featuring Arcade Fire to stir the soul and stand the goosebumps to attention.

A piper is escorting the teams the ice over in Beijing.

Tune in now on BBC One...

Jackie Lockhart
Four-time Olympic curler on BBC TV

GB have done a lot of work with sports psychology and how they present themselves. They are very professional.

They’ve got a strong team dynamic, they get on well on and off the ice and that’s the key that makes this team very strong.

They are going to have to come out with their A game and give it their all, leave nothing behind, have no regrets and focus the whole way through.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Scotland in Beijing

The players have the spectre of the podium looming as they play.

Just a reminder - as if it was needed - of what's at stake.

Maybe don't look at it boys...

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Bruce Mouat's reaction after beating the United States 8-4 to make the final was everything.

"I’m really struggling to sum it up, but I guess you saw from our reaction there that it was just pure elation. We’ve worked so hard for this," he said.

"All our friends and family have sent us messages, even strangers have sent us messages, which we absolutely adore because it really shows us the support we have back home. I have too many people to thank.

"We want to win it for ourselves, obviously, but it would be so special to win it for them and for Team GB.

"It's going to be amazing. Niklas and his team have been our rivals for so many years now.

"We’ve played them in numerous Europeans and world championships so it feels really nice to be able to play them in a larger final."