Emma Smith
BBC Sport at Milano Ice Skating Arena

Every Arianna Fontana race is an education in how to run a short track event perfectly.

Even when she dropped down the field at the midway point, she was always in total control of the tempo and timed her move to the front perfectly.

Image source, Getty Images

Italy's golden girl Arianna Fontana controlled the race and records the fastest time of the first group to qualify for the semi-final.

Korea's Choi Min-jeong takes the second automatic-spot.

The commentators have just said these skaters usually reach 30-35 mph ...

Here we go.

It's time for the first quarter-final in the women's 1000m

Italy's Arianna Fontana is in this group.

The first heat of the two-man bobsleigh is done.

It's a German domination on the leader board, with all three of their teams in first to third.

Great Britain's Brad Hall and Taylor Lawrence, who completed their first run in a time of 55.65 seconds, are in eighth.

They are +0.97 seconds slower than German leaders Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer.

The second heat starts at the very specific time of 10:57 GMT ...

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Who is Arianna Fontana's biggest threat?

Canada's Courtney Sarault has been this season's star, winning the overall World Cup title as well as the 1,000m Crystal Globe.

While, Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands beat Fontana to 500m gold last week after setting a new world record in the semi-finals.

Richard Winton
BBC Sport Scotland in Cortina

Oh my, Denmark had a chance to get a big score there but Rebecca Morrison ratchets up the pressure with two fabulous draws and Madeleine Dupont is off with her final stone and GB steal one.

This is all going very nicely as we start the eighth end of 10.

Image source, Getty Images

Arianna Fontana is Italy’s big hope in the short-track.

The 35-year-old Italian is their most decorated female Olympian, who made her Games debut as a 15-year-old in Turin in 2006, winning bronze in the women’s relay.

Since then, Fontana has been on the podium at every Games and she came into these Games with a total of 11 medals.

She added to that impressive tally last week, with mixed team relay gold and silver in the women's 500m.

Those two additional medals means she equalled the tally of fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti as her country's all-time record holder at an Olympics.

She has the opportunity to overtake him by medaling in the women's 1000m today, so all eyes will be on Fontana this morning.

Image source, EPA

The women's short track 1000m quarter-finals get under way in 15 minutes.

On the face of it, it is one of the simplest and most fun events at the Winter Olympics because skaters compete in knockout races, which all begin with a mass start.

And it's easy to follow because the first skater that crosses the line is the winner!

But coming out on top is anything but simple, with crashes and disqualifications almost part of the course given overtaking is allowed.

However, that being said, skaters must not obstruct or impede their competitors.

Logan Gray
BBC Sport commentator and former elite curler

Andy Moss in Herts has asked why Rebecca Morrison throws last and sweeps for Team GB?

It's about the strengths of the respective players, Andy.

Sophie Jackson is a good tactician, so is a natural skip. Rebecca stands up well under the pressure of delivering the final stone and is a strong sweeper.

Quite a few teams in the field will have non-traditional set ups like this.

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Chilton
Alpine skiing commentator on BBC One

Really tidy and smooth from Billy Major.

Absolutely ripping it up on the Olympic stage. A fantastic first run and knows that gives him a chance going into the second run.

Image source, Getty Images

Great stuff from Billy Major! A fantastic runtime of 58.66 seconds sees the GB racer into 12th place.

That should be enough.

Anna Thompson
BBC Sport in Bormio

Image source, Getty Images

The conditions are so bad in Bormio, it's going to be interesting to see how many actually finish the first run from the 96 starters.

Ryding is safely down and although disappointed to be more than three seconds adrift of the leader, that could definitely play into his hands in the second run. He'll be one of the early starters and a fresher course to launch his trademark second run charge. He's not nicknamed the Rocket for nothing!

Sadly, Laurie Taylor straddles and he's out, like many others who have been caught out today.

Danish sisters Madeleine and Denise Dupont are competing at their fourth Winter Olympics together, finishing in a high of fifth at the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

They've made a solid start at this Games but find themselves in a bit of a tussle here against Team GB.

Matt Chilton
Alpine skiing commentator on BBC One

Image source, Getty Images

Laurie is out and he was only 0.84 off the pace but the rules say he must stop if he straddles.

Ah that's a shame. Team GB's Laurie Taylor straddles one of the gates halfway down and that means he becomes one of the many racers to not finish the first run.

Difficult conditions out there.

Richard Winton
BBC Sport Scotland in Cortina

A combination of the early start and the fact Italy are in not in action has made for a much quieter atmosphere than usual inside the Cortina Curling Stadium, but Team GB are bringing the noise.

Rebecca Morrison capitalised on a Danish mistake to take two in the sixth end and open up a three-point lead in this must-win contest.

Image source, Getty Images

Great Britain's Brad Hall and Taylor Lawrence have completed their first run in a time of 55.65 seconds.

It's very early days in this heat but they are +0.97 seconds slower than German leaders Johannes Lochner and Georg Fleischhauer.

Image source, Getty Images

Matt Chilton
Alpine skiing commentator on BBC One

Ryding's not happy with the outcome, a big gap behind the leader, and the second slowest, but he will hope it's good enough to see him through to the second run.

A lot of failures to launch and failures to finish today in these tough conditions.