GB curlers sweep aside Germany to edge closer to semis

Team GB’s men’s curlers took a step closer to securing a Winter Olympics semi-final place as they compiled an accomplished victory over Germany.

Bruce Mouat’s world champions have now won four of their opening five matches in northern Italy, with six victories almost certain to guarantee a place in the last four and a shot at the medals.

The Scottish quartet beat their German counterparts in both the European and the World Championships last year and were rarely in danger here.

Level at 2-2 after three ends, the British rink moved smoothly into a 5-2 advantage at the interval, then accelerated clear with a further steal of two in the seventh end.

Germany were floundering at that stage and, although they cut the deficit, Mouat closed out another couple in the ninth end to secure the win.

The men are back on the ice later on Sunday, against the unbeaten Switzerland (18:05 GMT).

Adele Nicoll made history by becoming the first British woman to compete in the monobob at the Olympics and sits 13th at the halfway point at the Cortina sliding track.

The 29-year-old clocked a time of 2:00:83 over the two heats, 1.71 seconds off Germany’s Laura Nolte in top spot.

It is unlikely Nicoll will trouble the medals but a top-10 finish would likely represent a successful Games for the Welsh slider, who was a travelling reserve for the Beijing 2022 Games but will also contest the two-woman event at Milan-Cortina.

“I was more nervous than maybe I’d realised for the first run and I felt a little bit like jelly on the block,” she said.

“Seeing the Milan-Cortina Olympic rings was really surreal and emotional. These were all first experiences, I just wanted to do myself proud.”

Nicoll is also a three-time British shot put champion and is targeting an appearance at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.