Canada take glory in women’s skicross

Marielle Thompson and Kelsey Serwa take 1-2 for Canada in women’s skicross as the nation surged up the medals table.

Marielle Thompson, Kelsey Serwa (both Canada) and Sweden's Anna Holmlund completed the podium [GALLO/GETTY]

Marielle Thompson and Kelsey Serwa finished 1-2 for Canada in women’s skicross, giving their country bookend gold-silver performances in Olympic freestyle skiing.

The final pitted the four fastest women in qualifying. Thompson, ranked third, took an early lead against the top-ranked Serwa and never let it slip. Ophelie David of France wiped out about two-thirds of the way down the course, which gave the bronze to Sweden’s Anna Holmlund.

Ice hockey

Sweden have sealed their place in the Olympics ice hockey final after a 2-1 win over Finland.

The 2006 Olympic champions will face the United States or Canada on Sunday. The Finns will play the loser of the second semifinal for bronze on Saturday.

All the scoring came in the second period, with Finland going ahead 1-0 on Olli Jokinen’s goal from a sharp angle to the left of Lundqvist.

Sweden’s Loui Eriksson tied the game by finishing off a sweet sequence of passes midway through the period. Karlsson made it 2-1 with a slap shot from the middle of the ice just inside the blue line with 3:34 left.

Curling

Sweden won the bronze medal in men’s curling, beating China 6-4 in a game that was decided by the final shot in an extra end.

It is Sweden’s first medal at a men’s tournament since curling returned to the Olympic programme in 1998.

China skip Liu Rui had the chance to win the game but was heavy with a draw on his last rock, which glanced off a Swedish stone that was stationed on the button. China will regret making two technical violations in their delivery of rocks in key moments in the ninth and extra ends.

Canada plays Britain later in the gold-medal game.

Source: AP