AS IT HAPPENS: Day three from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver

STANDARD BEARERS: Chinese pair Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao lay down a formidable marker after raising the curtain on the Olympic figure skating in Vancouver (Getty Images)

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Take a look at the figure skating pairs short program, in pictures

Take a look at the men's freestyle skiing moguls, in pictures

Alexandre Bilodeau believes he has started the Canadian gold rush in Vancouver

Stacey Kemp and David King are hungry for more after their Olympic debut - to read more click here

20:09 (-8 GMT): That concludes all the live action from a busy day three from Vancouver but stay tuned for all the reaction from the ice rink and Alexandre Bilodeau - Canada's first ever home Olympic gold medallist

19:54: (-8 GMT): A superb performance from Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy - don't be fooled by their clown outfits. 75.96 points for them, just behind the leaders

So it's Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo who lead after the short program - to read more click here

19:45 (-8 GMT): It's all over at Thunderbird Arena and Finland have completed a comfortable 5-1 win over Russia.

19:40 (-8 GMT): Two excellent performances from the other two Chinese pairings but still it's Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo out in front, world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy up next though

19:30 (-8 GMT): The second Canadian pair take to the ice now. And Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison edge just ahead of their rivals Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay, despite Due's fall

19:13 (-8 GMT): FInally a bit of competiton for Shen and Zhao back on the ice rink. Russian duo and European champions Alexander Smirnov and Yuko Kavaguti collect 74.16

19:00 (-8 GMT): British luger Adam Rosen has been speaking of how the death of Nodar Kumaritashvili has shaken his sport but he has vowed to compete at Sochi 2014

18:50 (-8 GMT): "We've been waiting for this moment for five years and we just wanted to get out there and skate cleanly, so we are really happy," said David King.

18:36 (-8 GMT): Britain's Stacey King and David Kemp now up in the pairs - they collect 48.28 points, good enough for ninth - very promising

18:24 (-8 GMT):  ALEXANDRE BILODEAU FINALLY WINS CANADA'S FIRST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL ON HOME SOIL

To read more click here

18:10 (-8 GMT): Australia's Dale Begg-Smith produces the goods with a score of 26.58 in the men's moguls three competitors to come

18:04 (-8 GMT): Back on the skating rink and Canadian pair Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay get a rapturous round of applause - they play it safe to a degree but still chalk up 64.20 - a huge personal best 

18:03 (-8 GMT): Two Canadians lead the men's moguls final - are we going to have the first home gold? It's Vincent Marquis out in front but there's still five competitors to go

17:58 (-8 GMT): The second American pairing now of Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig and a huge personal best of 57.86 - that puts them into second place and I don't think Evora will stop smiling for hours!

17:52 (-8 GMT): A very easy on the eye performance from Russian duo Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov, if a touch out of sync at times - 56.54, not a personal best but it puts them in second

17:50 (-8 GMT) World champion Felix Loch celebrated victory in the men's luge on Sunday - view his success in pictures

17:39 (-8 GMT) There's a pause in the figure skating. Meanwhile, Finland take the lead in the ice hockey. Marjo Voutilainen gives them a 2-1 advantage in the second period.

17:30 (-8 GMT): Here's more on the news that a Russian Nordic Combined athlete and an Estonian cross-country skier have been banned for five days after tests revealed high levels of haemoglobin

17:20 (-8 GMT) French pair Vanessa James and Yannick Bonheur skate sixth at the Pacific Coliseum. They're an exciting couple but looked a touch nervous. A score of 51.60 isn't a season's best and puts them into third.

17:18 (-8 GMT): He might be tipped to be next IOC chief but Thomas Bach is not impressed he can't find his seat at the skating - Sportsbeat's James Toney, in Vancouver

17:14 (-8 GMT) Germany's Maylin Hausch and Daniel Wende lose timing a few times with their program - won't worry the medal contenders in the slightest. They go third on 45.46 - well below their personal best.

17:07 (-8 GMT) A good performance from Barrett and 16-year-old Denney but a missed triple toe loop from her will count against them

17:06 (-8 GMT): Jeremy Barrett is romantically involved with Amanda Evora, who will team up with Mark Ladwig, later in the competition - tears before bedtime me thinks!

17:04 (-8 GMT): Up now in Pacific Coliseum is American champions Caydey Denney and Jeremy Barrett and there's a bit of Valentine's Day rivalry going in the pairs skating

17:02 (-8 GMT): No-one enjoys a bit of figure skating at the Olympics more than me but v. poor music selection so far at the pairs free program. I feel that I'm stuck in a lift at Bentalls Shopping Centre. I swore that last tune was a Richard Clayderman - Sportsbeat's James Toney, in Vancouver

16:58 (-8 GMT): Take your eye off it for one second and you can miss a lot with ice hockey it seems!

Alexsandra Vafina edged Russia in front on the powerplay before Finland's Saija Sirvio equalises on a two-player powerplay. 1-1 half way through the first period.

16:56 (-8 GMT): Good news (arguably) for Adam Rosen - he mirrors his result from Turin to finish 16th again.

16:54 (-8 GMT): First tears in the grin and cry zone at the figure skating - Estonia's Maria Sergejeva who took a fall. I'm happy to run down with a tissue but my accreditation won't allow it - Sportsbeat's James Toney, in Vancouver

16:51 (-8 GMT): Felix Loch cruises home. A comfortable win in the end for the German as compatriot David Moeller joins him on the podium in second and Italy's Armin Zoeggeler claiming an Olympic medal for the fifth consecutive time.

16:47 (-8 GMT): Yesterday I was here at the Pacific Coliseum for short track, today its the pairs short program, are there two more contrasting sports? - Sportsbeat's James Toney, in Vancouver

16:44 (-8 GMT): What a marker from Shen and Zhao. They set a personal best of 76.66 and now have to wait for every other competitor to know whether they will lead after the short program.

16:43 (-8 GMT): Moving on from the biathlon and another two buses, my fifth and sixth of the day, and I'm at the Whistler Sliding Centre. Flags here are flying at half mast following last week's tragedy - Sportsbeat's Ryan Bangs in Whistler

16:42 (-8 GMT): New start record by Germany's Andi Langenhan but Russia's Albert Demtshenko trumps him to take the lead.

The big three await. Zoeggeler - Moeller - Loch.

16:40 (-8 GMT): The second women's ice hockey match of the day is under way - Finland v Russia.

Can they match USA's 12-1 defeat of China for excitement?

16:36 (-8 GMT): Martina Sablikova's 3000m speed skating gold was one of the peformances of the day. See our picture gallery here.

16:33 (-8 GMT): Chinese favourites Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo go first in the figure skating.

Great Britain's Stacey Kemp and David King go 12th at the Pacific Coliseum.

16:31 (-8 GMT): Austria's Wolfgang Kindl climbs into gold but next up is Canada's best hope Samuel Edney. Cue cheers!

16:22 (-8 GMT): USA's Chris Mazdzer takes control of the luge with the top 11 remaining.

And the final preparations are being made at the Pacific Coliseum with the pairs short program set to commence at 16:30.

16:18 (-8 GMT): Shame for Rosen, he can't quite match USA's Bengt Walden and slips 0.032 seconds behind the American.

16:15 (-8 GMT): The crowd at the luge don't seem to mind the delay - loudspeaking playing Blur's back catalogue is keeping everyone entertained.

16:05 (-8 GMT): We've got a brief delay the luge - could be another ten minutes until Rosen goes - way to pile the pressure on him! I've got faith though.

15:59 (-8 GMT): Here's Great Britain's Adam Rosen. He finished 16th in Turin but is lying 15th here.

15:38 (-8 GMT): Latvia's Guntis Rekis leads the men's luge but there are still 24 competitors left to run.

France's dream day continues as Guilbaut Colas wins the men's moguls qualification while defending champion Dale Begg-Smith in fourth.

Alexandre Bilodeau is Sportsbeat's tip for first Canadian champ - you heard it here first!" Sportsbeat's Ryan Bangs on Twitter

15:30 (-8 GMT): Good day for France today with a couple of gold medals already. Check out the up to date medal table here.

15:20 (-8 GMT): The final run of the luge is underway. They're going in reverse order so world champion and current leader Felix Loch will go last.

15:04 (-8 GMT): Dutch skater Ireen Wust goes close in the final pairing but gold goes to Czech Republic's Martina Sablikova with Germany's Stephanie Beckert collecting silver and Canada's Kristina Groves bronze.

14:59 (-8 GMT): The speed skating is coming to a head. Final pairing now and Sablikova is still in first.

Meanwhile, men's moguls qualifying - France's Guilbaut Colas has qualified for the final as has Canada's Alexandre Bilodeau and Bryon Wilson. Plenty of Canadians in this one.

14:55 (-8 GMT): BREAKING NEWS! The final run of the men's luge will start at 15:11. Exciting.

14:48 (-8 GMT): The final run of the men's luge is imminent with Germany's Felix Loch looking odds-on for gold. Meanwhile, the men's moguls is in full swing.

And in the 3000m, Czech Republic's Martina Sablikova has clocked 4:02.53 minutes to lead by 5 seconds. One word = emphatic.

14:33 (-8 GMT): We could have our first Canadian gold medal here...........Cindy Klassen looks like she's going to romp into the lead in the 3000m speed skating.

I spoke too soon, she's going backwards. She just didn't have the legs

14:28 (-8 GMT): The USA's Nancy Swider-Peltz Jr has taken the lead in the 3000m speed skating - still five pairs to go

14:26 (-8 GMT): Great Britain's Lee-Steve Jackson has been sharing his thoughts on his Olympic debut

14:25 (-8 GMT):  And France's Jason Lamy Chappuis has collected gold in the Nordic Combined 10km/normal hill

To read more, click here