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

IN THE FIRING LINE: Johnny Weir, who ditched his controversial fur costume ahead of the Games, is one of the attractions in the men's figure skating competition on day five (Getty Images)

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23:20 (-8 GMT) That concludes day five of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver but be sure to join us tomorrow when, weather permitting, Lindsey Vonn will be bidding for downhill gold

23:16 (-8 GMT): The buzzer has gone at Canada Hockey Place and Russia have chalked up a comfortable 8-2 win over Latvia - to read the match report click here

22:58 (-8 GMT): Another picture gallery - this one's from the women's snowboardcross where Maeller Ricker captured Canada's second gold of the Games - take a look here

22:40 (-8 GMT): The picture gallery from Tatjana Hufner's luge gold is in, and there's a real peach of a picture in there - take a look here

22:26 (-8 GMT): Meanwhile, Russia are cruising against Latvia and are currently 4-0 with just seconds of the second period remaining

22:10 (-8 GMT): Here's the report from the second session of the men's curling at the Vancouver Olympic Centre 

21:45 (-8 GMT): Curling update - Kevin Martin's Canada have eased to their second win of the day with a 9-4 victory over Germany while the other two matches have gone to extra ends, stay tuned for a full report

21:19 (-8 GMT): The report is in from the Finland 2 China 1 women's ice hockey match - to read it click here

21:18: (-8 GMT): The formidable men's Russian ice hockey team are in action and they've just gone 2-0 up against Latvia

21:16 (-8 GMT): It's all over at the UBC Thunderbird Arena and Finland hold on for a 2-1 win. The action is also coming to a conclusion over at the curling so expect some updates soon.

21:03 (-8 GMT): In the ice hockey, Finland have stormed back and are now 2-1 to the good against China - not long left in the third period

20:55 (-8 GMT): And British skier Chemmy Alcott is thinking positively about tomorrow's downhill - to read more click here

20:50 (-8 GMT): Meanwhile Great Britain's skeleton slider Kristan Bromley has been speaking about how he thinks his scientific approach will pay dividends in Whistler

20:40 (-8 GMT): And the men's short program is over. Evgeni Plushenko, on his return to the Olympic stage, has set the standard and is the current leader - to read more click here

20:27 (-8 GMT): Another superb performance on the ice, this time from the USA's world champion Evan Lysacek. He squeezes into second with 90.35 but still Plushenko leads

20:10 (-8 GMT): Belgium's Kevin van der Perren up now - the husband of Great Britain's Jenna McCorkell. They even curtailed their Valentin'es Day plans to prepare for their routines

20:02 (-8 GMT): Love him or hate him, that was very impressive from Johnny Weir. He amasses 82.10 to put him in fifth place - I thought that would have been a little higher.....

19:59 (-8 GMT): The controversial Johnny Weir up now - he's been causing a stir with animal rights activists and has been forced to move into the Olympic Village and share his suite with Tanith Belbin. Oh the hardship!

19:52 (-8 GMT): The Pacific Coliseum has erupted as Patrick 'the man' Chan takes to the ice.......no pressure

19:50 (-8 GMT): And at the Vancouver Olympic Centre in the curling, Canada and Germany are currently locked at 2-2, France lead China 1-0, as do the USA against Norway

19:49 (-8 GMT): An update from the UBC Thunderbird Arena - China are 1-0 after the first period in a drab affair

19:46 (-8 GMT): Korea's Lee Jung-Su, the 1500m short track speed skating gold medallist, has added extra spice to the 1000m and 500m, claiming Apolo Anton Ohno did not deserve his silver medal - read more

19:39 (-8 GMT): Now we're talking - Takahiko Kozuka is performing his routine to Jimmy Hendrix

19:37 (-8 GMT): The action is back on at Pacific Coliseum and France's Brian Joubert has had a shocker. A fall on his triple lutz and a failure to register a combination sees him collected just 68.00 points - good enough for tenth

19:09 (-8 GMT): Things are hotting up now on the ice rink. Japan's Nobunari Oda edges into third place ahead of Lambiel with 84.85

19:04 (-8 GMT): A huge season's best of 84.63 for Stephanie Lambiel but that's still six points down on our leaders - work to do tomorrow

19:02 (-8 GMT): Spectators at the Vancouver Olympic Centre are really being treated today. More men's curling is just getting underway now

Canada are up against Germany, China will play France while the USA and Norway do battle on the ice. A rest for Great Britain and David Murdoch

19:00 (-8 GMT): What a final flurry from Lambiel - more spins that a tumble dryer! One or two mistakes crept in though.....we await the scores

18:58 - (-8 GMT): Stephane Lambiel on the ice now, performing to the William Tell overture

18:57 (-8 GMT): It's all over at Canada Hockey Place - and as Jarome Iginla completed his hat-trick, Canada sealed an 8-0 victory - to read the report click here

18:50 (-8 GMT): Evgeni Plushenko has some competition. A sublime performance from Japan's Daisuke Takahashi hands him 90.25 points - just 0.6 behind the Russian defending champion

Denis Ten of Kazakhstan is third, with 76.24 points - not bad for a 16-year-old 

18:40 (-8 GMT): Switzerland's Stephane Lambiel, Olympic silver medallist in Turin, will be up soon. Surely he'll at least get close to Evgeni Plushenko's mammoth score..... 

18:35 (-8 GMT) - GOAL - Corey Perry makes it 7-0 to Canada - all too easy

18:33 (-8 GMT): Two more medals were decided in the biathlon competition today - take a look at the photos of Magdalena Neuner and Bjorn Ferry's pursuit wins here.

18:31 (-8 GMT): I spoke to soon. Vaughn Chipeur will indeed get the chance to skate tomorrow in front of his home crowd - good for him!

18:26 (-8 GMT): GOAL - in fact TWO GOALS. Dany Heatley gets his second, as does Iginla - Canada are beginning to enjoy themselves 

18:25 (-8 GMT) A bit of a rarity now at the figure skating as Spain's Javier Fernandez takes to the ice. Not often do you see an elite skater from Spain - he moves into fourth place with 68.69

18:20 (-8 GMT): GOAL - Ryan Getzlaf makes it four for Canada - after a few early nerves, the hosts are enjoying themselves now

18:10 (-8 GMT): A bit of information on Canadian goalscorer Jarome Ignila for you - according to extensive research (Wikipedia) his full name is in actual fact - Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla

18:01 (-8 GMT): A very pleasant performance from Italy's Paolo Bacchini at Pacific Coliseum - the major mistake he made was trying the exit the ice at the wrong end after his rountine!

I'm a bit surprised by how much I'm enjoying the skating. I think I may have to go and watch some ice hockey after this........

17:55 (-8 GMT): There are no more medals to be awarded today, but after a good day for Tatjana Hufner and Magdalena Neuner, Germany top the medals table - take a look here

17:46 (-8 GMT): GOAL - 3-0 to Canada and while there's still just under eight minutes left in the second period, it's a long way back for Norway

17:40 (-8 GMT): A bit of resurfacing at Pacific Coliseum now. But there's some bad news for Canada - Vaughn Chipeur has missed out on qualification for the fre program

17:36 (-8 GMT): GOAL - Canada have gone 2-0 up. It was Jarome Iginla who grabbed the first and Dany Heatley has made it two   

17:33 (-8 GMT): Evgeni Plushenko is back with a bang! He has barely competed since Turin 2006 but a flawless performance hands him 90.85 and an enormous lead - a personal best no less

17:28 (-8 GMT): Disappointing for Canada's Vaughn Chipeur in the short program - an unsightly performance hands him just 57.22 points

17:27 (-8 GMT): GOAL - Canada break the deadlock on the ice hockey rink!

17:22 (-8 GMT): The women's curling preliminaries have come to an end - here's our report from the rink.

And if you're interested in curling fashion (let's face it - who isn't), check out the latest pants on the ice!

17:20 (-8 GMT): Zoe Gillings is spotted hobbling away from Cypress Mountain, using a Team GB umbrella for support. Here's her opinion on her second appearances at the Olympic Games.

17:18 (-8 GMT): Nurmenkari fell in his short program. Looked a little nervous out there (understatement!). He scores 44.62 and is last.

Big cheer for Canada's Vaughn Chipeur.

Evgeni Plushenko is about to take to the ice - the anticipation is palpable!" Sportsbeat's James Toney on Twitter

17:14 (-8 GMT): The Pole scores 52.14 to go seventh. It wasn't a perfect routine by any stretch. Defending champion Evgeni Plushenko is coming soon. But it's Finland's Ari-Pekka Nurmenkari next.

17:10 (-8 GMT): In the men's figure skating, France's Florent Amodio is still in first. Poland's Przemyslaw Domanski has just taken to the ice.

17:07 (-8 GMT): End of the first period in the men's ice hockey. Hosts Canada are in their first game and being held to a stalemate by Norway.

17:03 (-8 GMT): The biggest story of today so far has been Maelle Ricker's victory in the women's snowboardcross.

Sportsbeat's James Toney caught up with the Canadian at Cypress Mountain.

17:01 (-8 GMT): Great Britain's Lee-Steve Jackson finished 56th in the men's biathlon 12.5km pursuit earlier today.

Here's what he had to say about it.

17:00 (-8 GMT): USA match report is in - and it's grade A for forward Jenny Potter after her second hat-trick of the Games

16:34 (-8 GMT): It's the early stages of the men's figure skating short program and a huge personal best of 75.35 for France's Florent Amodio see's the 19-year-old in first place 

16:18 (-8 GMT): I know everyone's dying to know what's happening at the Thunderbird Arena so here it is. A MASSIVE shock as USA remain in complete control - the score's now 13-0 in the third period. Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej scored the most recent.

16:14 (-8 GMT): Germany celebrate a second gold at the Whistler Sliding Centre as Tatjana Hufner wins the women's competition.

Austria's Nina Reithmayer finished second with Germany's Natalie Geisenberger third.

16:06 (-8 GMT): I thought Wolf had it but Lee came back in the last 50m to finish 0.01 secs behind the German and maintain her overall lead.

Gold for Lee Sang-Hwa - read a full report of what happened in the Richmond Olympic Oval here.

15:57 (-8 GMT): Yoshii wins it to take over the lead with four skaters remaining. Margot Boer against Wang Beixing in the penultimate pairing.

Luge update - Germany's Anke Wischnewski takes the lead with four women remaining.

15:53 (-8 GMT): The final three pairings at the speed skating are up. Japan's Sayuri Yoshii and China's Shuang Zhang in number 13.

In the curling, Canada are 3-2 up against Switzerland, USA are beating Japan 6-4, Germany are beating Russia 5-3 and Denmark and Sweden are locked at 3-3.

They're coming into their seventh and eighth ends on the rink.

15:51 (-8 GMT): USA have scored again - Jenny Potter. That's 11-0. Molly Engstrom scores - that's 12-0.

You have to ask yourself at this stage, what's the point?

15:50 (-8 GMT): Nesbitt goes into second with five pairs left. Ko Hyon-Suk from Korea leads but the big names are yet to come.