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    Sochi, while you slept: Ski cross crashes galore

    The French sweep the podium while Canada’s Brady Leman finishes fourth

    Aaron Hutchins
    <p>Sweden&#8217;s Victor Oehling Norberg, left, and Russia&#8217;s Igor Korotkov crash during a men&#8217;s ski cross heat at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)</p>

    Andy Wong/AP

    Andy Wong/AP
    Andy Wong/AP

    What does ski cross look like? It’s filled with big air and big spills. One quarter-finals heat this morning included a photo finish between three athletes who all crashed before the finish line.

    The Russian who stuck out his arms managed to cross in second place and qualify for the next round.

    Amid the chaos and crashes, Canada’s Brady Leman won three races en route to the final foursome.

    And in that finals he would be in a battle for the podium against three competitors all from France.

    After falling behind the lead early, Leman pressed hard trying to get himself into a medal position, but crashed late in the race.

    Canada’s other medal hopefuls included Dave Duncan, who wiped out in an early heat costing him a chance to make amends for missing the Vancouver Games with a broken collarbone.

    Fellow Canadian Chris Del Bosco didn’t have any luck either.

    Zero medals for Canada, but the replays will be worth watching for sure.

    Dispatches from Sochi: (Be sure to follow: @ChasGillis, @JonGatehouse, @kmqyvr, @KrRutherford and @reporterchris)

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    Ken MacQueen: Men’s curling saves best for medal rounds

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    Wake up! Still to come today: Canada goes for gold in ski halfpipe, curling and women’s hockey

    It’s the one hockey game that needs no introduction: Canada versus USA. The two nations are head and shoulders above the rest of the world in the women’s game and they will face-off for gold yet again. The U.S. has been the better team a since losing the gold medal game in Vancouver, though Canada won their round robin in Sochi 3-2. It’s guaranteed to be a classic. Puck drops at noon EST/9 a.m. PST.

    Jennifer Jones already made Olympic history by going undefeated int he curling round robin, but that will merely be a consolation prize if she doesn’t take home the gold medal. A win over the 2013 World Champions from Great Britain in the semi-final set up this final game against Sweden. Canada beat the Swedes 9-3 in the round robin. Can she do it once more for gold? Find out at 8:30 am. EST/5:30 a.m. PST.

    Canada’s ski halfpipe team already won a silver medal thanks to Mike Riddle in the men’s competition, and the women have a chance to add to that tally today. Look out for Roz Groenewoud, a two-time X Games gold medallist, a strong contender for the podium. The women fly at 9:30 a.m. EST/6:30 a.m. PST.

    tags:Sochi 2014