Paralympic wake-up: Canada loses controversial curling semifinal
Canada's quest for a fourth consecutive wheelchair curling gold ended with a contentious loss to China in the semifinals, and Mark Arendz's long-coveted biathlon gold headlined a three-medal day for Canadian biathletes at the Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Here's a quick recap of all the important news you might have missed overnight, and what's to come later today.
China deals Canada historic loss
Chinese skip Wang Haitao needed to be perfect on his last shot of the game, and he delivered with the hammer to give China a 4-3 win and deny Canada a shot at a fourth wheelchair curling gold.
It was a back-and-forth affair between Canada and China, but the match drew to a halt in the seventh end after a stone hit Canadian skip Mark Ideson's chair. As a result of the burned rock, China decided to place the stone in the rings where it hit Ideson's wheel, which led to protests from the Canadian rink. It appeared the rock was on its way out when it was burned.
Ultimately, the officials placed the stone at the back of the rings and the end was eventually blanked to set up a decisive eighth.
Canada will play South Korea for bronze Friday at 8:35 p.m. ET after the hosts lost in extra ends to Norway. The Canadians lost to South Korea 7-5 in the teams' round-robin match earlier at the Games.
Norway will take on China in the gold-medal game on Saturday at 1:35 a.m. ET.
Arendz gets his gold
Mark Arendz completed his Paralympic medal collection with a gold in the men's 15-kilometre standing biathlon. The 28-year-old from Hartsville, P.E.I., shot perfectly on the course to earn his fourth medal of these Games and his sixth overall.
His win, combined with Collin Cameron and Brittany Hudak both winning bronze in the men's sitting and women's standing events, respectively, brought Canada's medal total to 19 at these Games, tying a national record set in Vancouver in 2010.
Snowboarders short of the podium
Canada's seven competitors were unable to medal in the Paralympic debut of snowboarding banked slalom. Michelle Salt, who placed fourth in LLI snowboard cross, finished fifth in her banked slalom event; Sandrine Hamel also placed fifth in the LL2 banked slalom.
Curt Minard (UL) and John Leslie (LL2) both finished eighth in their respective events. Andrew Genge placed 17th in the UL banked slalom, while Alex Massie and Colton Liddle finished 10th and 12th, respectively, in the LL2 event.
What's coming up on Friday?
Canada will surpass its total medal haul from the Vancouver Games by virtue of the para ice hockey team reaching the gold-medal game; the team is guaranteed either a gold or silver in that game, which would bring the total to 20.
A new record could be set beforehand by one of Friday's Canadian competitors.
Alpine skiing
Mac Marcoux, Kurt Oatway and Alexis Guimond can add to their personal medal totals in the men's slalom, which begins at 8:30 p.m. ET with the first runs. The events conclude Saturday at 1 a.m. ET with their second runs.
Marcoux, racing with guide Jack Leitch, already owns downhill gold and giant slalom bronze in the visually impaired events from earlier at these Games. Guimond owns bronze from the giant slalom standing event, while Oatway claimed super-G gold in the sitting competition.
Cross-country skiing
Brian McKeever can complete a "triple treble" with a gold medal in the men's 10-km visually impaired event. McKeever owns 12 career Paralympic golds — and 15 medals overall — and has swept all three individual men's cross-country events at the last two Winter Games.
The men's 10-km and women's 7.5-km standing and visual impairment events begin at 9 p.m. ET, followed by the men's 7.5 km and women's 5 km sitting events at 11:40 p.m. ET.
