Beyond the Podium: Canada’s Olympic curling schedule

ABOVE: Canada’s curlers take centre stage at Sochi

Canada’s curlers have arrived in Sochi, and expectations are high.

The sport may not be surrounded by the hype of sports such as hockey, but it has historically been one of Canada’s strongest sports at the Olympics and 2014 should be no different.

Since curling became an official Olympic event in 1998, both the Canadian men’s and women’s teams have reached the podium at every Olympic Games.

The men have won two straight gold medals in 2006 and 2010, as well as capturing silver in 1998 and 2002. The 2014 team is led by skip Brad Jacobs who is relatively new to the world stage but who has been almost unstoppable over the last year.

The women have one gold (1998), one silver (2010) and two bronze (2002, 2006) since the sport’s Olympic debut. They are led this year by the oldest Canadian athlete heading to Sochi, 39-year-old veteran Jennifer Jones who is one of the most successful Canadian curlers of all time.

There are 10 countries competing in both the men’s and women’s competitions. In curling, every country plays each other once. The teams with the best four records advance to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-final matches play for the gold medal, while the losers play for bronze.

Here’s what the schedule looks like for Canada’s curlers in Sochi:

Men:

Round Robin

• Monday, February 10 vs. Germany @ 9 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET / Sunday 9 p.m. PT).
• Monday, February 10 vs. Switzerland @ 7 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT).
• Tuesday, February 11 vs. Sweden @ 2 p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT).
• Wednesday, February 12 vs. Russia @ 7 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT).
• Thursday, February 13 vs. Denmark @ 2 p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT).
• Friday, February 14 vs. Norway @ 9 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET / Thursday 9 p.m. PT).
• Saturday, February 15 vs. Great Britain @ 2 p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT).
• Sunday, February 16 vs. U.S.A. @ 9 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET / Saturday 9 p.m. PT).
• Sunday, February 16 vs. China @ 7 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT).

Semi-Final Round

• Wednesday, February 19 – Semi-Final 1 @ 7 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT).
• Wednesday, February 19 – Semi-Final 2 @ 7 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT).

Medal Round

• Friday, February 21 – Bronze Medal Game @ 12:30 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 a.m. PT).
• Friday, February 21 – Gold Medal Game @ 5:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET / 5:30 a.m. PT).

Women:

Round Robin

• Monday, February 10 vs. China @ 2p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT).
• Tuesday, February 11 vs. Sweden @ 9 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET / Monday 9 p.m. PT).
• Wednesday, February 12 vs. Great Britain @ 2 p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT).
• Thursday, February 13 vs. Denmark @ 9 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET / Wednesday 9 p.m. PT).
• Thursday, February 13 vs. Switzerland @ 7 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT).
• Saturday, February 15 vs. Japan @ 9 a.m. local time (12 a.m. ET / Friday 9 p.m. PT).
• Saturday, February 15 vs. Russia @ 7 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT).
• Sunday, February 16 vs. U.S.A. @ 2 p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT).
• Monday, February 17 vs. South Korea @ 7 p.m. local time (10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT).

Semi-Final Round

• Wednesday, February 19 – Semi-Final 1 @ 2 p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT).
• Wednesday, February 19 – Semi-Final 2 @ 2p.m. local time (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT).

Medal Round

• Thursday, February 20 – Bronze Medal Game @ 12:30 p.m. local time (3:30 a.m. ET / 12:30 a.m. PT).
• Thursday, February 20 – Gold Medal Game @ 5:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET / 5:30 a.m. PT).