Making the journey across. Thats all ahead on bbc news. Now on bbc news its time for sportsday. Hello and welcome to sportsday im holly hamilton. Coming up on the programme. Its not a medal but dave ryding makes history with britains first top ten finish in Alpine Skiing in 30 years. Britains men curlers slide out of medal contention as they crash out of the olympics following defeat to switzerland. And Elise Christie finally gets something to celebrate as her boyfriend wins hungarys first ever winter olympic gold medal. Also coming up. Can celtic make it to the last 16 of the Europa League for the first time in 1a years as they face zenit St Petersburg in russia . They have already had an early setback. They have already had an early setback. Hello and welcome to the programme where we begin in pyeongchang as we begin to edge towards the end of the winter games. That means medal opportunities for team gb are few and far between but this man will be celebrating his own victory. Dave the rocket ryding learned to ski on a dry slope in pendle. Today he finished in the top ten of the mens slalom britains best Alpine Skiing result for 30 years. Some of his fans were watching back at his old ski club. Dave the rocket ryding. Its amazing, i have never seen anyone from britain doing that. Its amazing, i have never seen anyone from britain doing thatm is very motivating to know you can move from the dry slope to the snow and i know a lot of people want to following in his footsteps. From a dry ski slope in lancashire to the real stuff in south korea, dave ryding has followed an unconventional path, but now finds himself battling against the worlds best. Its exciting to be in a medal position at the olympics. Dave ryding skiing for a medal position at the olympics. Even dave ryding was left disappointed with his performance, saying he could have done more. thought the second run really suited me, ijust made a couple of mistakes which cost me. I know i could have had a bit more in me by the same time, it is the olympics and eve ryo ne time, it is the olympics and everyone is feeling the same thing 90s respectable. Thank you for joining us, an incredible result for dave ryding, ninth place, not a medal but step forward . It certainly is andi medal but step forward . It certainly is and i think we should be very pleased, getting in the top ten at the olympics is incredible. What did you think about it performance, has he improved . I think he skied a little inside himself, not quite risking it all if youre going to get a medal but he should be pleased hes in the top ten but in a couple of days time he may be thinking, what is . He is definitely inspired, heard him say that the winner, at the age of 35 taking gold, it is not overfor the age of 35 taking gold, it is not over for dave . Certainly not, david is going to be 35 at the next one and the previous champion was 35 at sochi three years ago. It seems to be the right age to hit your stride and with Sports Science athletes are able to go longer and harder and stay away from injuries. It is looking like team gb could meet their target of five medals, depending on the curling tomorrow, what you think over all of their performance . They have done really well. We have had a couple of near misses, like with Elise Christie but i think we have done really well and we are making strides in the right direction. We are not a Winter Sports powerhouse but we are going in the right direction. This idea is something we will be looking at, we heard earlier run from one of the heroes of the 1988 games, eddie the eagle. He has been speaking to my colleagues. Every time the winter 0lympics come round it brings back memories of 30 years ago and it is great for everyone watching the Winter Olympics, hopefully inspires people to get out there and get skiing or snowboarding which is wonderful. I have recently heard that over 55 year olds are more likely to go on a skiing holiday then young kids. The Winter Olympics helps to promote that skiing ethos, i think it is wonderful. There are plenty of comments about money being spent across uk sports, teams that are spent across uk sports, teams that a re successful spent across uk sports, teams that are successful and bring back medals get more cash, do you think it should be dedicated like that is certain sports or mode of a level Playing Field . I think it should be more of a level Playing Field. It is not fair to give it to sports which are doing well. Those who are not doing quite so well need more money to bring their athletes through so i think it should be thinking about how can we spend this money and benefit more and more athletes. By buying a chalet where all our athletes can go and concentrate, they dont have to worry about how bills and things like that, that makes it easier for them. Bills and things like that, that makes it easierfor them. It bills and things like that, that makes it easier for them. It will cost a fraction of giving money to all these different federations who pay their directors and cheer men more, but all of that money gets to athletes. We need an enquiring into where that money goes, this could be worth it, we could be doing better, using the money in a better way and thinking, are you doing the right thing by using these federations . Should we do more to help more people. Let us get more runners. This idea of spreading the port across more events, do you agree with that . I think it is a really difficult point. At the moment you get rewarded for good results and the sports that havent got good athletes already do not get any funding so it is difficult because the medals mean more money but you do not help anyone get there. Will we ever get to the point where we can take on people like germany and norway . I think we can, take dave is a great example, he is now one of the best in the world. His route of skiing on dry slopes until he was 12 and then started training on snow shows that we can do it. The more money that comes into it, as eddie said, we could create a base were ever win could go and train out of. But we will never be able to compete in terms of vaes of competing like the austrians, germans and french, all those with snow on their doorstep. Thank you very much. Lets round up some of the days other news from peongchang now and russian curler Alexander Krushelnitsky has been stripped of his mixed doubles bronze medal, alongside his wife, after being found guilty of doping. He was representing the 0lympic athletes from russia team as one of 168 russians allowed to compete as neutrals but the court of arbitration for sport has announced today that krushelnitsky admitted to the anti doping violation. Focusing on the actual action and team gbs men couldnt match the women by reaching the semi finals of the curling competition. They lost their play off to switzerland 9 5. It was looking good with just 2 ends to play, but a five point stone from the swiss in the penultimate end saw them advance. So disappointment after taking a silver medal in the event at sochi four years ago. We came in ourfirst 0lympics we came in ourfirst olympics and gaveit we came in ourfirst olympics and gave it our best short. We made the play offs but in the end we had a good game but itjust was not to be sadly. A couple of half shots and thatis sadly. A couple of half shots and that is all it takes in a team as good as them. There is plenty to look forward to going forward, just need to take some time and reflect on the experience and what we can do in the future. There was a tense finish to the womens ice hockey final. The United States won a dramatic penalty shoot out in the womens final to take gold and stop canada from winning theirfifth straight title. Usa keeper Maddie Rooney was the hero, sparking wild american celebrations. Huge disappointment for canada. Wu dajing has won gold in the mens 500 metres short track skating. The chinese athlete led from the front and set a new world record 39. 581; seconds. And the womens 1000 metres short track skating final was won by dutch skater suzanne schulting. This was of course the event that Elise Christie was disqualified from. But there has been something for christie to cheer today. This was her reaction as she watched her boyfriend Sandor Liu Shaolin help hungary to their first ever Winter Olympics gold medal in the mens 5,000 metres relay. We will have the latest from the England Training camp ahead of the calcutta at calcutta cup match against scotland. Hoping to end mercedes domination of the world championship. Celtic are approaching half time in their Europa League tie. Celtic led 1 their Europa League tie. Celtic led 1 milfrom the first their Europa League tie. Celtic led 1 mil from the first leg their Europa League tie. Celtic led 1 milfrom the first leg but their Europa League tie. Celtic led 1 mil from the first leg but fell behind afterjust eight minutes in russia. Former chelsea defender giving Roberto Mancinis side the early advantage. As things stand, Brendan Rodgers men only need one goal to progress. Arsenal take on swedish side 0stersund later, and will begin the match with a three nil advantage from the first leg. Midfielders aaron ramsey and mesut 0zil will miss the match through injury and illness, manager Arsene Wenger though Still Believes he has enough at his disposal to secure another victory. I always try to find a team who can win the next game. So i build a team with a Good Opportunity to win the game for us. We played in front of home fans but that is still a lot of stea k for home fans but that is still a lot of steakfor us, home fans but that is still a lot of steak for us, this competition is important for us. It is not absolutely vital but we go in to begin with a good focus to when. Into into their game. Sunderland owner ellis short has revealed today that he is prepared to give the club away for free, thats if a buyer can be found to take on the championship sides substantial debt. Our sports news correspondent Richard Conway broke this story earlier and joins me now. Richard, a significant change in attitude from the clubs american owner, but anybody coming in will still have to find plenty of money . Yes, that is a catch behind this. While he is no longer looking for a big fee for his equity, he had been looking for a £50 million, he had been reportedly looking for a when they were in the premier league but now, i understand he is giving the equity away for free and somebody comes and prepared to take on the significant debt that the clubhouse. It is about a. 17 million is owed to mr short and the balances owed to a Financial Institution so whoever comes in will have to take that debt on. It is quite a serious undertaking. So, ellis short makes no secret of the fact he wants to sell the club. Those efforts are going i understand, but in terms of asking price, he is now looking to give the club away as long as someone will come in and take on the debt. Thank you for the latest on that story. Eddiejones has made one change to his starting fifteen for the six nations clash with scotland at murrayfield on saturday. Number 8 Nathan Hughes will make his first appearance in this years competition, replacing the injured sam simmonds in the back row. Propjoe marler comes in on the bench having missed the opening two wins with suspension. Heres our rugby Union Reporter chrisjones. Nathan hughes was always going to come back in at number eight given his return to fitness and the to sam simmonds. Apart from that eddie jones has gone with the same 15 last time out, a sign that england are settled and confident, looking to make it three wins out of three. How will they go about things at murrayfield . This time in their sights is the scotland player finn russell who has had a shaky start to the campaign. He is a worldclass player, he went on the lions tour. We will have to defend him very closely. It is a small country fighting above its weight and i am sure they will feel that on saturday but they will be up for it. The calcutta cup is one of the most historic games in the rugby calendar so they feel honoured to play in this game and to be excited about playing this game and at the same time we know we have got a job to do. This fixture is the oldest in by do. This fixture is the oldest in rugby and laced with history. The focus has almost been clinical this week, for then murrayfield holds no fear, they have not lost there are some time. Right well stay with the six nations as we round up some of the days other sports news. Joe schmidt will be without three irish lions players when his side take on wales on saturday. Andrew porter, who came on for tadgh furlong against italy last time out, will make his first six nations start in the front row. James ryan also replaces Iain Henderson in the pack. With Robbie Henshaw ruled out, bundee aki finds himself the more experienced test centre this time around. Chris farrell will also make his six nations debut. I have been talking to Chris Farrell for three or four years. I have been talking to Chris Farrell forthree orfouryears. He has i have been talking to Chris Farrell for three or four years. He has been a long term project. But he did really well against argentina. So, yes, we are short on expert experience. We welcome back three lions and see three disappear so it is not ideal but at the same time, if you want to learn, what better environment than what will be a really white hot atmosphere on saturday. Some of the other stories now. Eddie van hoof has been dismissed from his post with british gymnastics. He was initially suspended as mens Head National coach towards last year. Following a subsequent investigation gymnastics governing body have today said there are irreconcilable differences between the two parties regarding leadership, conduct and the culture of coaching. Italy are taking the lead in the cycle race in abu dhabi. He will be wearing their leaders red jersey on stage three which is a 133 kilometres circuit of abu dhabi. Svitolina of ukraine is through to the semifinals of the tennis championships. Defending champion needed only one hour and 23 minutes to secure that triumph. Its been ten yea rs to secure that triumph. Its been ten years since ferrari won the formula one title but they have a new car with which they hope to end mercedes dominance. 0ur reporter was there at the unveiling. Formula one has always been about glitz and glamour. Today mercedes lunch was more like a film premiere. Lewis hamilton is a four times world champion, now in his sixth season at mercedes. His contract is up at the end of the season but there is no twist on the spot, he is not going anywhere. There is no reason to rush, there is no panic. I am rush, there is no panic. Lam not feeling under any pressure from any other drivers. Mercedes have no reason to feel that i am talking to anybody else. In the whole six years i have been there, i have not spoken to anyone else and i think that shows my commitments. Whenever Lewis Hamilton goes he attracts attention, on and off the track. That was evident at christmas time any posted comments about his nephew on instagram. It attracted criticism. He deleted those comments. I asked him today whether that had been a distraction. In life there is always a challenge, psychologically for all of us in whateverjobs were then, we all have hurdles we come across. It is not how you fall, it is how you get up. This black shield is there heel get up. This black shield is there heel, the new head Protection System for formula one to improve Driver Safety. Not everyone likes it. |j for formula one to improve Driver Safety. Not everyone likes it. Iam not impressed with the whole thing and if you give me a chainsaw, i will take it off. I think we need to look after Driver Safety but what we have implemented is pathetically not appealing. Traffic literally stops when hamilton and his team come to silverstone but who will stop mercedes this season . That is the question no one can answer yet. That is the question no one can answer yet. Now were nearly out of time but before we go we like to make sure youre across everything thats going on in pyeongchang. Well Team Gb Snowboarder billy morgans daily commute from the Olympic Village to the slopes is pretty impressive. Here he is on the scooter hes been supplied with making his