---

Women win twice, men lose.

Breakfast is provided by the hotel staff from 5am. We were happy to take advantage of this service and met shortly after six o'clock so that we could recharge our batteries in peace and quiet for the two duels that awaited us today. We know the Belgians, we have beaten them on their soil and we know that this is a team with whom we have to play a more open game. We didn't quite get it right at the beginning, but then we found our way and won sovereignly and clearly. So we already have our first points. The last member of the team, physiotherapist Matyáš Rytina, arrived late last night. He was requested by the Czech men first thing in the morning and so we met Matyáš before this afternoon's match. A joint lunch at a nearby Italian restaurant served to set up and agree on a regimen that would work for warm ups, stretching and physio. And then we were off on foot, in minus nine degree weather, for a quarter hour walk towards the hall. The afternoon's opponent was from Austria, a traditional country of all sorts of winter sports, including ice throwing (that's not curling), bobsledding, hockey, figure skating, etc. After a confident performance, we won quickly and decisively (8 to 1) and were able to return early to the hotel. Some will use the sauna, others will go to the gym, some will go out for dinner, others will watch the curling on the stream or the final of the tennis championship tournament or the opening of the football world championship and some will relax after a hard day. It just depends on personal preference. Lenka and I still have training duties and tomorrow morning the first course will be the Slovenes. As an additional news item, after yesterday's close loss to Turkey, the men also lost to the Norwegians (3 : 10) and after three games are still without a win.