Swedish crash hands rival Norway first women’s cross-country win in relay at Milan Cortina

TESERO, Italy (AP) — An early Swedish crash cleared the way for rival Norway to snatch its first women’s cross‑country win in a relay showdown at the Milan Cortina Games.

Norway held the advantage Saturday after Ebba Andersson tumbled and broke her ski in the second leg but her Swedish teammates fought back to finish second. In the stands, Norway fans celebrated holding up red hearts for Valentine's Day.

Norway anchor Heidi Weng crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 15 minutes and 44.8 seconds to win the 4 x 7.5 kilometer relay, 50.9 seconds ahead of Sweden. Finland took bronze 1 minute, 14.7 seconds behind the winners.

Jessie Diggins, anchoring the United States, finished fifth 1 minute, 52.2 behind Norway.

Warm weather and slushy corners caused havoc in early stages of the race, a group of chasing athletes tumbling on the first bend at Tesero, northern Italy.

Andersson slipped twice before the bad fall that cost the Swedes more than a minute in the race. The 28-year-old pushed forward on one ski before being handed a replacement.

Weng was wrapped in a Norwegian flag by teammates as she crossed the finish line and the team later consoled Andersson with a hug before the medal ceremony.

“This is not the way I had imagined the race,” Weng said. "I told myself not to go all out from the start, to just find a good rhythm and enjoy being out there. Most importantly, it was to stay on my feet on the downhills.”

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Jonna Sundling, of Sweden, approaches the finish line in the cross country skiing women's 4 x 7.5km relay at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Heidi Weng, of Norway, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the cross country skiing women's 4 x 7.5km relay at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Astrid Oeyre Slind, of Norway, competes in the cross country skiing women's 4 x 7.5km relay at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, tags teammate Frida Karlsson, right, during the cross country skiing women's 4 x 7.5km relay at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Astrid Oeyre Slind, of Norway, tags teammate Karoline Simpson-Larsen, right, during the cross country skiing women's 4 x 7.5km relay at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Ebba Andersson, of Sweden, competes in the cross country skiing women's 4 x 7.5km relay at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — The often-sedate world of curling has gotten heated at the Winter Olympics as cheating allegations and audible curse words overshadowed a feisty match between two of the best men’s teams.

Canada ’s Marc Kennedy got offended when he was accused by Swedish rival Oskar Eriksson of “double touching” — essentially, touching the rock again after initially releasing it down the sheet of ice — during Canada’s 8-6 win in round-robin play late Friday.

Kennedy repeatedly used expletives to deny he broke any rules. The match came to a brief standstill as fingers were pointed and Kennedy argued with members of the Swedish team across the ice.

“I don’t like being accused of cheating after 25 years on tour and four Olympic Games,” the 44-year-old Kennedy said.

“So,” he added, “I told him where to stick it. Because we’re the wrong team to do that to.”

Eriksson said he simply wanted everyone to “play by the same rules.”

“We want a game that is as sportsmanlike, honest and clean as possible,” he said, “so we call it out as soon as I see that the Canadian No. 2 is, in my eyes, there poking the stone.”

On Saturday, World Curling said it spoke to Canadian team officials after the match and issued a verbal warning because of the language used by Kennedy. World Curling said “further inappropriate behavior ... would result in additional sanctions,” including possible suspension.

The rules state that a stone must be delivered using the handle that sits on top of the rock and that it must be released from the hand before it reaches the hog line. At the Olympics, that is the thick green line at each end.

Replays appeared to show Kennedy releasing the stone using the handle then touching it again — this time on the granite, not the handle — with an outstretched finger as it approached the hog line, which isn't allowed in the rules.

In the early ends of the match, Sweden notified the officials of their complaints. An official then remained at the hog line for three ends to monitor Canada’s curlers and no violations were recorded, World Curling confirmed in its statement on Saturday.

Curling does not use video replays to review game decisions.

“Decisions made during a game are final,” World Curling said.

The governing body added that starting from Saturday's afternoon session — which sees both Canada and Sweden in action — two officials will move observing deliveries across the four matches.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Canada's Marc Kennedy in action during the men's curling round robin session against Sweden, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

Canada's Marc Kennedy, Brad Jacobs, and Ben Hebert react after the men's curling round robin session against Sweden, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

Canada's Brad Jacobs, Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert in action during the men's curling round robin session against Sweden, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

Sweden's Rasmus Wranaa and Christoffer Sundgren look on during the men's curling round robin session against Canada, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

Sweden's Oskar Eriksson in action during the men's curling round robin session against Canada, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)

Canada's Brad Jacobs and Marc Kennedy in action during the men's curling round robin session against Sweden, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)