History may beckon for Jen Dodds and Bruce Mouat as they begin their Olympic bid, but the World Mixed Doubles Curling champions believe they are familiar enough with their environment and the opposition to be able to focus fully on the task in hand in Beijing’s Ice Cube.
The Edinburgh-born pair have been lifelong friends and go into this event buoyed by their experience in Aberdeen last year when they won that world title and as they become the first British players to compete in mixed doubles on the Olympic stage they are drawing on that.
"It is a real honour to be the first Brits to have a chance at the curling double,” said Jen Dodds, who will subsequently compete in the women’s event, while Mouat is leading Team GB’s men’s quartet next week.
“We know that we have put a lot of hard work into the mixed doubles and the men's and women's event and doing it as World Champs I think is a good thing. 
“We know the standard we can play at and at the same time everyone else does as well. They need to come out and play really well to beat us and we know we need to keep playing at the high level that we know we can.
“So, I don’t feel that we have any additional pressure it is just that we have to keep doing what we do well and not really think about the opposition. If we just keep playing our game that's our most important thing.”
As first time Olympians the environment is very different to anything they have previously encountered, but she feels they have had time and opportunity to make the necessary adjustments.
"The multi-sport aspect is slightly new to us,” said Dodds.
“Obviously we have both been to the University Games before which was multi-sport but this is on a completely different level.
“We were lucky to fly out with a lot of Team GB athletes on Thursday and landing last Friday so that was really cool to chat away to them and get to know when they are starting their competitions and stuff like that.
“Once we were in the village and even in the food hall seeing all the different athletes from all the different events, you realise just how many are competing at the Olympics - there are hundreds of them. But it is a really cool experience and we had a walk around the village today and I think it is really sinking in now that we are here and we are looking forward to getting started.”
Getting to the venue, which formerly hosted Olympic swimming at the 2008 Games, but has been transformed into a curling venue, has been particularly beneficial in that regard.
"We went and visited the venue and it looked incredible and I don't think the pictures do it justice even, like the huge screen showing the houses,” said Dodds. 
“That was a surprise to me so I think that will be pretty useful, as was seeing the small things around like the diving boards are behind the screens, so you know there are elements where you are reminded that it is at an aquatics centre, but we have taken it over now it is the Ice Cube.
“Going there made us feel more comfortable and the ice pad is looking great. You cannot tell it is over a swimming pool at all so I think we will be pretty comfortable there."
As the pair become the first British players to get the chance to compete in two curling disciplines at an Olympics, Mouat goes in with particular expectation as a world champion in mixed doubles and skip of the no.1 ranked team in the men’s curling world rankings, but he is unflustered by that.
"I think that the fact that we have been out here for a few days settling in is going to help us when we get in to the curling because we have already distracted ourselves with all the Olympic things that you can do,” said the 27-year-old. 
"Fortunately, we know most of the opposition that we are going to come up against and we have played them in a number of mixed doubles events.
“We know that we have to play well throughout the event to be able to stand on the podium, but I think that the feeling we have got right now is just pure excitement about just getting going now and we are itching to get on the ice and start competing."
He also noted that the team ethos generated within British Curling has helped them prepare, since they were able to gain insight, ahead of travelling, from the prospective Paralympians who travelled to Beijing late last year to compete in this venue in their World Championships.
"We spoke to the wheelchair curlers a wee bit and they told us that the ice was pretty good and they were quite happy with it, but just generally about the venue they were really pretty happy and I think that when we get on the ice we will get used to what we are doing and being on a structure that is above a swimming pool that is going to be pretty cool I think,” he said.
“We know the two ice men Mark and Hans are there to do the best job possible in creating Olympic ice so I am pretty sure the ice is going to be great and we are going to have a good championships.”
Schedule: (Beijing time + 8 hours ahead of UK)
2 February
Session 1 - 20.05 - GB v Sweden
3 FebruarySession 2 - 09.05 - GB v CanadaSession 4 - 20.05 - GB v Switzerland
4 FebruarySession 6 - 13.35 - GB v Australia5 FebruarySession 8 - 14.05 - GB v Czech RepublicSession 9 - 20.05 - GB v Italy6 FebruarySession 10 - 09.05 - GB v ChinaSession 12 - 20.05 - GB v Norway7 FebruarySession 13 - 09.05 - GB v USASession 14 - 20.05 - Semi Final (1v4 & 2&3)8 FebruarySession 15 - 14.05 - Bronze Medal GameSession 16 - 22.05 - Gold Medal Game
