Winter Olympics: Another heartbreaker for curlers

New Zealand's heartbreaking run of narrow defeats continued at the Olympic Winter Games curling competition in Pinerolo today when the team lost 6-5 to Italy in a thrilling match that went to an extra end.

The New Zealanders fought an uphill battle for three hours in the face of an inspired opposing team and a vociferous and parochial home crowd.

They trailed 4-2 after five ends and looked in big trouble when they were down 5-3 after eight ends. But they grabbed one point on the ninth end and then, remarkably, picked up another despite not having the last stone on the 10th end to level the contest.

On the first extra end the Italian skip -- Joel Retornaz -- got his team home by scoring one point.

The New Zealand team have lost all six matches at the Olympics, though three times their matches have come down to the last stone of the contest.

The team have a rest day tomorrow, then have a double-header against Norway and the high-flying Canadians.

- NZPA