Great Britain's chances of avoiding a first blank Winter Olympics for 30 years further diminished with yet another dismal day of results in Beijing.
Dave Ryding, the nation's first ever alpine World Cup winner, took strong medal hopes into the men's slalom but could do no better than 13th.
Eve Muirhead's curling rink, bronze medalists at Sochi in 2014, lost unexpectedly 8-4 to hosts China and now must beat Russia in their final round-robin game and rely on other results to go their way or miss out on a semi-final place.
This was not the game plan when UK Sport set a 'three to seven' medal target and Team GB bosses spoke confidently of surpassing the previous record medal haul of five.
Ryding did little wrong on the Yanqing course, completing both his runs and occupying a podium position for 10 minutes until being overhauled by rivals from more established snow sport nations.
But having won World Cup gold at Kitzbuhel last month he expected more of himself and admitted: "I didn't have my A game, I don't know why but I never felt myself for some reason.
"Normally I'm very consistent so I don't know what it is. I think because slalom is so tight you have to be so good every time.
"When I'm good I'm good but when I'm not quite there I'm not in the top 10. It's a shame but hey, worse things happen at sea."
They have certainly happened at these Games where Britain can't catch a break. Aside from mixed doubles curling and Kirsty Muir in Big Air, they have not had a top-five finish.
With the mens four-man bobsleigh down the field in official practise the day after the calamity of the two-man sled overturning, the last great medal hope lies with Bruce Mount's mens curling rink, who have won seven of their eight games and will be furious with themselves if they don't reach the final from here.
Muirhead's women's team harboured similar ambitions at the start of the Games but have been way too inconsistent.
Muirhead said: "We need to come out and concentrate on our performance against Russia and focus on what we can do and then hope the curling gods are on our side.
"It's been one of those weeks, sometimes you get the rubs and sometimes nothing seems to go your way."
