American Seth Wescott won the gold medal in snowboard cross' debut in the Winter Olympics on Thursday.

Slovakia's Radoslav Zidek led most of the final race but world champion Wescott beat him at the end. France's Paul-Henri Delerue took bronze.

Canada's Drew Neilson, who topped qualification, crashed in the first set of heats in the final round and World Cup leader Xavier Delerue, Paul-Henri's brother, also failed to advance from the heats.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2006)