Fast and furious, Austria's skier Andreas Lausegger raced to victory in the men's snowboard cross on Saturday at the 24th Harbin Winter Universiade.

The 23-year-old Austrian, also the winner of parallel giant slalom in this month's Euro Cup, nearly came unstuck in the final as the Polish racer Marcin Bocian, sixth in Friday's two-round heats, stormed into the lead.

Andreas seemed beaten approaching the final bends but delivered a powerful aerial jump to burst past the Polish, barging into the finishing gate first. Marcin finished second and Swiss Clemens Bolli took the bronze.

Polish medal contender Mateusz Ligocki, who topped the two-round heats on Friday, disqualified for the semi-finals after a mistake in quarter finals and finished ninth among the twenty-seven riders on the standing.

Under a chilly minus 16 degrees Celsius, the finalists careered four at a time down the twists and turns of a 831 meter obstacle-strewn course in Maoershan ski resort. The fastest two racers from each heat move on to the next round.

Snowboard cross, also well known for boardercross, made its Olympic debut in Turin 2006. It always involves nasty falls and crashes between racers, which led to comparisons with Formula One motor racing and speedskating for the crashes it generates.

(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2009)