Home skier Hiroomi Takizawa won the ski cross title on Friday at the freestyle World Cup in Inawashiro, Japan while Ophelie David of France triumphed in the women's race.

Takizawa edged out Tomas Kraus of the Czech Republic to pick up his first ski cross World Cup title of the year. Switzerland's Michael Schmid was third.

David, who leads the overall ski cross World Cup standings,finished ahead of Sweden's Magdalena Iljans. Meryl Boulangeat of France was third.

The three-day event continues Saturday with men's and women's mogul races. Ski cross will make its debut as an Olympic sport at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

(Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2007)