Rebagliati Emerges in the Fog

Snowboarding’s first ride in the Winter Olympics turned into a wild one Sunday, when fog rolled over Mt. Yakebitai and rendered even the experts helpless in predicting the finish.

Canada’s Ross Rebagliati earned the distinction as the sport’s first gold medalist, winning the men’s giant slalom with a two-run combined time of 2 minutes 03.96 seconds.

Thomas Prugger of Austria finished two-hundredths of a second behind in second place in 2:03.98. Ueli Kestenholz of Switzerland was third in 2:04.08.

Only Prugger appeared in strong medal contention after the first run in the morning, which welcomed the shredders with bright sunshine. He entered the break in third place behind the leader, Jasey-Jay Anderson of Canada, and Chris Klug of the United States.

It seemed as if the sport would have a glorious beginning in the Olympics. An enthusiastic crowd of 7,912 performed wave after wave, cheered the snowboarders all the way down the hill and applauded even those who had fallen when they belatedly reached the finish.

“Even 100 yards up the mountain, in the trees, the Japanese were screaming,” Klug said. “They were stoked.”

But after only five competitors descended in the second run in the afternoon, clouds covered the sky, snow began to fall and fog engulfed the course.

There was a 10-minute delay before officials ruled there was enough visibility on the course to resume.

The decision, however, might not have been fair to the competitors who had later rides.

Anderson, who went last among the top 15 because he finished first in the morning run, dropped to 15th place after a near fall at the top of the course. Klug, who went immediately before Anderson, clipped a gate in the middle of the course and finished sixth.

The winner, Rebagliati, was the third man down the hill after the delay. The bronze medalist, Kestenholz, was the first.

Under the circumstances, Prugger had the most impressive ride because he went one place before Klug and still managed to finish second.

“The conditions weren’t the best when we went,” Klug said. “I could see all right, but the course seemed firm and icy.

“I thought I had a good run going. Unfortunately, something bit me on the way down. Maybe if I hadn’t tried to take that gate with me, there would have been a spot for me on the medal stand.”

He, however, didn’t complain.

“I know the Olympics are all about winning medals, but I can’t be too disappointed,” said Klug, 25, of Aspen, Colo. “I’m excited to be part of all this.”

One of the pioneers of the sport’s professional era, Mike Jacoby, 28, of Hood River, Ore., finished 17th. The third American, Adam Hostetter, 23, of Tahoe City, Calif., was disqualified after missing the first gate on his first run.

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MEDALISTS

Gold: Ross Rebagliati, Canada

Silver: Thomas Prugger, Italy

Bronze: Ueli Kestenholz, Switzerland