Canadian Drew Neilson and Austrian Ursula Fingerlos overcame poor visibility Thursday to win the opening snowboardcross race of the 2003 World Cup snowboard season.

Olympian Peter Thorndike (Meredith, NH) had the top U.S. result, finishing 6th, with Seth Wescott (Kingfield, ME) 8th while Sondra Van Ert (Ketchum, ID) was 14th in the women's race and World Junior Halfpipe Champion Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT), in her World Cup debut, was 18th.

The opening events continue Friday with halfpipe and conclude Saturday with parallel giant slalom.

— Courtesy, US Snowboard Team