Qualifying first for the finals has it's advantages, just ask U.S. Snowboarding rider Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT), who stood ready to drop into her second run Saturday night with thousands on hand and millions more watching live on television, knowing that her 92.0 point first run had already iced her first X Games halfpipe title.

Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark (Mount Snow, VT) landed second, a full 3.6 points back of Teter, followed by Doriane Vidal of France with 84.0 points and Lindsey Jacobellis (Bondville, VT) with 82.33 points.

With a stacked first run that included a lofty frontside 540, a McTwist and one of two 900s landed on the night, Teter secured the win, yet hammed it up for the camera on her second run vowing to go bigger. Then she did. The 540 was bigger, so was the McTwist, but she didn't quite get the 900 around and ate some snow. Yet, the run was definitely bigger as Teter stripped down to just her bib and a tank top above the waist.

"Do it with some flare. I know I had a lot of fun," said Teter, who will turn 17 on January 27. "It's such a good feeling to know that people are rooting for you - it's the best."

The victory may have been her first trip to the top of the X Games podium, but it was her fifth consecutive win as Teter has won every pipe that she's dropped into this season. The string began September 13 with her second World Cup win, she then returned to the states to win the first two stops of the Chevrolet U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix and the first Triple Crown. Teammate Gretchen Bleiler (Snowmass Village, CO), who won the 2003 X Games for her third straight win, went on to take eight-in-a-row last season but spent the 2004 X Games as a commentator due to a knee injury.

"She's having fun for herself and showing it to everyone else," said Bleiler. "That's what it is about with Hannah."

Stratton Mountain School rider Elena Hight (Zephyr Cove, NV), who was the only other women to throw the 900 was sixth, while fellow U.S. Snowboarding teammate Molly Aguirre (Duluth, MN) finished 10th to round out the international field of finalists.

WINTER X GAMES
Women's Halfpipe Final

1. Hannah Teter, Belmont, Vt., 92.0
2. Kelly Clark, Mount Snow, Vt. 88.33
3. Doriane Vidal, France, 84.0
4. Lindsey Jacobellis, Bondville, Vt., 82.33
5. Fabienne Rueteler, Switzerland, 81.66
6. Elena Hight, Zephyr Cove, Nev., 77.66
7. Mercedes Nicoll, Whistler, B.C., 72.66
8. Kjersti Oestgaard Buass, Norway, 62.0
9. Anne Molin Kongsgaard, Norway, 50.0
10. Molly Aguirre, Duluth, Minn., 50.0

— Courtesy of US Snowboard