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WEST VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- They don't raise snowboarders in the Netherlands. It's kinda hard when there are no hills.

They do raise speedskaters there, however, and good ones at that.

Nicolien Sauerbreij decided to take the road less traveled, and on Friday, she made history. Skating nimbly over the slush that claimed many of her competitors at mushy Cypress Mountain, Sauerbreij won the women's parallel giant slalom, the first gold medal in snowboarding for a country that's barely above sea level.

VANCOUVER - Nicolien Sauerbreij captured the Netherlands' first Olympic snowboarding medal by winning the women's parallel giant slalom event Friday at Cypress Mountain.

Surmounting soggy conditions, Sauerbreij beat Russia's Ekaterina Ilyukhina in the two-run final. Austria's Marion Kreiner, the reigning world champion, settled for bronze.

Women’s Parallel Giant Snowboard Slalom was closer to surfing than snowboarding today. It was wet, wet, wet, and there were tons of wipeouts. But through it all Nicolien Sauerbreij of the Netherlands managed to make it down the hill all ten runs in one piece and with the best final time, winning the first gold in snowboarding for the Dutch. Marion Kreiner of Austria finished with silver, Ekaterina Ilyukhina of Russia, bronze.

That nasty fog and wet snow continued for the women trying to compete in the slalom. The fog cut visibility so much it was tough for us to see the skiers, let alone them the narrow poles they had to navigate. The comment was made that they were almost forced to ski by feel and memory alone. The wet snow and warmer weather made the course rough and very difficult to navigate.

Vancouver (AFP) - Nicolien Sauerbreij captured the Netherlands' first Olympic Games snowboard title on Friday with victory in the women's giant parallel slalom at a rain-swept, fog-bound Cypress Mountain.

The 30-year-old Amsterdam native confirmed her status as world number one, edging out Russian 22-year-old Ekaterina Ilyukhina with Marion Kreiner of Austria taking bronze.

WEST VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP)—Nicolien Sauerbreij of the Netherlands has won the Olympic gold medal in women’s parallel giant slalom, defeating Ekaterina Ilyukhina of Russia.

Sauerbreij made up a .02-second deficit after their first final-round heat to win by .23 on a sloppy, soaking course at Cypress Mountain on Friday.

WEST VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) -- Nicolien Sauerbreij of the Netherlands won the Olympic gold medal in women's parallel giant slalom, defeating Ekaterina Ilyukhina of Russia.

Sauerbreij made up a .02-second deficit after their first final-round heat to win by .23 on a sloppy, soaking course at Cypress Mountain on Friday.