Aspen, CO (Thursday, January 30, 2003) - The first day of competition from the ESPN Winter X Games wrapped up Thursday with Switzerland’s Ueli Kestenholz taking the first snowboarding event with gold in boardercross. Frenchman Xavier Delerue, who won his first World Championship just two weeks ago in SBX was second followed by Michael Rosengren (Bozeman, MT) in third. U.S. Snowboarding team veteran Seth Wescott (Kingfield, ME), who took second behind Delerue at the world champs, was fifth.

On the women’s side, Lindsey Jacobellis (Bondville, VT) nabbed the women’s crown, while Switzerland’s Tanja Frieden one upped her ’02 Winter X result with second. Yvonne Mueller, also of Switzerland, took bronze.

Superpipe will take place Friday with U.S. Snowboarding team athletes Tommy Czeschin (Mammoth Lakes, CA), Andy Finch (Fresno, CA), Steven Fisher (St. Louis Park, MN) and Luke Wynen (Mammoth Lakes, CA) competing for the men, while Tricia Byrnes (New Canaan, CT), Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT) and Aspen local Gretchen Bleiler will ride for the women.