Feb 8, 2014

Sochi Olympics Day 3: Sage Kotsenburg of USA takes 1st gold for slopestyle, Hannah Kearney takes bronze in moguls

Kalani Gordon 1 Comment Olympics Hannah Kearney, Men's Slopestyle, Olympics, Sage Kotsenburg, Sochi

Twenty-year-old Sage Kotsenburg of Park City, Utah, marched off with the first gold medal of the 2014 Sochi Olympics in men’s slopestyle on Saturday at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, Hannah Kearney took bronze in moguls, a cat tried to sneak his way onto the luge track and Under Armour outfitted speedskaters take the ice in Sochi.

: The U.S. women’s hockey team huddles around the net before their preliminary round hockey game against Finland at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Mark Blinch)

: Jared Goldberg of the U.S. skis in a training session for the men’s alpine skiing downhill race during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger)

: Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal goes airborne in a training session for the men’s alpine skiing downhill race during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini)

: Russia’s Alexander Glebov goes airborne in a training session for the men’s alpine skiing downhill race during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Dominic Ebenbichler)

: Julia Mancuso of the U.S. speeds down the course in a training session for the women’s alpine skiing downhill race during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

: Russia’s Alexander Glebov goes airborne in a training session for the men’s alpine skiing downhill race during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Dominic Ebenbichler)

: First placed Marit Bjoergen (bottom) of Norway, her team mate and fourth placed Therese Johaug (top) and second placed Charlotte Kalla of Sweden react after competing in the women’s skiathlon event at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Rosa Khutor February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin)

: Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada competes during the Team Ladies Short Program at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/David Gray)

: Yulia Lipnitskaya of Russia competes during the figure skating team ladies short program at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson)

: Australia’s Taylah O’Neill performs a jump during the women’s freestyle skiing moguls final competition at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor, February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Dylan Martinez)

: Second-placed Chloe Dufour-Lapointe (L) of Canada and her sister, first-placed Justine Dufour-Lapointe (R), hold hands during the flower ceremony for the women’s freestyle skiing moguls event at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Rosa Khutor, February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Dylan Martinez)

: Canada’s Natalie Spooner is knocked to the ice by Switzerland’s Romy Eggimann (L) and Laura Benz during the second period of their women’s ice hockey game at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Mark Blinch)

: The puck goes into the net behind Finland’s goalie Noora Raty for USA’s second goal scored by Kelli Stack, during the second period of their women’s preliminary round hockey game at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Matt Slocum/Poo)

: US Alex Carpenter (R) tries to score against Finland’s goalkeeper Noora Raty during the Women’s Ice Hockey Group A match USA vs Finland at the Shayba Arena against team Finland during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014. (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images)

: Canada’s Natalie Spooner is knocked to the ice by Switzerland’s Romy Eggimann (L) and Laura Benz during the second period of their women’s ice hockey game at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Mark Blinch)

: Katie Uhlaender of the U.S. gets ready during a women’s skeleton training session at the Sanki sliding center in Rosa Khutor, a venue for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, near Sochi February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Murad Sezer)

: Poland’s Kamil Stoch soars through the air during his trial jump in the men’s ski jumping individual normal hill qualification round event of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, at the RusSki Gorki Ski Jumping Center in Rosa Khutor, February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

: Carina Vogt of Germany soars through the air during the women’s ski jumping individual normal hill training event of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, at the RusSki Gorki Ski Jumping Center in Rosa Khutor February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Michael Dalder)

: Robert Kranjec of Slovenia crashes during his jump in the men’s ski jumping individual normal hill qualification round event at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach)

: Austria’s Adrian Krainer performs a jump as a giant matryoshka doll is seen below during the men’s snowboard slopestyle semi-final competition at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Lucas Jackson)

: Canada’s Mark McMorris reacts on the finish line during the men’s snowboard slopestyle semi-final competition at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Mike Blake)

: Australia’s Scotty James holds onto his board as he performs a jump during the men’s snowboard slopestyle semi-final competition at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Dylan Martinez)

: Britain’s Billy Morgan performs a jump during the men’s snowboard slopestyle final at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Dylan Martinez)

: Fans cheer underneath the Olympic rings during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov)

: The Olympic flame is reflected in the Iceberg Skating Palace at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

: The Adler Arena is reflected in a Dutch supporters’ glasses ahead of the men’s 5,000m speed skating race during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Issei Kato)

: US skier Bode Miller takes part in a Men’s Alpine Skiing Downhill training session at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on February 8, 2014, during the Sochi Winter Olympics. (Oliver MorinAFP/Getty Images)

: Slovenia’s Klemen Kosi takes part in a Men’s Alpine Skiing Downhill training session at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on February 8, 2014, during the Sochi Winter Olympics. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images)

: US Brianna Decker fights for the puck during the Group A match USA vs Finland at the Shayba Arena against team Finland during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014. (AFP/Getty Images)

: orway’s Marit Bjoergen and Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla compete in the Women’s Cross-Country Skiing 7,5km + 7,5km Skiathlon at the Laura Cross-Country Ski and Biathlon Center during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014 in Rosa Khutor. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)

: Germany’s Nelli Zhiganshina and Germany’s Alexander Gazsi perform in the Figure Skating Team Ice Dance Short Dance at the Iceberg Skating Palace during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014. (Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images)

: Gold medalist Norway’s Ole Einar Bjoerndalen celebrates on the podium the Men’s Biathlon 10 km Sprint Flower Ceremony at the Laura Cross- Country Ski and Biathlon Center during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014 in Rosa Khutor. Bjoerndalen equalled the record for Winter Olympic medals won when victory in the sprint in Sochi took him to 12. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)

: Switzerland’s Lara Gut takes part in a Women’s Alpine Skiing Downhill training session at the Rosa Khutor Alpine Center on February 8, 2014, during the Sochi Winter Olympics. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images)

: US players gather before the start of the Women’s Ice Hockey Group A match USA vs Finland at the Shayba Arena during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014. (Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images)

: US Sage Kotsenburg competes in the Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle Final at the Rosa Khutor Extreme Park during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014. Kotsenburg won the Gold Medal. (Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images)

: Hannah Kearney of the United States competes in the Ladies’ Moguls Final 3 on day one of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

: Hannah Kearney of the United States competes in the Ladies’ Moguls Final 3 on day one of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

: Snow is pushed away as an athlete competes in the Men’s Biathlon 10 km Sprint at the Laura Cross-Country Ski and Biathlon Center during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014 in Rosa Khutor. (Pierre-Philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images)

: Maciej Kot of Poland soars through the air during his jump in the men’s ski jumping individual normal hill qualification round event at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Michael Dalder)

: Norway’s Ole Einar Bjoerndalen competes in the Men’s Biathlon 10 km Sprint at the Laura Cross-Country Ski and Biathlon Center during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014 in Rosa Khutor. (Krill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images)

: A dog walks in the Olympic Park on Day 1 of the 2014 Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)

: General view of the Rosa Mogul course during the Ladies’ Moguls Final 1 on day one of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

: Sage Kotsenburg of the United States celebrates winning gold after his second run during the Snowboard Men’s Slopestyle Final during day 1 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

: Norway’s Marit Bjoergen (R) competes in the Women’s Cross-Country Skiing 7,5km + 7,5km Skiathlon at the Laura Cross-Country Ski and Biathlon Center during the Sochi Winter Olympics on February 8, 2014 in Rosa Khutor. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)

: A cat on the railing during the men’s luge singles training Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games at Sanki Sliding Center. (Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports)

: Sage Kotsenburg of the United States celebrates winning gold after his second run during the Snowboard Men’s Slopestyle Final during day 1 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

: Jonathan Kuck of the United States competes during the Men’s 5000m Speed Skating event during day 1 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Adler Arena Skating Center on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

: Competitors ski in the women’s cross-country skiathlon event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics February 8, 2014. (REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth)

: Sage Kotsenburg of the U.S. gestures after arriving on the finish line during the men’s snowboard slopestyle semi-final competition at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor February 8, 2014 . (REUTERS/Mike Blake)

: Christoph Stephan of Germany lies on the ground after crossing the finish line in the Men’s Sprint 10 km during day one of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

: South Korea’s Park Jinyong and Cho Jung Myung during a Luge Doubles training session at the Sanki Sliding Centre in Rosa Khutor on February 8, 2014, during the Sochi Winter Olympics. (Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)

: Sven Kramer of the Netherlands competes during the Men’s 5000m Speed Skating event during day 1 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Adler Arena Skating Center on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)

This marked the Olympic debut of one of the livelier extreme sports and Kotsenburg won it with an eye-popping first run in the final, earning 93.50 points. Taking the silver was Staale Sandbech of Norway and Mark McMorris of Canada grabbed the bronze medal. – Lisa Dillman, LA Times

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