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Flying High: Kotsenburg Soars to U.S. Gold

<p>American <a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/athlete/sage-kotsenburg">Sage Kotsenburg</a> earned the first gold medal of the Sochi Olympics on Saturday and the first-ever gold medal in snowboarding slopestyle.</p>
Image: Sage Kotsenburg competes in the Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final
Sage Kotsenburg of the United States competes during the Snowboard Men's Slopestyle Semifinals during day 1 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images

American Sage Kotsenburg earned the first gold medal of the 2014 Sochi Olympics on Saturday and the first-ever gold medal awarded in the new event, snowboarding slopestyle. The new discipline combines slick rails and big-air jumps.

Image: Sage Kotsenburg competes in the Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final
Sage Kotsenburg of the U.S.JAVIER SORIANO / AFP - Getty Images
Image: Snow Boarding
Silver medalist Staale Sandbech of Norway holds up Sage Kotsenburg after the men's Snowboard Slopestyle final.JENS BUETTNER / EPA