Squamish's Rob Fagan won the men's snowboard crosssmall final to earn fifth place at Cypress Mountain on Monday (Feb. 15). Canmore Alta.'s Mike Robertson won the silver medal.
Fagan was leading the semi-final until making contact with German boarder David Speiser and briefly losing control and finishing in third place as the top two riders advanced to the big final.
But he was able to refocus and out-race three other riders in the small final to earn fifth.
"The small final is not where I want to be but you have to refocus and kill the small final," he said.
"Fifth is still pretty good," he continued with a smile. "It's the Olympics."
He said he felt right at home on the soft Cypress course.
"We ride up here quite often and in Whistler. You ride to the bottom of Whist any time of the year and it's pretty gooey like this. It's what we love, for sure, that's why I love living on the West Coast."
Fagan's family held up a large sign throughout the competition that read "Go Rob!"
"With the billboards and stuff like that, I know they're pumped," he said.
In the big final, American Seth Wescott game back from last place to pass Robertson for the gold medal. Robertson lost speed coming out of the final triple jump, which allowed Wescott the pass. France's Tony Ramoin earned bronze and American Nate Holland placed fourth.
Squamish's Tom Velisek, who was left off the Olympic roster after struggling on the World Cup circuit this season, was on a team of forerunners clearing the course before competition.
He said it was tough not to be competing.
"Obviously I'd rather be racing," he said. "But the decision is what it is and they went the way they went so all I can do is come out and cheer on my teammates and at least run the course a bit."
Heavy warm rains forced officials to cancel standing room tickets for men's and women's snowboard cross events due to unsafe ground conditions. About 8,000 tickets, priced at $50 each, are being refunded.
