The Winter Olympics kicked off in Sochi, Russia, Saturday, and American snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg won the gold medal in the men’s slopestyle event.
Atop the Caucaus Mountains, Kotensburg competed with top-notch athletes from around the world. The victory came as a surprise because Kotensburg was the least known of his competitors.
The slopestyle event debuted at the Winter Olympics this year, with its long rails and high jumps, according to the Washington Post. Professional snowboarder Shaun White dropped out of the competition earlier in the week.