American snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg wins the first gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST IN SNOWBOARDING, SAGE KOTSENBURG, SAYING:

"I can't believe like this is all in one day, too. It feels like already a week ago that it happened, because it's just been already been so crazy. But I am so stoked to be here and representing the USA for sure. And being a part of the first slopestyle team for the U.S. is pretty cool, and then bringing home the gold is like icing on the cake."

Kotsenburg's gold isn't just the first for the games --- it's a first for slopestyle -- the event which made its Olympic debut this week. Concerns about the safety of the course had some worried whether the competition would happen.

Renowned snowboarder Shaun White's decision to pull out of the event compounded matters.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST IN SNOWBOARDING, SAGE KOTSENBURG, SAYING:

"With Shaun dropping out,