Samkova takes Snowboard Cross WC lead after victory in Bakuriani

Eva Samkova of the Czech Republic emerged victorious from a tight four-woman battle to win the big final at the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup premiere event in Bakuriani, Georgia, on Thursday, reported Xinhua.

The close contest remained open until the finish straight as it looked as if all four women crossed the finish line at the same time. But it was the 27-year-old Samkova, nicknamed "Ms. Moustache", who grabbed the win, followed by French teenager Julia Pereira de Sousa Mabileau.

American veteran Lindsey Jacobellis overtook Italy's Winter Olympic champion Michela Moioli in the final part of the race to settle for third place.

Thanks to the victory, Samkova edged Moioli to seize the leading position at the World Cup ranking with a total of 305 points, with the Italian trailing only five points behind.

In the men's race on Thursday, Eliot Grondin of Canada took his very first World Cup win after a photo finish separated him and Austrian Lukas Pachner. Lorenzo Sommariva of Italy finished third.

The 19-year-old Grondin is now sitting in second place on the overall standings, lagging eight points behind World Cup leader Alessandro Haemmerle of Austria, who finished fourth on Thursday.

The battles for the leader bibs continues on Friday as the second of back-to-back races will be held on the same track.