Seoul: Teen snowboarder Choi Gaon has claimed her third World Cup victory of the season, further solidifying her status as a medal contender at the Winter Olympics in Italy next month. Choi won the women's halfpipe title at the latest International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) World Cup event in Laax, Switzerland, on Saturday (local time), with a score of 92.50 points.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Rise Kudo of Japan finished second with 82.75 points, and Cai Xuetong of China took third place with 75.25 points. Choi, 17, had earlier won World Cup crowns in China and the United States in December. In the final, the boarders each had two runs down the halfpipe, and the better score of those two runs determined the final standings. They were judged on degrees of difficulty, height, and execution of their moves.

Choi took a heavy fall in the first run and only scored 21.25 points but brushed it off to post the highest score in the final with a series of well-executed tricks in the second run. Choi started her winning performance with a switch backside 720 stalefish-taking off while riding in an opposite stance and completing two spins-and then followed up with a backside 900 stalefish-2 1/2 spins-and a frontside 1080 melon-three full rotations-among others.

"I am so happy to win three straight World Cup titles. The first run was a tough one, and I am happy with the success of my second run," Choi said in a message relayed by her Seoul-based agency, All That Sports. "With the Olympics nearing, my confidence keeps growing as well. I want to work even harder."

South Korea has never won an Olympic gold in snowboard, and now Choi represents its best hope. She will be up against the two-time defending champion Chloe Kim, who is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury. Kim, a Korean American star, will try to become the first snowboarder in Olympic history to pull off a three-peat.