Sauerbreij seals first Dutch medal outside speed skating rink

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

NICOLIEN Sauerbreij rode her luck before downing Russian giant-killer Ekaterina Ilyukhina in the big final to clinch snowboarding parallel giant slalom gold at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

KEEPING HER HEAD DOWN: Nicolien Sauerbreij progresses where her rivals slid out to capture parallel giant slalom gold at Cypress Mountain (Getty Images)

The 30-year old kept within 0.02 of the Russian in the first run before streaming away from her young rival in the medal run to capture gold.

The Netherlands may rule the speed skating rink, but in World Cup leader Sauerbreij they now have their first medallist away from the Richmond Olympic Oval.

The champion was far from dominant on a rainy Cypress Mountain, but the Dutch boarder kept her head as others crashed out to continue her steady progression.

I'm really fine. Really wet, but really fine," said Sauerbreij

"I just did my thing. I concentrated on my racing, and concentrated on myself. It is so hard in this weather to concentrate on yourself.

"This week, I would sometimes dream of a bronze medal. And I had to say, 'no, no, gold'.

"In every run I did, I felt more and more comfortable. And I took every advantage."

Nowhere was Sauerbreij's luck more evident than in her semi final against Germany's Selina Joerg where the young German seemed to have victory in her grasp but pushed too hard and slid off, handing the Dutch boarder a place in the big final.

The German's miserably luck continued into the small final as she slipped in her first run, allowing Austria's world champion Marion Kreiner a maximum 1.50 seconds advantage which she maintained in the second run for bronze.

The big final was a tighter race as Ilyukhina built a tiny advantage on the quicker red track in the pair's first run.

Ilyukhina had knocked out some impressive names on the way to the big final with defending silver medallist Amelie Kober dispatched in the quarter finals and Kreiner downed in the semis.

But the big final proved one step too far for the young Russian as a poor start cost Ilyukhina dearly and she finished 0.23 behind at the line.

 AS IT HAPPENS: Day 15 of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver