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02/08 07:31 CST Ledecka's quest for Olympic snowboarding three-peat comes to a shocking halt Ledecka's quest for Olympic snowboarding three-peat comes to a shocking halt By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer LIVIGNO, Italy (AP) --- Ester Ledecka's quest to become the first snowboarder to win gold medals at three straight Olympics came to a surprisingly early end Sunday. She lost her quarterfinal race in the sport's parallel giant slalom by 0.06 seconds to Austria's Sabine Payer. The 30-year-old Czech racer was a big favorite for gold. She hadn't lost a PGS World Cup race in almost two years and hadn't missed a podium in five. Ledecka made history in 2018 when she became the first athlete to win both a snowboard race and one on skis at the same Olympics. Her Alpine skiing super-G win was considered a shocker, but most who follow the sport expected her to dominate in her "better" event, the PGS, and she did. She defended the snowboarding title in China four years ago. This year, she was hoping to get wins in both the Alpine women's downhill and PGS, but they were scheduled on the same day. She chose snowboard and ended up with neither title --- her loss coming a couple hours after Lindsey Vonn's wipeout on the downhill course. Ledecka is still scheduled to race in skiing's super-G on Thursday. She has raced almost exclusively on skis in the leadup to the Olympics this season --- nine Alpine races, which netted one podium, compared to only one snowboard event, which she won. The woman who beat her, Payer, has two victories this season and was tied at the top of the latest FIS snowboarding points list. In the quarterfinal against Ledecka, Payer bolted out to an early lead, carved tight lines between the gates and never trailed. Ledecka's loss gives Austria's Anna Gasser a chance to become the first snowboarder to win three straight Olympic titles. Gasser takes the hill in big air qualifying later Sunday. Also trying for a three-peat is Chloe Kim. Her halfpipe contest starts Wednesday. ___ AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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