Paralympic silver medallist Mike Shea came out on top in the men’s SB-LL2 at the IPC Snowboard World Cup in Aspen ©US Paralympics/Twitter

The United States’ Mike Shea and Nicole Roundy both claimed victories on the opening day of their home International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Snowboard World Cup in Aspen, Colorado. 

Paralympic silver medallist Shea came out on top in the men’s SB-LL2, while Roundy crossed the finish line first in the women’s SB-LL1.

Shea qualified as the number one seed in a field of 15, winning gold ahead of Finland’s snowboard-cross world champion Matti Suur-Hamari with compatriot Evan Strong completing the podium.

"That’s probably one of the most difficult wins I’ve had in my career," Shea said.

"I think that’s mostly because everyone is working so hard that you have to be on point every single run or you’re not going to make it in.

"I squeezed it in and I’m really happy and thankful."

World Championship bronze medallist Roundy faced a strong challenge from team-mate Megan Harmon, but led throughout the race on what was a technically challenging course.

Victory for the American Paralympian added a gold medal to her bronze from the first World Cup in Landgraaf, The Netherlands in November.

Roundy will hope to repeat her success in tomorrow’s race and at the next World Cup in Big White, Canada.

"I was really happy about the way I raced today, so on a personal level that was great," she said. 

"It’ll help me go in confidently to Canada."

Nicole Roundy beat her American team-mate Megan Harmon in the women’s SB-LL1
Nicole Roundy beat her American team-mate Megan Harmon in the women’s SB-LL1 ©US Paralympics/Twitter

The Netherlands’ Paralympic and world champion Bibian Mentel-Spee proved once again why she is considered number one in the women’s SB-LL2, following up her victory in the NorAm Cup yesterday with another win on her return to competition following treatment for cancer.

At the end of 2015, Mentel-Spee had to restart her fight against the disease which led to the amputation of her lower-right leg in 2002.

The US’s Heidi Jo Duce finished second behind Mentel-Spee, whose compatriot Lisa Bunschoten also doubled up on her podium appearances in Aspen with third.

Dutch world champion Chris Vos, 17, continued his unbeaten run in the men’s SB-LL1, claiming the win against second-placed rider Mike Schultz of the United States, who was fresh from taking Winter X Games gold last weekend in snowmobile snocross adaptive.

Austria’s Reinhold Schett added to his World Cup points in third, while his team-mate Patrick Mayrhofer dominated the men’s SB-UL, winning in the final against Italy’s Manuel Pozzerle.

The US’s Vlad Kovalenko, who was introduced to Paralympic snowboarding at last year’s NorAm Cup, claimed third on his World Cup debut.

Racing concludes in Aspen with a second snowboard-cross event tomorrow.