By Elizabeth Karam, U.S. Snowboarding

LA MOLINA, Spain – Lindsey Jacobellis of Stratton Mountain, Vt., led the U.S. charge winning her third career World Championship gold as the U.S. landed three of six snowboardcross medals Tuesday.

Seth Wescott of Sugarloaf, Maine, and Nate Holland of Squaw Valley also landed on the podium with silver and bronze.

After qualifying second for the finals, Olympic silver medalist Jacobellis was on fire out of the gate nailing all of her starts. As soon as she pulled out of the gate, it was no looking back as she grabbed the hole shot – taking all heats on her road to the finals.

With the win, Jacobellis is tied with the late Karine Ruby of France for the most World Championship victories with three. Ruby won four World Championship medals over the course of her career.

In the men’s race, Australia’s World Cup leader Alex Pullin was crowned champion, while the United States swept second and third. Two-time Olympic champion Wescott earned his fourth career World Championships medal – the most of any SBX rider, while six-time X Games champ Holland picked up his second bronze.

“At the start I looked across, we [Wescott and Holland] were at opposite ends of the gate and I yelled ‘shake and bake Wescott,'” said Holland. “We’ve done this so many times and it’s always a pleasure to ride with him and shake and bake.”

Wescott battled hard with Pullin in both the quarterfinals and semifinals trading spots with the Aussie taking the quarterfinals and Wescott the semifinals – both advancing to the big final. In the end, Pullin took charge dominating the finals run and crossing the finish first. Wescott’s silver puts him one ahead of France’s Xavier de le Rue in career medals.

Holland was second in every heat as he advanced to the finals. In the semifinals he was matched up with Italy’s Luca Matteoti, with the Italian taking the heat win. However, the big final was a different story with Holland finishing ahead of Matteoti for the final podium step.

“I have X Games coming up and that’s definitely a major focus of mine,” said Holland of the Winter X Games in Aspen Jan. 27-30. “I came out healthy and I’m going to enjoy this podium. I look forward to defending my title at X Games.”

Official results, FIS World Snowboard Championships, La Molina, Spain, Snowboardcross

Men

1. Alex Pullin, Australia

2. Seth Wescott, Sugarloaf, ME

3. Nate Holland, Squaw Valley, CA

–

8. Jonathan Cheever, Saugus, MA

26. Alex Deibold, Manchester Center, VT

Women

1. Lindsey Jacobellis, Stratton Mountain, VT

2. Nelly Moenne Loccoz, France

3. Dominque Maltais, Canada