Ester Ledecká won the first women's event of the FIS Snowboard World Cup season ©Getty Images

The Czech Republic's Ester Ledecká and Italy's Roland Fischnaller were the winners of the opening event of the International Ski Federation (FIS) Snowboard World Cup in Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy.

Ledecká, who also competes in Alpine skiing and has won Olympic gold medals on both skis and the snowboard, earned a first FIS Snowboard World Cup gold since February 2019 after defeating Germany's Selina Jörg in the women's parallel giant slalom final.

Ramona Theresia Hofmeister of Germany won bronze after winning a head-to-head in the small final against compatriot Cheyenne Loch.

Switzerland's Ladina Jenny, Germany's Carolin Langenhorst, Switzerland's Julie Zogg and Japan's Tomoka Takeuchi all made the quarter-finals, finishing fifth to eighth respectively.

Ledecká's win gives her an early lead at the top of the overall standings in this season's World Cup.

Roland Fischnaller picked up where he left off last season ©Getty Images
Roland Fischnaller picked up where he left off last season ©Getty Images

Defending World Cup champion Fischnaller, now 40, continued to show that age was no issue, coming out on top in the men's final against compatriot Aaron March.

Austria's Benjamin Karl was third, stopping an all-Italian podium by defeating Mirko Felicetti for the bronze medal.

Italian pair Edwin Coratti and Daniele Bagozza were fifth and sixth, while Austria's Andreas Prommegger and South Korea's Kim Sang-kyum finished seventh and eighth.

The next parallel giant slalom race is set for Thursday (December 17) in Carezza in Italy.