Gigler was fastest in qualifying and won her quarter-final and semi-final races en route to the final at the Swiss resort.

Linnea Mobärg of Sweden did the same, but was edged out and had to settle for the silver medal.

Christina Födermayr, who won team gold last year in Krasnoyarsk, was third.

Margaux Dumont of the host nation was fourth, with Italian Rebecca Paoli winning the small final.  

Among the men, Richard won gold ahead of German Sebastian Veit. 

Richard was dominant throughout the racing, winning his last-32, quarter-final and semi-final contests.

Veit, curiously, came second in all four of his races.

Sweden's Fredrik Nilsson and Germany's Noah Fischer Oberhofer crashed out of the final, with semi-final winner Nilsson given third place.

Veysonnaz is staging the FIS Junior World Championships because of a lack of snow in Italy's Chiesa in Valmalenco, the original host.

Junior snowboard cross world champions are scheduled to be crowned on Thursday (March 31).