Did you watch the race Thursday night?

Unless you’re a winter sports enthusiast, the Olympics were likely your first introduction to the sport of snowboardcross, which is part downhill race, part motocross and part roller derby on a snowboard.

Mainer Seth Wescott, a Farmington native, won the sport’s very first Olympic gold medal after a series of four-person races against some of the best snowboarders in the world.

For newcomers like us, the competition was thrilling, even though we already knew the outcome of the race, which had been decided much earlier in the day. NBC is showing much of the Olympics on a tape delay so that events can appear during prime time here in the United States.

With its combination of speed, aerials and intensity, snowboardcross has become the “it” event at this year’s Olympics in Turin, Italy. And it’s easy to follow at home on TV because it’s all about finishing first. There are no style points or subjective judging that leave casual fans wondering how someone wins. The person who gets to the bottom of the mountain first wins.

From all accounts, Wescott is a great ambassador for his sport. His friends describe him as a person of character who remains humble and approachable despite being a world-class – and a world-famous – athlete.

It was cool watching the race and feeling a bit connected to the champ, not because we know him, but because we’ve shared some of the same snow.