Japanese snowboarder Yoko Miyake narrowly missed a place on the podium by placing fourth in the women's snowboardcross at a World Cup meet on Thursday.
Miyake, fourth in the halfpipe in Berchtesgaden, Germany two months ago, matched her best performance of the World Cup season as she finished behind winner Doris Krings of Austria, runnerup Lina Christiansson of Sweden and third-place American Marni Yamada.
The 27-year-old Nara native has one World Cup title with her halfpipe victory in Sapporo in February 2000. In the men's snowboardcross, Simone Malusa of Italy triumphed while Australian Zeke Steggall took second and Thomas Bourgeault of France third.