Hannah Kearney of the United States shook off the ghosts of the past when she beat home hope Jenn Heil for women's Olympic moguls gold on Saturday night, dpa reported.
The outcome means that Canada continues waiting for a first gold medal at home Games.
"Of course I wanted gold, but I won silver," said Heil, who had won 2006 gold but now ran into a better skier.
"I feel for her but I wanted that medal as well," said Kearney, who as top favourite and reigning world champion failed to qualify for the final in 22nd place four years ago.
On Saturday, Kearney, 23, dominated the qualifying round and then put together the run of her life in the 20-woman final for which she was rewarded with 26.63 points.
Heil made no mistakes but was well beaten for silver, far behind on 25.69 points. Shannon Bahrke of the US took bronze with 25.43 points, to go with 2002 silver, a few weeks before her retirement from the sport.
Kearney dominated with the fastest time down the steep hill, accurate turns, and in the air with a back flip and a 360-degree turn in difficult rainy and windy conditions at Cypress Mountain.
It was the first gold for the US team on the opening competition day at the Vancouver Games.
"I heard the roar when Jenn got her score. So I knew I had to go for it," said Kearney. "I was thinking I wanted this medal. I skied as well as I possibly could."
Canada had hoped that Heil would end the nation's gold medal drought at home Olympics after getting five silvers and six bronze in Montreal 1976 and two silver and three bronze 1988 in Calgary.
But it was not to be, under the eyes of a big partizan crowd including Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper who later said that heil had "made us all very proud today."
"This is Canada's medal, it was a lot of work. That gold will be coming soon, we have a strong team," said Heil.
"I felt like I was standing on the shoulders of so many Canadians. I felt like I had their wings on my back."
Fancied compatriot Kristi Richards, fourth in qualifying, lost her balance while racing through the moguls and veteran Japanese Tae Satoya, the 1998 gold medallist, crashed on her second jump.
Freestyle continues with the men's moguls on Sunday.
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