SALT LAKE CITY, Feb 12: It was out with those old dudes and in with Generation X at the Winter Games on Monday as American youngsters swept the medal podium in the men’s halfpipe.

But some things in the Olympics simply reject change, as Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze edged Canada’s Jamie Sale and David Pelletier to win the figure skating pairs gold medal and extend the longest unbeaten run in the Winter Games.

The Soviet Union crumbled over a decade ago but Russian pairs skaters continue to reign supreme having now won every gold medal since the 1964 Games, a span of 11 Olympics.

As is often the case in the judged sport, the final results ended in controversy, boos and whistles, most of the crowd at the Olympic Ice Centre believing the Canadians’ romantic free skate performed to music from Love Story should have landed them on top of the podium.

There was disappointment earlier for Canada when speedskater Jeremy Wotherspoon fell and blew his chance of a 500 metres medal, while some hours later another favourite bowed out as Australia’s aerials favourite Jacqui Cooper was forced to miss her event next weekend with a damaged knee.

While the Russians grabbed the spotlight at the ice rink, U.S. snowboarders stole the show and all the medals in Park City.

Snowboarders, who have often displayed a ‘chill baby’ attitude toward the Olympics, turned up the intensity and the volume for 16,000 fans on another sun-kissed day of competition.

The party was fuelled by thundering rock music and the first American Winter Games medal sweep since 1956, with Ross Powers taking the gold ahead of compatriots Danny Kass and JJ Thomas.

As Powers and his team mates were busy signing the breasts of adoring fans, one of the Winter Games golden oldies luger Georg Hackl was writing his name in the Olympic record books.

Hackl began the day seeking to become the first Winter Olympian to capture four consecutive individual golds in the same event.

But the 35 year-old German settled for the silver behind Italy’s Armin Zoegeller securing another spot in the record books as the first athlete to reach the podium in five successive Winter Games.

It was still a golden day for Germany, however, as Andrea Henkel turned in a near flawless performance to win the women’s 15 km biathlon.

In the men’s 20 km event, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen put sheer skiing power ahead of crack marksmanship to give Norway its first gold of the Winter Games.

The 28-year-old, who won the individual 10 km sprint four years ago at Nagano, missed two of his 20 targets to earn a two-minute penalty yet still came home more than half a minute ahead of the flawless Frank Luck of Germany.

The day got off to a dubious start, when officials were forced to postpone the women’s downhill because of gusting winds on the upper portion of the Wildflower course and reschedule the race for Tuesday.

The delay meant that American Picabo Street, who is looking to bring a golden end to her remarkable career, has had to push back her retirement 24 hours.

But once again, the all-conquering Austrians look poised to crash American Alpine party plans.

Overall World Cup winner Renate Goetschl laid down a warning by clocking the fastest time in Sunday’s final training just ahead of compatriot and downhill world champion Michaela Dorfmeister.

The two Austrian women still seem set to give their ski-mad country more to celebrate after Fritz Strobl’s triumph in Sunday’s men’s downhill.