Australian snowboarder Holly Crawford has made a strong start to the 2006/07 World Cup season, finishing in fifth place in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.

Crawford topped her qualifying heat, then produced a 28.5 points opening run in the final to record the third top 5 finish of her career.

Torino 2006 silver medallist Gretchen Bleiler of the United States won the event from Soko Yamaoka of Japan, with 2005/06 World Cup champion Manuela Laura Pesko of Switzerland in third place.

Crawford's result followed a third placing in Europa Cup last week at the same venue.

"We're not doing anything too difficult at this stage," said Olympic Winter Institute snowboard halfpipe coach Ben Wordsworth.

"We're just focussing on Holly doing very clean, very big runs, working on building her confidence and keeping her free of injury, so that's a great start to the season for us."

Crawford has had a string of injuries that have disrupted her career, the most recent being severe hip and buttock bruising which she sustained in a heavy fall while training for the Torino Games.

Although she took her place in the Olympic field, she was severely compromised in her routine and finished in 18th place in the qualifying round.

The 23-year-old Sydney rider broke through for her first podium result in the opening round of last season, collecting bronze in Valle Nevado, Chile.

The Saas-Fee men's event was won by Scott Lago of the United States, with Australia's two riders, Torino Olympian Andrew Burton and 18-year-old rookie Ben Johnson, both eliminated in qualifying.

Burton missed a place in the final by just two spots.

Ben Wordsworth reports:

 "Andrew, as Australia's top halfpipe rider, is putting together a unique run with a backside ally oop rodeo. This trick is one of the hardest to land and carry speed out of but is very progressive and pushing the sport of halfpipe riding." "Andrew is looking forward to getting into training this week in Colorado where he will prepare to mix it with some of the world’s best riders at the US Chevy Grand Prix."

"The debut performance for Ben Johnson in Saas-Fee was a good start to the season. Coming from the NSWIS team last season, Ben has progressed his riding to World Cup level, and he put together a solid run in his qualifying with back-to-back 7s and a backside 540. Ben will now take this first event experience into a solid week of training in Colorado before the first US Grand Prix in Breckenridge."