TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tsubaki Miki became the first Japanese season discipline winner at the snowboard alpine World Cup on Tuesday after securing the top spot in the women's parallel slalom.

Having won two parallel slalom events on the circuit this season, the 21-year-old claimed the honor in the non-Olympic discipline with one event to spare after grabbing the runner-up spot, also for the second time, during the fourth meet in Austria.

"I feel proud," Miki said. "I used to lack confidence in the parallel slalom, but having a strong will to learn from other boarders helped me (to the season title)."

A sixth-place finish during the qualification in Bad Gastein was her lowest this season, but Miki had little trouble winning three heats in the knockout stage before she was beaten in the final by Ramona Theresia Hofmeister.

"It was a result of attacking the course. I'm satisfied with my attempt to a degree," Miki said after the loss to her German rival, who won last season's overall parallel title that also includes the results from parallel giant slalom.

Elisa Caffont of Italy finished third on the day.

Miki, the 2023 parallel giant slalom world champion, leads this season's overall World Cup standings after making the podium eight times out of nine meets across the two disciplines.