ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (Kyodo) -- Japan dominated the big air podiums at the snowboarding world championships with five medals on Friday as Kokomo Murase headed a women's sweep and Ryoma Kimata triumphed in the men's event.

Murase and Kimata claimed their maiden world championships golds in St. Moritz, Switzerland, with Japan enjoying its first podium sweep at either the snowboarding or skiing worlds since 1999 when it took all the medals in the men's ski jumping, won by Kazuyoshi Funaki.

The 20-year-old Murase became the first Japanese woman to win big air gold at a world championships after she scored 85.75 and 76.75 from her first two of three runs to score 162.50 points, landing a switch frontside 1260 indy and backside 1080 nosegrab.

"I was able to attack from the first run and I feel I've really matured, nailing the second one too," said Murase, who won bronze in the event at the Beijing Olympics when she became Japan's youngest female medalist at a Winter Games.

"I kept getting second and third this season so I'm really glad to have won for the first time in a while. I'll also aim for the top at next year's (Milan-Cortina) Olympics and will do my best, aiming to head home smiling."

It was Murase's second medal at the ongoing worlds after she claimed silver in the slopestyle a week ago.

Reira Iwabuchi took the big air silver after she scored 156.00, followed by Mari Fukada with 153.25, with another Japanese Momo Suzuki fourth in the six-woman final.

In the men's, Kimata scored a huge 95.00 with his third and last run landing a frontside five-and-a-half rotation weddle to win on 176.75 points, pipping compatriot Taiga Hasegawa who scored 174.50 after winning the event in the last edition in 2023.

"I was in good form from training, so I thought I just had to do as usual," said the 22-year-old Kimata, who could not get on the World Cup podium this season. "It really feels great to end the season getting the top spot."

Oliver Martin of the United States was third on 171.75 in the 10-man final.