Wells (18) was crowned world superpipe champion after winning the invitation-only event in the United States in March.
The top 16 freeskiers in the world were invited to the prestigious event.
Wells and younger brother Byron (15) were the only New Zealanders to make the grade.
Wells (18) was also second in the slopestyle and fifth in the halfpipe at the Winter X-Games, another invitation-only freeskiing event.
The other finalists in the running to win a $25,000 Westpac-sponsored emerging talent sporting scholarship are surfer Paige Hareb, who qualified for the elite World Dream Tour next year, Graham Oberlin-Brown, the world under-23 lightweight single sculls rowing champion, and Chris Rahardja (karate).
The quartet were among a group of 17 outstanding young New Zealand sporting achievers nominated for the emerging talent category, with the winner to be revealed at the Halberg Awards in Auckland on February 3.
The award, being presented for the third time, is designed to identify and reward potential Olympic and world champions.
It is limited to individual athletes who must not have competed at the Olympics or been a medallist at the Commonwealth Games or open world championship.
