Wanaka-based Janina Kuzma was the first female qualifier to make it through to the finals and sits 10 points clear of her nearest rival, Mikayla Austin, of Queenstown.
Kuzma is the Freeski Open's defending big mountain female champion.
Wanaka-based big mountain expert Sam Smoothy won the same event last year, holding off challenges from Christchurch skier Alastair Eason and 16-year-old Fraser MacDougall, but has been forced to sit out the event this year with an injured knee.
Eason has qualified in first place, after yesterday's competition held at the Remarkables Ski Area, near Queenstown.
A number of competitors battled the tough conditions at the remarkables yesterday, with Lake Hawea's veteran freeski expert Geoff Small one of the notable competitors to crash out during his run.
Wanaka teenager McDougall missed out on the chance to replicate his podium success from last year when he failed to qualify for today's finals.
Wanaka secondary school teacher Jo Guest was unlucky when a small crash left her in sixth place and out of the qualifying spots for the final day of competition.
Kuzma and Eason have been joined by international freeskiers, such as Karolina Lindgren, of Sweden, and Bellon Romain, of Switzerland, in the respective women's and men's finals.
The Motatapu Chutes are renowned as some of the New Zealand's most technically demanding skifield runs and will play host to some of the best examples of extreme mountain skiing from 10am onwards.
