The first stop on the LG FIS Snowboard World Cup tour takes place on September 6 with over 100 athletes from 18 countries competing in the southern hemisphere's only 22-foot halfpipe at Cardrona Alpine Resort.
Previous halfpipe world cup winner Ryo Aono, of Japan, who is ranked No 1 in the world, is back to defend the title he won at the same venue last year, fresh from securing second place at the Burton New Zealand Open earlier this month.
The two top-ranked FIS world cup circuit female riders, Manuela Pesko, Switzerland, and Liu Jiayu, China, are the leading contenders in a strong women's field.
In a week of world-class snowboarding, the LG FIS Continental Cup Slopestyle will precede the LG FIS World Cup on September 3, the first event of its kind in Australia and New Zealand.
