The Winter Games halfpipe is shaping as one of the strongest international fields assembled, as snowboarders use the Cardrona event to build for the Winter Olympics in February.
The start list features no fewer than three Olympic gold medallists, all from the United States: Shaun White and Hannah Teter won in Turin in 2006, while Kelly Clark won in Salt Lake City in 2002.
White and Clark are coming off wins in the Cardrona halfpipe at the New Zealand Burton Open less than two weeks ago.
The pair have been training at Cardrona and will start the World Cup event as favourites.
Olympic silver medallist Gretchen Bleiler (USA), current world No 1s Ryoh Aono (Japan) and Jiayu Liu (China) and top-ranked TTR riders Mason Aguirre (USA) and Jamie Anderson (USA) are also competing in the event.
Snowboarding judge Steen Webster, of Wanaka, has been watching the athletes train for the past few days at Cardrona's superpipe.
He said the level of progression in snowboarding had increased "unbelievably" since the Burton Open nine days ago.
"It's incredible the type of tricks they are pulling off on that pipe.
"This comp is going to be way bigger than anyone imagines," he said.
Snowboarding star White made history at the Burton Open when he produced a back-to-back 1080 degree "double cork" - an aerial manoeuvre which had never been seen before in a major competition.
Webster said White had been practicing more trick innovations during the past days, and predicted the flame-haired Californian would produce another ground-breaking run for the Winter Games.
FIS snowboard race director Marcel Looze said the field rivalled the Olympics in standard.
"All of the top 10 ranked women in the World Cup have travelled to this important event and six of the top 10 men.
"Olympic qualification is their goal and with the right result, they could be well on their way to representing their country after tomorrow," he said.
New Zealand athletes lining up at the qualifications for the World Cup today include Wanaka's Juliane Bray and Kendall Brown in the women's competition, while James Hamilton and Ben Stewart will carry the men's best hopes.
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