KEY POINTS:
New Zealand has secured a leg of the FIS World Cup circuit, with Snow Sports New Zealand hosting the Snowboard World Cup half pipe at South Island's Cardrona Alpine Resort, Lake Wanaka, on September 6-7.
The event will feature some of the world' leading snowboarding talent in the first event of the 2008-09 cup calendar.
The World Cup series is staged at 20 venues in 15 countries, with over 450 athletes competing in the series.
The series heads to South America after New Zealand and then to Italy in March next year.
About 100 competitors are expected to compete at Cardrona's new 22-foot (6.7m) superpipe, built in the off-season to host major national and international snowboard and freeski events.
Snow Sports New Zealand is also hosting an FIS Continental Cup slopestyle event on September 3 at Cardrona.
Part of the Australia-New Zealand Cup series, Continental Cup competitions are a level below World Cup.
- NZPA
