A strong field is expected for the Winter Games snowboarding halfpipe near Wanaka later this month, with a who's who of international names already entered.
Leading the men's and women's fields are current world No 1s, Japan's Ryoh Aono and China's Jiayu Liu, who both finished the 2009 season at pole position on the World Cup tour.
The men's field hosts six out of 10 of the top riders in the world.
Aono is part of a strong Japanese team which also includes world No 4 Kazuumi Fujita and world No 8 Kohdai Watanabe.
Australian Nathan Johnstone, currently second ranked in the world, will also be on the slopes.
Among Liu's competition in the women's field are the past two Winter Olympic champions, Kelly Clark (USA) and Hannah Teter (USA). Gretchen Bleiler (USA), the 2006 silver-medallist, is also entered.
Top New Zealand rider Juliane Bray, ranked seventh in the world, is also a strong contender for a podium finish.
The halfpipe, at Cardrona Alpine Resort, will be part of the inaugural New Zealand Winter Games from August 21-30. Venues for events also include Coronet Peak, the Remarkables, Snow Farm, Naseby and Dunedin.
- NZPA
Snowboarding: Top riders heading to NZ
World No 1 Japan's Ryoh Aono will compete in the halfpipe competition at the Winter Games. Photo / Getty Images
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