The world's top 100 snowboarders will descend upon Cardrona come end of August including Switzerland's Manuela Pesko, Australia's Holly Crawford and Poland's Paulina Ligocka.

There's big prize money up for grabs with $58 000 for the worlds top athletes. The FIS awards FIS points for boarders world ranking, without the qualifying points competitors cannot be considered for competition at the Winter Olympic Games in Whistler Blackcomb in 2010.

For the first time in the history of the World Cup there will be a halfpipe cup competition. The timing in New Zealand couldn't be better with the Netherlands, Austrian, American, Swiss, German and Canadian snowboard teams already on the ground for southern hemisphere training.

Expect to see Dolf Van der Wal, Xaver Hoffmann, Tobias and Philipp Strauss, Michael Macho, Mathieu Crepel and Stefan Falkeis on the snow. As well as Sarah Conrad, Mercedes Nicoll and Hugo Lemay.

For more information visit www.cardrona.com