One of the most hotly-anticipated events of the 2015/16 FIS Freestyle Skiing season gets underway on Thursday, with slopestyle qualifications set to open a big weekend of competition at the World Cup test event for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Korea. 

Athletes have been in Korea training at the future Olympic venue since Tuesday, and the response from the riders and observers around the world has been overwhelmingly positive in regards to the preparation on behalf of the PyeongChang 2018 organizing committee and to the quality of the Schneestern-built slopestyle course. 

With many pegging the slopestyle course at the Bokwang World Cup to be the most advanced ever constructed, and with world-famous and world-favourite athletes such as Sochi 2014 gold medal winners Joss Christensen (USA) and Dara Howell (CAN), Kreischberg 2015 world champions Fabien Boesch (SUI) and Lisa Zimmermann, 2016 X Games winner Jossi Wells (NZL), all-around hero Henrik Harlaut (SWE), and so many others all on hand to take part in the action, excitement for this weekend’s event could not be higher. 

Action at the FIS Freestyle Bokwang Phoenix World Cup gets underway bright and early on Thursday morning, with heat one of men’s qualification beginning at 8:45 local time, men’s second heat following at 11:10, and then the ladies qualification taking place at 13:30. 

After a day off following qualifications, finals get going on Saturday, February 20, beginning at 13:00 local time with the top six ladies and top 10 men looking to earn the distinction of claiming  a podium spot at the venue for the upcoming 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Currently, Joss Christensen leads the men’s World Cup standings, while Tiril Sjaastad-Christiansen (NOR) sits on top of the ladies' rankings.

Full PyeongChang Bokwang Phoenix slopestyle World Cup program

Ladies’ slopestyle World Cup leaderboard

Men’s slopestyle World Cup leaderboard

GoPro course preview video (courtesy athlete Mcrae Williams [USA])

Source: fis-ski.com