The new FIS Alpine Snowboard World Cup season is set to begin in Carezza tomorrow ©Getty Images

The first International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Snowboard World Cup of the season will get underway in Italy tomorrow, as the world’s best boarders battle it out once again for the title of World Cup champion.

The Pra di Tori slope in the resort of Carezza will play host, with parallel giant slalom (PGS) action for men and women on the agenda.

Last year the titles in Carezza were taken by the Czech Republic's now double Olympic champion Ester Ledecká on the women’s side and Russia’s Andrey Sobolev on the men’s, though this year’s entry list has not yet been published.

One person we know will definitely not be competing, however, is Austria’s Ina Meschik.

The 28-year-old announced her retirement back in October after 11 seasons on the World Cup circuit.

|The Czech Republic's reigning women's World Cup champion Ester Ledecká won both a skiing and snowboard Olympic gold medal at Pyeongchang, becoming the first person to do so ©Getty Images
|The Czech Republic's reigning women's World Cup champion Ester Ledecká won both a skiing and snowboard Olympic gold medal at Pyeongchang, becoming the first person to do so ©Getty Images

She earned her sole World Cup victory in the PGS at Carezza two years ago.

Tomorrow’s event will be the first of six featuring PGS races on the FIS Alpine Snowboard World Cup calendar this season, with the second set to take place immediately following the Carezza contest, in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Friday (December 14) and Saturday (December 15).

The circuit is then due to travel to Rogla in Slovenia for the third contest on January 19, while the season is set to end in the Swiss resort of Scuol on March 9.

The overall men’s title in 2017 went to Switzerland’s Olympic champion Nevin Galmarini, while Ledecká went on to win the women’s title after triumphing in Carezza.

Tomorrow’s action is due to start at 12:30pm local time.