In the freeskiing halfpipe discipline, two events are scheduled under the lights tomorrow (Thursday) and on Saturday (January 1), with the forecast suggesting sub-zero temperatures on the Snow Rodeo.

Calgary is set to be the second round of the Freestyle World Cup circuit, although the winner of the opening round earlier this month at Copper Mountain in the United States, Eileen Gu of China, is sitting out this event.

Estonia’s Kelly Sildaru, third at Copper Mountain last time out, is also not participating, meaning Canada’s Rachael Karker, who took the silver at the American resort, will hope to go one better on home snow.

She is likely to face competition from her compatriot Cassie Sharpe, who won gold in this discipline at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics.

Sharpe and Karker finished first and second respectively on this course during the meeting in the 2018-2019 season, with Karker second the last time this event took place during the 2019-2020 season, so both have good pedigree here.

In the men’s event, Alex Ferreira of the United States will start as favourite, and is the man to beat following his triumph in Copper Mountain last time out.

Ferreira claimed silver at Pyeongchang 2018 in this discipline, and will be targeting going one better in Beijing in February.

Reigning world champion Nico Porteous of New Zealand and double world champion Aaron Blunck of the US are both sitting out this round, although Canadian Brendan Mackay, who placed third at Copper Mountain last time out, is set to start, and will be hoping for success on home snow.

World Cup night events are scheduled for tomorrow (Thursday) and January 1, with qualification set to be held earlier in the day on both occasions.

Meanwhile the season’s snowboard World Cup slopestyle calendar is also scheduled to begin in Calgary tomorrow, with men’s qualification.

Fields have not been announced for the Calgary event yet, but on the men’s side Marcus Kleveland of Norway, last season’s overall slopestyle and park and pipe Crystal Globe winner, is set to be the one to beat.

Kleveland was also named world champion in slopestyle at Aspen in Colorado and has the ability to perform tricks that his rivals would struggle to match.

Hosts Canada are expected to boast a strong squad led by Liam Brearley, second on last season’s World Cup rankings behind Kleveland.

There is also plenty of depth in the United States line-up which is expected to include Red Gerard, the champion at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in this discipline.

On the women’s side, Austria’s Anna Gasser claimed the slopestyle and park and pipe Crystal Globes at the end of the shortened 2020-2021 season.

Gasser enjoyed one win and three top-five finishes in last season’s slopestyle competitions and has been in good form in the Big Air event this season – finishing second in both World Cup events.

Kokomo Murase of Japan, second behind Gasser in last season’s slopestyle rankings, is expected to head a crop of riders from her nation eager to impress.

Tess Coady of Australia finished third in the slopestyle rankings last season and will be targeting continuing her consistent run from the last campaign of four podiums in five races.

Jamie Anderson of the United States, who won gold in slopestyle at both Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018 and slopestyle gold medallist at last year’s World Championships in Aspen, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand are also expected to be ones to watch.

Women’s qualification and men’s semi-finals are set to follow on Friday (December 31) with World Cup races for both genders set for January 1.