The teenager has won in Stubai in Austria and at Mammoth Mountain in the United States so far this season, making her a firm favourite going into the final on Sunday (January 16).

She is the 2019 halfpipe champion, but did not compete at the 2021 World Championships due to injury.

Sildaru is also a four-time Winter X Games gold medallist in slopestyle.

Her closest foe could be China's Eileen Gu, who could win a World Cup event in all three park and pipe disciplines with a gold in slopestyle at any of the next four events.

Gu was dominant in halfpipe this season, winning all four World Cups, as well as one of the two Big Air events.

She claimed silver behind Sildaru in slopestyle at Mammoth Mountain.

Olympic champion Sarah Höfflin of Switzerland is set to be a main contender too, having finished runner-up in Stubai, while Norway's Johanne Killi and Maggie Voisin of the US have also made the podium so far this season.

The field in the men's slopestyle is more wide open, with six skiers making the podium so far this season from two events.

Norwegian Birk Ruud and American Alex Hall took victories in Stubai and Mammoth respectively, with the latter leading the overall standings.

Hall's compatriot Nick Goepper was second at Mammoth and is second in the standings too, while Canadians Max Moffatt and Evan McEachran are among the top skiers so far too.

Ruud's team mate Ferdinand Dahl was a medallist in Stubai too and is a contender again for the podium.

Men's qualification is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by the women's qualification on Saturday (January 15).