Corning, who was making only his second ever World Cup start having taken the last qualifying spot, scored 87.55 at the Cardrona Alpine Resort to finish ahead of Japan’s Yuki Kadono and Canada’s Michael Ciccarelli in second and third respectively.

The 15-year-old reclaimed top spot from Ciccarelli on his last run and although Kadono pulled off the highest-scoring trick of the day on the final kicker - a triple 1440 mute which gained him a 9.75 out of 10 - it wasn’t enough to secure gold.

Corning partly put his win down to spending time at Cardrona before the event, and landing a new move for the first time in competition.

"I’ve been here a while and ridden the course a bit," he said.

"It gave me the chance to learn some new tricks like that cab 12 I put down in my run, so it’s awesome.

"I’m super stoked.

"It was super fun and I guess I was riding well today and it all worked out."

Meanwhile, Sochi 2014 gold medallist Anderson lived up to her billing as odds-on favourite to repeat her victory from two years ago at the 2013 Winter Games New Zealand.

The top qualifier earned 87.88 for her third run to come away with gold, while second-placed qualifier Laurie Blouin of Canada scooped the silver medal with 74.50 on her second run, and another American in World Cup debutant Hailey Langland finished in the bronze medal position with 73.73 on her last run.

"The course is really fun and even better than during qualifiers since we got to go earlier in the day," said Anderson, who executed a backside rodeo 540 in her winning run.

"I’m stoked to win and to be back visiting New Zealand, which is one of my favourite countries."

The FIS Snowboard Freestyle World Cup continues with the season's first halfpipe event at Cardrona later this month.

Qualifiers are scheduled for August 28 with the finals taking place on August 30.



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