New Zealand will host the International Ski Federation Junior Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships from tomorrow ©Getty Images

New Zealand will host the International Ski Federation (FIS) Junior Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships from tomorrow with nearly 150 athletes set to compete.

More than 20 countries will be represented in all at the flagship youth event at the Cardrona Mountain Resort.

Big air, halfpipe, slopestyle, ski cross and snowboard cross will all be contested over two weeks of action leading up to September 8.

The competition is part of the NZ Winter Games schedule which will also include FIS World Cup events next month.

Kelly Sildaru of Estonia will be among those in action in New Zealand ©Getty Images
Kelly Sildaru of Estonia will be among those in action in New Zealand ©Getty Images

It is only the second time the event has been held south of the equator during the Southern Hemisphere winter - making it an unusual time of year for a major competition on the snow.

New Zealand also hosted in 2010, in Otaga.

Returning medallists from 2017 include Japan's men's ski slopestyle champion Taisei Yamamoto.

Kelly Sildaru of Estonia, who won both the ski slopestyle and halfpipe titles, will also be in action.

Competition begins tomorrow with big air qualification.