Tess Ledeux has topped the women's qualification standings at the FIS Freeski Big Air competition in Kreischberg ©FIS

Tess Ledeux of France has topped the women’s qualification standings at the first International Ski Federation (FIS) Freeski Big Air competition of the season in Kreischberg.

Ledeux, who won the last Freeski World Cup competition staged - a slopestyle event in Stubai in November 2020 - qualified in first place with a score of 182.80.

The top six scorers advanced to tomorrow’s final, which is scheduled to take place under the floodlights at the Austrian resort.

Alongside Ledeux a pair of Swiss athletes are also through - with Giulia Tanno finishing second with 168.60, 14.2 points behind Ledeux, and Tanno’s compatriot Mathilde Gremaud finishing third with 164.80 points.

The remaining qualifiers for the final were Johanne Killi of Norway, who finished fourth with 164.40, Kelly Sildaru of Estonia, who finished fifth with 159.00 and Silvia Bertagna of Italy, who finished in sixth with 154.20.

Qualification for the men’s event is due to take place tomorrow morning, with the women’s and men’s finals scheduled for tomorrow evening.

The competition in Kreischberg is the first of the FIS Freeski Big Air season, following the cancellation of events that were due to take place in Beijing, China and Copper Mountain in the United States in November and December 2020 respectively.