After topping Olympic qualifying Australia's snowboard great Scotty James says he needs to pull out the best run of his life to land his first halfpipe gold medal.
Competing at his fifth Games and aiming to add to his silver and bronze medals, James set himself as the boarder to beat in a red-hot field in Livigno with a dazzling display.
The 31-year-old scored 94.00 in his opening run in the pipe, delivering a switch backside double cork 1440 which he performed for the first time in a competition in Switzerland last month.
He kept the historic trick combination that he nailed at last month's X-Games - a switch backside 1440 into a backside 1440 - on ice but said he would need that and more to top the podium in the final on Saturday (0530 AEDT).
"Look, Friday I'm going to try and pull off the best run of my life and I think that's what it's going to take to win," James said.
"This is my fifth Games - I'm pretty vintage at this point from an experience perspective, and I've watched my peers before me and how they strategise and I've strategised so we'll see how we go on Friday.
"But of course, it's the finals so you've got to bring something special and that's what I plan to do."
James dragged his hand and then bailed on his second run, but it didn't matter with his first score the best of the night, followed by Yuto Totsuka (91.25) and another Japanese rider Ryusei Yamada (90.25).
Reigning Olympic champion Ayumu Hirano was seventh into the 12-man final with a top score of 85.50.
James said he achieved what he set out to do, wanting to be the last rider to drop in in the final.
"I was really happy ... I wanted to come out and put my best foot forward to try and qualify first as I feel like being in that position in the finals is a really good place to be," the Victorian said. "You can be a little bit more mindful and strategic in the approach and, when it comes to the competition on Friday. "I've pushed it a little bit more in qualifying than I usually would with the switchback 14 and I was really happy to execute it all and put it together and it's going to be exciting on Friday."
A gold in Italy would would make him Australia's most decorated Winter Olympian, eclipsing freestyle skier Dale Begg-Smith and women's snowboarder Torah Bright, who have each won gold and silver.
Fellow Australian Valentino Guseli qualified in sixth place, ramping up his trick repertoire as he continues to comeback from an ACL.
"I put down two runs and did the first triple that I've done in a comp in a really long time, so like over two years," the 20-year-old said.
"There's maybe two more tricks that I'd like to put into my run if all goes well, and I think if I can do them it'll leave me in a position that I want to be."
Guseli said he expected the final to be an epic event and that veteran teammate deserved to start favourite.
"That quallies was like a finals and so finals is just going to be insane - it's going to be the biggest show ever," Guseli said.
"Scotty's got some stuff that's pretty insane and pretty hard to beat."
After watching Australia's moguls gold medal favourite Jakara Anthony stumble in the final earlier in the day, James said nothing was assured.
"I think from a competitive standpoint, halfpipe riding's probably in the Olympics is the most competitive it's ever been," he said. "I think the top six ... can win, so I don't think that's been the case before.
"It's going to be an amazing battle and a really good showing for halfpipe riding for the men, and that's why you've got to bring your best on Friday, and I look forward to being a part of it."
