The American snowboarder Shaun White was in a class of his own in defending his Olympic halfpipe title, scoring 48.4 points out of a possible 50 on his second run.
The red haired snowboarder, known as the flying tomato, had already recorded the highest score of the final with his first run, but impressed crowds in his second attempt with a new move including a double back flip while turning.
New Zealand's two halfpipe representatives James Hamilton and Mitch Brown were eliminated after their qualifying heats after neither secured a top nine finish.
