Australia's top ranked ski cross athlete, Scott Kneller, regained the upper hand over his protege in the final of the 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games at the south island's Cardrona resort today.

The World Cup winner and Australian Institute of Sport / NSW Institute of Sport skier was twice beaten by fellow squad member, Anton Grimus, in two days of competition in the Suzuki National Snowsport Championships at Victoria's Mount Hotham earlier this week.

However in New Zealand today, Kneller reversed the recent results.

Kneller, 22, finished less than a ski length ahead of the hard-charging Grimus, 20, in a cliff-hanging final, with Swiss up-and-comer Kevin Amacker in third place.

Today's race down the 1070-metre course, consisting of 20 features, almost seemed like there was more at stake than the win.

While Kneller and Anton are training partners and good mates, a friendly rivalry is emerging, which acts as a healthy incentive for both AIS / NSWIS squad members to ski faster and achieve better results.

Kneller, the more experienced of the duo, has been mentoring his younger teammate, along with AIS ski cross head coach Matt Lyons, and today's victory seemed to act as a reminder to Grimus that Kneller still has the team's top spot.

But Kneller did not win without having to fight. On two occasions Grimus tried to make passing maneuvers but the winner of a World Cup event in Italy last December held his nerve and his line through turns to reach the finish line first.

At one stage Grimus was so close to taking the lead that he clipped the back of Kneller's ski, which momentarily reduced some of Grimus' momentum.

Lyons said that he was impressed by the form shown by Kneller and Grimus and added that there are signs for a good World Cup season in the northern hemisphere later this year.

He said that he was also impressed by the performance of 16-year-old Australian Lee Garner, who qualified for the small final.

In the women's event, Katya Crema, who is also a member of the AIS ski cross program, went close to downing Swiss world number four, Fanny Smith, for the second time in one week.

Crema, who defeated Smith at Mt Hotham last Saturday in the first of two races, set the day's fastest qualifying time, about 0.5 of a second faster than Smith.

However, Smith seemed to find another gear in the final, crossing the line about a ski length ahead of the Australian, with Kiwi Michelle Greig in third.

Women's ski cross final, 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games, Cardrona, NZ:
1. Fanny Smith (SUI), 2. Katya Crema (AUS), 3. Michelle Greig (NZ), 4. Lilly Speiser (AUS), 5. Alia Moore (AUS), 6. Sophia Jamieson (NZ).

Men's ski cross final, 100% Pure New Zealand Winter Games, Cardrona, NZ:
1. Scott Kneller (AUS), 2. Anton Grimus (AUS), 3. Kevin Amacker (SUI), 4. Angus Rose (NZ), 5. Joe Swensson (USA), 6. Angus Howden (NZ).