Reigning World Champion, Nate Johnstone, has qualified for the final of this season’s biggest halfpipe event after a strong performance in the semi-finals of the TTR World Snowboarding Championships in Oslo, Norway.

The Australian Institute of Sport / NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holder produced the seventh highest score of the high-class semi-final field, and will now contest the final on Saturday night at 17:40 European time (03:40am Sunday Australian Eastern Summer Time).

The final’s format sees each athlete complete three runs, with just the best result to count in the medal calculations.

It has been a season with limited competition opportunities to date, but Johnstone, 22, is primed to continue to make his mark on the world stage according to Olympic Winter Institute of Australia CEO, Geoff Lipshut.

“Nate is still a young rider but he has again shown that he has great talent by making it through to another final with such an elite field,” Lipshut said today.

“Hopefully he can have a great run on Saturday night and show everyone what he’s capable of. Certainly the eyes of the snowboard world will be on Norway on Saturday night.”