[Yuki Kadono didn’t take any medals in China, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. All photos: Sami Tuoriniemi]

With its won four-year cycle, the World Championships of Snowboarding is essentially the World Snowboard Tour’s answer to the Olympics. This year’s host resort was Yabuli in China, and most of the biggest names had come to play.

There was no halfpipe comp due to difficulties with equipment and weather that made even Sochi’s slush-ditch look good, but the Big Air and slopestyle events went off without a hitch. Plus an impromptu ‘expression session’ was organised for the pipe, so the likes of Shaun White still had an opportunity to sail inhumanly high out of the lip.

Results-wise, it was amazing to see Peetu Piiroinen back on the top of a Big Air podium, while Brandon Davis was the surprise winner of the men’s slopestyle. Meanwhile a brace of golds from Jamie Anderson further cemented her position as the world’s finest female freestyler.

Sami Tuoriniemi was there to capture all the action – scroll down to see more of his photos from China.

WST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, YABULI – RESULTS

Slopestyle – Women

1. Jamie Anderson
2. Enni Rukajärvi
3. Julia Marino

Slopestyle – Men

1. Brandon Davis
2. Max Parrot
3. Stale Sandbech

Big Air – Women

1. Jamie Anderson
2. Enni Rukajärvi
3. Jessika Jenson

Big Air – Men

1. Peetu Piiroinen
2. Kyle Mack
3. Sebastien Toutant