Snowboarder Scotty James aims to lift his game for Olympics

Scotty James has given the Games venue the thumbs up.

Scotty James on the Phoenix Park half-pipe yesterday.

Fresh from his breakthrough X Games victory, world champion half-pipe snowboarder Scotty James is planning to lift his game again when the PyeongChang Olympic test event begins at Phoenix Park in South Korea today.

The 22-year-old Victorian beat all the established big guns of his sport, including the past two Olympic champions Iouri Podladtchikov of Switzerland and American Shaun White, to claim the X Games title two weeks ago and is determined to maintain his momentum in South Korea.

“It’s been a really good year so far. I had a couple of really good results and I’m feeling great on my board and everything that I’ve been working towards in the off-season and then in-season has paid off and we’re ticking all the boxes,’’ James said.

“It’s a good place to be right now because there are still things I can work on to make myself better when I’m snowboarding, and when I’m off snow I’m as happy as I’ve ever been, so that reflects how I’m going.’’

After one practice day at the new half-pipe at Phoenix Park, James said it was a good quality facility and he expected a “really high level of competition this week’’.

For that reason, he intends to lift the degree of difficulty of his run, moving what has become his signature trick this season, the backside 12 (a triple spin with two off-axis somersaults), from the end to the beginning of his run.

“This week I’m planning on doing it much earlier in my run than I usually do, which will up my score again,’’ he said.

“The harder the trick and the higher up the pipe, the more consequential it is. It’s more difficult to maintain your amplitude and do other tricks afterwards and that’s more appealing to the judges.’’

James has made the podium in every major competition he has done this year and said that consistency was a consequence of a more rigorous approach to his off-season strength and conditioning and his diet.

“Last season I changed the way I rode and I couldn’t handle the intensity, so I got fatigued towards the end of the season. I got a bronze at X Games but I wasn’t satisfied. I was quite frustrated and ready to work hard and I still have that fire in me,’’ he said.

“There’s lots of things that I’ve tried to be more disciplined with and really paid attention to because it does actually help. It’s taken me a while to notice that but I’m happy I’ve realised it now.

“The culture of snowboarding is to be quite carefree and just take it as it comes and I still want to keep that nature a little bit, but as far as snowboarding has grown and the tricks and the half-pipes getting longer, it’s just become much more physically demanding, so you can’t just wing it.

“I need to make sure I have the stamina to get through the season and that’s one thing I’ve noticed a lot more this season. I feel fresh and very energised, kind of like I haven’t really started yet which is awesome and comes back to how my off-season went.

“It’s been a huge learning curve for me. I feel like I’ve developed not just on my snowboard but as a person.”

After James won the world title two years ago, he wanted to prove that it was not a fluke, and he said he was still taking that attitude into each competition.

“I don’t think I have anything to prove because I’ve been on tour for a long time and been competitive, but I kind of ride with that intention all the time,’’ he said.

“I ride with that fire to know that I’m here and I’m ready to compete with the best and I’ve definitely come out and done that this year and dethroned a lot of people ... ’’

James became the youngest Australian to compete at a Winter Olympics when he made his debut aged 15 in Vancouver seven years ago.

He is one of a trio of outstanding Australian 22-year-olds — including moguls skiers Britt Cox and Matt Graham — who have all risen to the top of their chosen events this season.

Cox also made her debut at 15 in Vancouver, while Graham just missed those Games, but all are primed to make a charge in PyeongChang next year.