Men's and women's competition will take place in the Patagonian resort, on a 1,000 metre technical course designed and built by Todd Main and a local team.

Almost every national team has held a training camp in either Argentina and Chile as the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic season begins in September to take advantage of Southern Hemisphere snow.

This will be the second snowboard cross World Cup in Argentina after Bariloche held races in 2008 and 2009.

France's Pierre Vaultier will be the one to beat in the men's competition, with the 30-year-old arriving in Argentina as the reigning Olympic, world and overall World Cup champion. 

Vaultier also won both World Cup races previously staged in Argentina.

Australia's two-time world champion Alex Pullin is also competing while 2009 world champion Markus Schairer of Austria could feature after winning the recent South American Cup event in Corralco in Chile.

Italy's Omar Visintin, who was second after Vaultier in the overall World Cup standings last season, will also take his place on the start-line.

In the women's event, the Czech Republic's reigning Olympic and World Cup champion Eva Samková will be among those to beat.

Five-time and current world champion Lindsey Jacobellis of the United States will also compete with World Cup runner up Michela Moioli of Italy another podium threat.

Qualification rounds will be held tomorrow before the medals are decided on Saturday (September 9).