Jacobellis won the snowboard cross title at the 2017 FIS World Championships in Sierra Nevada, as well as in 2015, 2011, 2007 and 2005. 

She will begin her title defence tomorrow as the women's and men's snowboard cross qualifying event gets underway at Solitude Mountain.

Jacobellis can draw on her form in the FIS Snowboard Cross World Cup, with the American currently sitting joint first in the overall standings.

Her main challenger to the world title will be the athlete who is also leading the World Cup standings, Eva Samkova of the Czech Republic.

In the men's snowboard cross competition, the favourite could be Martin Noerl of Germany, the current leader of the men's World Cup standings.

Solitude Mountain will then host the snowboard cross finals on February 1, the ski cross finals on February 2 and a mixed team event on February 3.

The mixed team event will be making its first appearance at a World Championships before its Olympic debut at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.

Park City Mountain will host the freeski big air final on February 2, snowboard slalom, parallel giant slalom and snowboard big air finals from February 4 to 5 and the freeski slopestyle final from February 6.

The snowboard halfpipe final will then take place at the same venue on February 8, with the freeski halfpipe final on February 9 and the the snowboard slopestyle final on February 10.

Action at the Deer Valley Resort will begin on February 6 with the freeski slopestyle final.

The freestyle team aerials final will then be held on February 7, the freestyle moguls final on February 8 and the freestyle dual moguls final on February 9.

The freeski big air and freestyle team aerial events will also be making their World Championships debut. 

Around 1,400 athletes from 40 countries will compete in Utah, with many coming straight from the Winter X Games in Aspen.