Omar Visintin topped the men's qualification event on home snow in Cervinia ©Getty Images

Italian duo Omar Visintin and Michela Moioli won the men’s and women’s qualification at the International Ski Federation Snowboard Cross World Cup event in Cervinia.

Visintin, a silver medalist at the 2015 Winter X Games in Aspen, in the United States, managed to escape the unpredictable weather that plagued the day to record a time of 46.87 seconds on the 800 metre course at the foot of the Matterhorn in the Alps.

Two-time World Champion Alex Pullin, of Australia, who missed the last event in Montafon, Austria, after a crash whilst training, recorded a time of 46.96sec to make to make him favourite to extend his lead at the top of the overall snowboard cross table, which he currently leads by 1,140 points.

Jonathan Cheever, a member of the US Snowboarding SBX A Team, came third in 47.06.

Michela Moioli, right, carried on her good form from Montafon, where she won gold, to come top of the women's qualifying event in Cervinia ©Getty Images
Michela Moioli, right, carried on her good form from Montafon, where she won gold, to come top of the women's qualifying event in Cervinia ©Getty Images

The women’s event saw another Italian come top of the qualification as Moioli, who won the last snowboard cross event in Montafon, recorded a time of 48.68sec.

This was almost two seconds faster than France’s Charlotte Bankes, who competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, who finished her run in 50.66sec.

Italy’s Raffaella Brutto, whose last World Cup podium finish came at La Molina, Spain, in March 2014, finished third fasted in the qualifying round with a time of 50.70sec.

Overall snowboard cross table leader, and reigning World Champion, Lindsey Jacobellis of the United States finished eighth, recording a time of 51.09sec.

Tomorrow is the second and final day of the event with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal races taking place.