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Most of the world's best riders are here and during the next few days they'll be vying for a share of two monster purses: $35,000 in the Kokanee Boardercross and a whopping $230,000 for the superpipe, slopestyle, big air and boardercross in the World Championships.

Thursday's Kokanee Boardercross will wrap up a four-stop tour through Canada and complete the seventh season of snowboarding's longest running boardercross racing series. Local favorites include Brett Tippie, Alison Clarke and Drew Neilson, winner of the Kokanee stop in Mount Seymour, BC. Banff's Candice Drouin also promises to rock; she took 1st at the Goodwill Games boardercross this year.

Once the World Championships begin on Friday, a flurry of bib-wearing snowboarders will be walking around with extra large checks and even bigger smiles. Only 24 men and 10 women are on the invite-only roster for the superpipe and slopestyle; 20 men and eight women in big air; and 24 men and 12 women in the boardercross.

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It'll be a good fight in every category, every day. Kim Stacey, Tricia Byrnes and Natasha Zurek are here to ride the pipe, as are Ross Powers, Tommy Czeschin and Xaver Hoffman. Peter Line, Chad Otterstrom and Chris Brown will duke it out slopestyle, as will Barrett Christy, Jamie MacLeod and Jessica Dalpiaz. In big air, watch for Tara Dakides, Kim Bohnsack, Tina Basich, Jason Borgstede, Josh Dirksen and Kevin Sansalone.

Boardercross could be all about Canucks, but it might just go to the riders who have the most energy left by Sunday — especially since Saturday night's big air promises to be a rather festive affair.

Check back every day to get the latest on the greatest. We'll be here.

— MC O'Connor, Trying to Steal Hans' Cowboy Hat for MountainZone.com