Kiwi snowboarder Tiarn Collins captures breakthrough victory after Olympic injury blow

Tiarn Collins celebrates his victory.

Kiwi Tiarn Collins has won the latest round of the men's slopestyle Snowboard World Cup in Calgary, Canada.

The 21-year-old has won with a score of 80.50 points, beating Japan's Ruki Tobita into second.

Compatriot Carlos Garcia Knight finished 33rd.

Collins sustained a shoulder injury just days before he was due to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics and has been battling to make it back to top form ever since.

"It feels good to be back competing and a win is insane. I can't believe it," he said today.

The heavy field of 50 riders featured some of the world's best riders including X Games Aspen gold and silver medallists Darcy Sharpe of Canada and Norway's Mons Roisland.

Collins opted for a brand-new competition run for finals after qualifying in fourth.

Opening with a new trick, a switch-back 270 onto forward, Collins put down a tidy rail line but it was on the jumps that he earned top marks despite a near-miss on the cab 1440 nosegrab on the very last jump.

"I almost over-rotated, I had to fight to hold on to it and was literally holding my breath right to the end," he said.