"I couldn't be more stoked to do it in my home town, with my friends and family watching, said Wells. "I landed a new trick that I hadn't done in contest. That was an overwhelming feeling."
From a layman's point of view the manoeuvre is almost impossible to imagine. Wells was exceeding 40km/h when he took off, before completely three and half full spins in mid air, as well as two flips.
At the highest point he was five metres above the pipe, and he spent two full seconds suspended above the expectant Cardrona crowd.
As well as being spectacular, such tricks win medals; they are the signature moves of the best exponents.
"I started learning it back in January. And there is no better place to do it than right here," said Wells, who estimates he has done more than 5,000 runs on the Cardrona Halfpipe that carries his family name.
Well, who finished sixth at the 2014 Winter Olympics, knows he needs to keep improving to reach the next echelon.
The top two at Sochi performed two 1260 double corks within their runs, and brother Byron managed the feat in this year's X Games. Of course with every new stunt, there's also more risk.
"It can be a scary sport," says Wells.
"Especially on those cold, windy, icy days. But it's my job, I have to do it. You get scared for sure, every day, but you don't think about crashing. I just block that out, concentrate exactly on what I am doing and hopefully it will work out."
Sometimes it doesn't. Wells has broken both collarbones, his wrists, shin bones, had surgery on his thumb and has a "pretty bad back".
Risk is mitigated by endless practice, as well as training on trampolines, air bags and soft snow. But as you gaze up the awesome half pipe, you realise it can't be eliminated.
"It is what this sport comes with...risks we are willing to take. Your breaks all heal eventually and then you get back out there."
Wells, who is the third of the four Wells brothers, will be back in action tomorrow, competing in the Half pipe final along with compatriot Janina Kuzma (who qualified fourth in the women's event).
Yesterday' action was capped off by a spectacular dual slalom event at Coronet Peak. Held under floodlights, it featured 2014 Olympics gold medallist Ted Ligety and Mikaela Shiffrin from the United States.
Tomorrow morning sees the Snowboard Slopestyle final at Cardrona, with a Curling Pro-Am event at Naseby in the afternoon.
