Snowboarder Nathan Johnstone has claimed an emphatic victory in the World Cup halfpipe event in Stoneham, Canada.

Johnstone, 22, was never challenged on his way to the third World Cup victory of his career, which has shot the reigning World Cup champion into second place in the world rankings.

He was flawless in qualifying and then cemented his control of the event in the first run of the final to clinch the win 4.25 points ahead of Japan’s Taku Hiraoka and Finnish veteran Janne Korpi.

Coach Ben Alexander, who has steered Johnstone’s career for the past 10 years, said he had never seen the talented rider from NSW’s Perisher resort in better form.

“He was fantastic today,” Alexander said.

“He was going bigger than anyone throughout the whole event. He was seven points ahead of second place in qualifying in very tough wet and bumpy conditions.

“In the final he couldn’t be beaten going into the second run.”

In more good news for Australia, 17-year-old Scott James finished an impressive fifth.