Jakara Anthony has laid down a marker at a frigid Genting Snow Park to qualify in first position for Sunday's women's moguls finals, where she will be joined by Britt Cox, who finished ninth.
In the men's competition though, Australia's quartet of stars will all have to ski again to be in with a chance of making the top 20, including reigning silver medallist Matt Graham, who overran himself to void his run.
There were no such problems for Anthony though, who continued the fine form that she has showed all season by nailing her run, slicing through the mogul field with ease and dazzling through the air with her trademark poise and skill to record a score of 83.75.
Her key rival, French reigning Olympic champion Perrine Laffont, qualified second, with 81.11, with American pair Jaelin Kauf (79.15) and Olivia Giaccio (78.11) close behind.
"I'm really proud and happy with what I was able to achieve just then," Anthony said after completing her run.
"I've transferred really well from training to competition.
"But there's definitely still bits I want to keep working on and improving, which is a really great position to be in, I think. You don't want to be going into finals day maxed out.
In finishing in the top 10, Anthony progresses to Sunday's Final 1. The remaining athletes have another chance to qualify to make a final field of 20.
Anthony was simply a cut above the rest of the field under the lights at the spectacularly lit Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou.
Cruising down the spectacular, vertiginous slope through a light dusting of snow swirling, Anthony's turns were tighter and jumps cleaner than anyone else as she flew to the top of the leaderboard.
Sadly, there were few there to see it live. COVID measures have reduced the crowd numbers, although with temperatures approaching -20 degrees Celsius, few could blame others for staying inside.
Anthony said it was a "real shame" there couldn't be a full crowd, but added that she had not felt safer since being in Australia in November, praising the organising committee for doing such a great job.
"It was an incredible mogul run and I'd be happy to ski it any day of the week," she said.
Anthony was joined in earning passage through to the finals at the first time of asking by compatriot Britt Cox, who came ninth, while Sophie Ash will have another chance to qualify after her 13th position.
"I haven't actually seen their runs yet … I'm so stoked for them to be here to share the experience with as well," Anthony said.
"It's really special in an individual sport to have such a great team culture and be able to share it with so many people [who] are like family.
"You don't get that in many individual sports."
The evening was less positive though for Taylah O'Neill, who was believed to be carrying an injury and who slid off course before the first ramp.
Anthony — who has been a key figure on the moguls circuit since finishing fourth at the last Games in PyeongChang — will be a big chance to secure a medal on Sunday's final.
"I'll just be focusing on my process," she said.
"I can't control the actual outcome, I can just control what I'm putting into it. So that's where I'll be putting my focus."
'Fighter' Matt Graham up for challenge despite DNF
In the men's competition, Australia's quartet of stars will all have to ski again to be in with a chance of making the top 20, including reigning silver medallist Matt Graham.
Another of Australia's medal hopes, Graham will have to go the long way round if he is to match his performance from PyeongChang, after failing to complete his qualifying run later on Thursday.
"[I] just got caught up in the tricky conditions," said Graham, who was fourth-last on course in the freezing conditions.
"I just didn't really adjust today. I had really good training beforehand and was feeling quite good going into the run.
Brodie Summers was Australia's top qualifier, missing out on the top 10 by just 0.20 points in 11th, with a score of 75.66.
Cooper Woods-Topalovic finished 14th, with 74.65, and James Matheson was 20th, with 71.86.
Hot-favourite Mikael Kingsbury of Canada qualified best, with an 81.15, more than 2 points ahead of Sweden's Walter Wallberg.
Graham — who suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery as recently as December, meaning he spent the best part of his season training on a water jump in Brisbane instead of the snow — will have to finish in the top 10 of Saturday's second qualifying run to make the first final.
Despite spending over six weeks off the snow, Graham said his shoulder was now "fine", not 100 per cent, but not enough to worry him.
"I've been skiing a very long time, six weeks away from snow … you don't lose it in that amount of time," he said, adding that he was fresher than he had ever been coming into a Games.
"It was a bad turn tonight that cost me and that's just the sport."
Graham said his disappointment was nothing compared to that O'Neil was feeling, after losing her fight to regain fitness in time for the Games.
"She's dealing with a lot more pain and suffering than me right now," he said of his teammate.
"It was a shame to see her go out the way she has tonight."
Despite the disappointment of failing to make the top 10 tonight, Graham said he would fight right up until the last.
"I'm pretty disappointed. I want to be right up there in the mix of it, especially coming back [from injury], it's really annoying, but it is what it is. Saturday is another day and I'm fortunate to get another chance in the second qualifying run.
"It's not the end of the world just yet. I like to think of myself as a fighter, and I want to keep fighting right up until my last run."
