Snowboarders Niek van der Velden and Melissa Peperkamp have qualified for the finals of the Big Air event in Beijing.

On a rest day for the skaters, Dutch eyes were focused on the two snowboarders and Karlien Sleper in the women’s monobob.

Van der Velden finished 11th in the qualifying round for the men’s Big Air, scoring 79 points for a switch backside triple cork 1620 in the first round before a more conservative third round earned him 63.75 points.

In the women’s competition the 17-year-old Peperkamp also finished 11th with 128.25 points. Her best jump came in the second round, earning 68.25 points.

For both snowboarders it was a second chance after they missed out on the final of the slopestyle event.

‘I really didn’t expect this,’ said a delighted Peperkamp. ‘Slopestyle is my best discipline, but I’ve made so much progress in the last three days. Tomorrow we go again.’

Sleper finished 16th of the 20 competitors in the monobob, an event making its debut at the Winter Olympics.

The 29-year-old therapist said: ‘I’ve been battling for four years to get here. I’m so proud. It’s sunk in now and I’ve made history by taking part in the first ever monobob at the Games.’