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Parrot perched on top after slopestyle heats

Canada's Maxence Parrot reacts after receiving the highest score yet for the day at the finish line during the men's slopestyle snowboarding qualifying session at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games in Rosa Khutor February 6, 2014. REUTERS/Mike Blake

By Philip O'Connor ROSA KHUTOR, Russia (Reuters) - Canada's Maxence Parrot scorched the competition in the second heat of the men's snowboard slopestyle on Thursday to book his place in the Sochi Olympic final. Parrot's score of 97.50 was the best of the day as the competition burst into life in the second heat. Roope Tonteri of Finland snared second with 95.75, which would also have been good enough to win the first heat. First heat winner Staale Sandbech's 94.50 would only have been good enough for third spot in the second heat as the competitors upped the ante in the bright Sochi sunshine. Sweden's Sven Thorgren held on for third place in the second heat, with Norwegian Gjermund Braaten in fourth, grabbing the final two automatic places for Saturday's final. Those who missed out on automatic qualifying still have the chance to grab one of four remaining berths when they compete in a semi-final on Saturday. Earlier, Sandbech put in a blazing second run to win the opening on Thursday, the first day of competition at the Sochi Olympics. Sandbech's first run scored a modest 45.25 but the Norwegian notched 94.50 on his second run. Finland's Peetu Piroinen took second place, with Sebastien Toutant of Canada coming in third. America's Charles Guldemond missed out on the fourth spot by just 0.75 of a point after Britain's Jamie Nicholls used his final run to sneak past and snatch the berth in the final. "I definitely had a good time this morning until I just got bumped out on that last run, which was very disappointing, but I've got to stay positive and move on to semi-day," Guldemond told Reuters. "Obviously I wanted to make that top four cut and it didn't work out, I just need to clean things up a little bit. But nothing ever came easy to me, but when it happened I thought, 'OK, I've seen this before!'" Australian Scotty James recovered from a heavy fall to make his second run but failed to qualify automatically for the final. Seen clutching his ribs as he left the slope after the first run, James revealed that his injury was actually in a much more tender place. "I was really embarrassed, I actually hurt my 'man parts' real bad and I was in a lot of pain, and I didn't really know where to put my hands," he said. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)