Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has successfully defended her X Games Slopestyle gold medal at the prestigious invite-only event in Aspen, Colorado.
Photo: (Photo by Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images)
The 21-year-old Olympic champion from Wanaka was thrilled after fourth X Games Slopestyle gold and her eighth X Games medal in total.
"Honestly, I can't really believe it, it could have gone any way today," she said.
"Everyone is absolutely ripping, and I am so stoked for Tess and Kokomo. I am proud of what we were all able to do in these conditions."
The weather was challenging in Aspen, light snow falling combined with flat light was adding another layer of complexity to the course.
Despite the challenging conditions, Sadowski-Synnott, the final athlete to drop in each round, made quick work of the course, securing the top spot after her second run.
Tess Coady of Australia took her next run and bumped Sadowski-Synnott down into second place but the New Zealander pushed hard to get back into the top spot with her third run. However, she got caught up in the fresh snow on the landing of the second jump.
With everything on the line for her fourth and final run, Sadowski-Synnott laced together a technical rail run that included a huge cab 270 gap onto the flat down.
Finishing off her run with a backside 900 and a switch backside 900, there was a nervous wait at the bottom of the course, waiting to see if her run could knock Coady out of the top spot.
The ranking came in and Sadowski-Synnott was once again on the top of the podium at the biggest snowboard slopestyle event of the season.
Coady claimed the silver medal, with Kokomo Murase of Japan in bronze medal position.
- RNZ