A historic day for New Zealand snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott on the way to winning women's gold in snowboarding in Aspen.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
In her last event before the Beijing Winter Olympics, Sadowski-Synnott became the first woman to land a pair of 1080 double corks (frontside to backside) in competition - one of the most technical runs ever seen on a women's slopestyle course.
The 20-year-old maintained her early lead through all four runs for the X Games win, the third of her career.
"It means so much to me, everyone was absolutely ripping, that was the sickest contest I have ever been a part of. To put that run down, I have been working towards it for a while, so I am just so stoked," Sadowski-Synnott, the Olympic bronze medallist said.
In her second run, after lacing together a super technical rail section that included a blunt 450 out of the second rail, she landed her frontside double 1080 into her backside double 1080.
"I have been working towards that for the last year, and it was my goal to put it down here, so I am super happy."
Two-time Winter Olympic slopestyle gold medalist Jamie Anderson from the United States was second, with Canadian Laurie Blouin in third.
Sadowski-Synnott has completed her build-up to the Beijing Olympics where she will compete in snowboard slopestyle and the big air.
Zoi Sadowski Synnott Photo: Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
New Zealand also scored impressive results at the World Para Snow Sports Championships in Lillehammer, with Adam Hall claiming the silver medal in Slalom on the final day of racing in Norway.
"To finish on the podium is absolutely amazing, it has been a long week and to finish with result like this in slalom is something we knew we could always achieve and is a great benchmark heading into Beijing 2022," Hall said.
Hall was sitting in third position after run one, but delivered a stronger second run, to gain more than one second of time advantage.
Hall was competing for the first time in over three years will head to the World Cup in Åre, Sweden next week, with Paralympic New Zealand team members Corey Peters, Aaron Ewen.
"With the amount of time between major competitions and to still be in the mix in incredible," Hall said.