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Kiwi snowboarder posts breakthrough victory on world stage

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sun, 19 Dec 2021, 9:24am
Zoi Sadowski-Synott is held aloft by her coaches following her victory. Photo / Supplied
Zoi Sadowski-Synott is held aloft by her coaches following her victory. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi snowboarder posts breakthrough victory on world stage

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sun, 19 Dec 2021, 9:24am

Olympic bronze medallist Zoi Sadowski-Synott has posted her first ever victory on snowboarding's prestigious Dew Tour. 

Since her stunning performance to win New Zealand's first Winter Olympics medal in 26 years at Pyeongchang in 2018, the Wanaka snowboarder has developed into one of the best in the sport. 

Sadowski-Synott is currently ranked number two in the world in slopestyle, behind American great Jamie Anderson, and is the reigning world champion in the discipline. 

She firmly lived up to that reputation on Sunday morning in Colorado as she dominated the field from her first run. 

Her rail section consisted of a transfer to the wall ride, boardslide 270 out on the flat down and a 270 on, out switch on the down bar with a slight revert on landing. 

Although the speed was proving an issue for some riders Sadowski-Synott carried her speed into the jump section, linking together a switch backside 540, a frontside 720 melon grab with a back 900 and was rewarded with an 88.50 that put her in the top spot. 

Coming into run two, she wanted to clean up her run and improve the execution. She did just that and upped her score to a 95.00. 

"I am so stoked to put that down [second run], I actually did a revert in the middle of my run last run. I am stoked that I landed it so now I can build on it," Sadowski-Synott said in the midst of the competition 

Sitting comfortably in the top spot going into her third and final run, commentators wondered if she would just take it easy knowing she was sitting in a really good position, but anyone who knows Sadowski-Synott knew that wouldn't be the case. 

She replaced the switch backside 540 with a huge switch back 900 to the delight of the crowd and the commentators. The judges were also impressed, scoring her a massive 97.75, rendering her untouchable by her competitors and a huge seven points ahead of second place Enni Rukajarvi (FIN). Kokomo Murase (JPN) rounded out the podium in third. 

Sadowski-Synott's next competition on the road to the Beijing Winter Olympics will be a World Cup meet in Calgary at the end of December. 

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