Zoi Sadowski-Synnott wins X Games gold medal in historic fashion

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott of New Zealand wins gold in the snowboard slopestyle event at the X Games Aspen. Photo / Photosport

Kiwi snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has added another medal to her expansive collection, winning gold today at the prestigious, invite-only X Games women's snowboard slopestyle in Aspen.

Taking a convincing lead from the start, the 20-year-old maintained her lead through all four runs to claim the top spot against the world's best with a run that has made history.

"It means so much to me," she said after claiming gold. "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."

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, becoming the first woman to ever land this combination in competition.

Sadowski-Synnott explained: "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."

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott in action. Photo / Photosport

It is the third X Games gold medal of Sadowski-Synnott's career and her third major event podium finish of the 2022 season.

She was joined on the podium by two-time Winter Olympic slopestyle gold medalist Jamie Anderson (USA) in second and Laurie Blouin (Canada) in third.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB's Jason Pine, Sadowski-Synnott's coach Sean Thompson said he was "through the moon" to see her land the run in competition.

"She had a really good practice yesterday - one of the best I've ever seen her ride - and then she warmed it up today, did the front 1080 in practice," Thompson said.

"It's a really technical run, and with the rails that she did before the jumps, they're so hard to get through themselves. I was on edge all run, I almost couldn't watch.

"When she pulled it off the first time, I was so over the moon. A lot of work has gone into it and both of us were just so happy about it."

This was the final event for Sadowski-Synnott before she heads to China for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics where she will be representing New Zealand in both snowboard slopestyle and big air.

She won the bronze medal in the women's big air at the PyeongChang 2018 Games, becoming the second Kiwi to win a Winter Olympic medal after Annelise Coberger claimed silver in the women's slalom at the Albertville 1992.

Thompson said they were aiming to bring home the gold medal from Beijing.

"It's a tough sport. There's a lot that goes into it, a lot of good competition and a lot of variables that come into play too like weather and course design," he said.

"She's definitely got it in her. We've been training super hard for it, she's put her all in; we're just going to go for it and hope it works out on the day."