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Zoi Sadowski-Synnott took out the opening World Cup Big Air event of the season in Austria. (File photo)
Kiwi teenager Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has claimed victory in the opening FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup event of the season in Austria. The 19-year-old brushed off a crash on her opening attempt to surge to glory in Kreischberg on Sunday morning (NZ time) for what was her first World Cup title. The Wanaka-based Sadowski-Synnott came up trumps in her final two runs, stomping a backside 1080 to score 81.60 then a switch back 900 for an 80.80. That made for a winning total of 162.40, with Japan s Kokomo Murase second (161.80) and Olympic gold medallist Anna Gasser third (161.40) on home snow.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Porteous and Beau-James Wells have been invited to compete in Freeski SuperPipe and Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has been invited to compete in both Snowboard Big Air and Snowboard Slopestyle.
Jossi Wells, 27-time X Games competitor, four-time X Games medallist and X Games Aspen 2016 Freeski Slopestyle gold medallist, is the first alternate for the relatively new discipline Ski Knuckle Huck in which skiers launch themselves over the knuckle (roller) of the Big Air jump and perform tricks.
With three X Games medals already to her name (X Games Norway 2020 Snowboard Slopestyle gold medallist, X Games Aspen 2019 Snowboard Slopestyle gold medallist and Big Air silver medallist) Sadowski-Synnott is thankful for the opportunity to compete at the top-level event.