Zoi Sadowski-Synnott is back in the swing of things.
In her first competition of the 2025/26 season, the 24-year-old snowboarder has laid down a marker for the weeks to pick up a slopestyle silver medal at the X Games in Aspen.
Sadowski-Synnott, who will be part of a17-strong New Zealand team heading to the Winter Olympics in Italy next month, counted a best run of 93 to trail only Great Britain’s Mia Brookes’ 96.33.
The Kiwi needed all three of her attempts to put a medal-contending score on the board, with her third and final run on the course her best of the day after scores of 30.66 and 48 in her first two attempts.
She will look to further add to that count in the Big Air competition tomorrow morning. The result saw Sadowski-Synnott add to her X Games career collection, now with four silver to go with six gold and two bronze medals.
Saturday’s silver was her seventh X Games medal in slopestyle, with five of those being gold.
“So stoked to see Zoi back in action. That steely focus before dropping in and big smile at the bottom of her run, she is the queen of clutch and left it until the third run to put down the run she was aiming for to keep things exciting. It’s a great step towards the big event next month in Italy,” Snow Sports NZ Park and Pipe head coach Tom Willmott said.
Fellow Kiwi Luca Harrington will also leave Aspen with a little bit extra in his luggage, claiming the silver medal in the men’s ski Big Air competition.
Luca Harrington claimed X Games silver in the men's ski Big Air competition. Photo / AFP
Harrington, who will also be in action at the Winter Olympics in February, put down three impressive runs - counting a 94.66 and discarding scores of 92.33 and 85.33.
Harrington was the last athlete on the course, beginning his final attempt in silver-medal position but chasing American Mac Forehand’s 96.00 for gold.
Ultimately, it was silver for Harrington, with fellow Kiwi Ben Barclay in ninth.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
