Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has won the final stop of the 2024-25 FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup Tour in Aspen, her first Big Air World Cup victory since December 2023.
To go with Sadowski-Synnott's great result, fellow Kiwi Luca Harrington was second at the latest FIS Freeski World Cup event, also in Aspen, Colorado.
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This result firmly marks Sadowski-Synott’s return to the absolute top of women’s snowboarding since an ankle injury sidelined her for much of 2024.
The Wanaka 23-year-old was thrilled with the victory.
“I actually can’t believe it, the conditions were kind of challenging today with the firm, shady landing in contrast with the run-in being soft and bumpy. To put down those two tricks in these conditions, I am pretty stoked.”
Weather was warm and windy in Aspen, requiring some tactical snowboarding from Sadowski-Synnott to ensure she could throw her biggest tricks, despite a course that was getting softer and winds that were increasing.
She put her two winning tricks down on her first two runs, which was a crucial move in taking the win.
“To put those first two [tricks] down was kind of playing tactics, but I am stoked.”
Sadowski-Synnott stomped a switch backside double corked 1260 with a weddle grab for her first run, scoring the highest single jump score of the day with an 89.00 to take an early lead. She paired that with a backside double 1080 drunk driver grab (both hands on the board) to take the lead after run two, two points ahead of her nearest competitor Kokomo Murase of Japan.
With Murase recording a DNI (did not improve) for her third and final run, Sadowski-Synnott dropped into a victory lap as she once again rode her way to the top of the women’s snowboarding big air podium.
Sadowski-Synnott in first and Murase in second were joined on the podium by Japan’s Momo Suzuki who rounded out the podium in third.
In the last couple of weeks Sadowski-Synnott has claimed two X Games medals (gold and bronze) and two World Cup wins.
It was the final event of the 2025 FIS Big Air World Cup Tour. The FIS Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup circuit will resume on the 18th of February in Calgary, Canada.
For Hrington second place Freeski Big Air World Cup was another satisfying result.
“I am unbelievably excited, this season has been incredible for me and to walk away with another medal today is just a dream.”
Harrington qualified in the top spot to finals, and made quick work of getting a score in the 90’s on the board, putting down a right triple corked 1800 safety grab for his first of three finals runs.
Athletes threw down their best tricks but Harrington quickly responded with a precision perfect switch right triple corked 1620 esco grab. The judges rewarded him with a huge 94.25 for his second run, which had him sitting comfortably in second position with just one run to go.
Harrington dropped into his final run and was guaranteed a silver medal as the second to last athlete to drop. Always looking to push himself and the sport, Harrington threw down a massive right triple corked 1980 safety grab which improved his score but wasn’t enough to bump Austria’s Matej Svancer off the top spot.
Svancer took the win, with Harrington in second. Konnor Ralph of the USA rounded out the podium in third with first big air world cup podium of his career.
Harrington is currently in second place in the 2025 men’s freeski big air World Cup standings, only secured his first Big Air World Cup podium a little over a month ago and has gone from strength to strength with his flawless execution and highly technical tricks. Today’s result marks his fifth major podium of 2025 (slopestyle and big air).
Meanwhile skier Alice Robinson has finished 11th in the Super-G at the world championships in Austria. She was 1.13 seconds behind local winner Stephanie Venier .