Kiwi snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has claimed the gold medal at the FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup in Austria.
After crashing on her first run, 19-year-old Sadowski-Synott delivered a clean backside 1080 in her second run, before stomping a switchback 900 in her third and final run to clinch victory.
The Olympic bronze medallist later revealed that was the first time she'd landed the backside 1080 in competition.
"It was pretty difficult [after crashing the first run], I put a lot of pressure on myself," says Sadowski-Synnott. "I wanted to land the backside 1080 in competition.
"I only learnt it in New Zealand this summer and so I was just stoked to land that in my second run. It really set me up for the switchback 900."
The event was the first Snowboard Big Air World Cup of the season and the first opportunity for athletes to earn qualification points towards the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.
Competition was intense across the field, with all three podium finishers separated within a single point.
Japan's Kokomo Murase recorded the single highest score of the night, finishing second with an overall mark of 161.80, while Austrian veteran Anna Gasser rounded out the podium with a score of 161.40.
“I can’t believe it [the level of riding]," Sadowski-Synnott admits.
"The jump was so perfect and girls were sending. It was sick."
