Spinning less than a 1080 in a competition? Zoi Sadowski-Synnott said no thank you.
The 23-year-old rider from New Zealand became the first woman to land a backside triple cork 1440 in a slopestyle competition at X Games Aspen 2025 on her way to a gold medal Friday afternoon.
Her three runs included a switch backside 1260, frontside double cork 1080, and a backside triple cork 1440. Her final score was a 94.66. It’s been a monster week so far for the Kiwi, as she already took home a bronze medal in big air the day before. It was an extra-meaningful win, as she was out of the contest circuit for a year due to an injury.
“Honestly, I didn’t know if I would ever be on the podium again going through this injury,” Sadowski-Synnott said on the broadcast. “To be back here, in the mix with the girls and be a part of the progression, means so much to me and to win this comp…I can’t even believe it.”
Meanwhile, both Kokomo Murase and Mia Brookes redeemed themselves after falling short in the women’s big air the day before. Murase failed to land any of her runs, and finished in last place after winning the event the year before.
Brookes narrowly missed the podium, losing by just two points to Sadowski-Synnott under the lights Thursday night in an event she’s dominated in all season long. Murase took home a silver medal in slopestyle, while Brookes won bronze.
Photo: Monster Energy
Canadian Laurie Blouin came in fourth place with a 39.66. Anna Gasser, the big air champion from just a night earlier, came in sixth place with an 84.33.
The course was 1,700 feet long with six features and a vertical drop of 290 feet, according to the X Games website. This year, riders have just two runs in the first round, now dubbed the playoffs, to get the highest score possible. The best run counts, and the top four scores advance to the final. Those scores reset to zero, and the best single score wins.
Men’s slopestyle goes off Saturday at 1:15 p.m. Canadian Mark McMorris is the odds-on favorite to win that contest, according to odds on ESPN Bet. Red Gerard is close behind, followed by Markus Kleveland.
Women’s snowboard knuckle huck is scheduled to go off at 6:30 p.m. on January 24, 2025. Men’s snowboard big air starts at 10 p.m., and knuckle huck at 11:15 the same night.
On January 25, 2025, men’s and women’s snowboard street style will be held at 4:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Women’s superpipe will round out the snowboard events for the weekend, as it starts at 7:30 p.m.
Related: Scotty James Wins Superpipe Gold at First Night of X Games Aspen