Sadowski-Synnott claims second place finish at LAAX Open
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has claimed the 10th World Cup podium of her career, with a second place finish at the prestigious LAAX Open Snowboard Slopestyle World Cup in Switzerland overnight NZT.
The Wānaka 23-year-old says: "There is nothing like competing when there’s perfect weather out and everyone is on point, so we were all feeding off each other and it was sick.
"It means everything to me to be back competing at a high level, [my ankle] took so much longer than expected to come right but I am so stoked to be snowboarding.”
The Olympic triple medallist and current snowboard slopestyle Olympic champion was back in the bib after having a quieter 2024 competition wise, recovering from an ankle injury.
Almost 100 snowboarders descended on the much anticipated second slopestyle event of the 2024/25 season, the LAAX Open. Widely regarded as the pinnacle slopestyle World Cup event of the season, we saw a full roster of snowboarding superstars on the start list.
Sadowski-Synnott dropped into her first run switch, putting down two technical rail tricks before heading into the jump section where she laced back-to-back 900s on the first two jumps and finished strongly on the quarter pipe feature with a backside air. She was the first athlete of the day to put down a top to bottom run and was rewarded a 75.36.
Sitting in second place heading into her second and final run, Sadowski-Synnott knew she needed to add something special to challenge Mia Brookes of Great Britain for the top of the podium. She upgraded her second jump to a huge switch backside 1260, which marked the first time any woman has landed that trick in a slopestyle competition. The judges increased her score, but a couple bobbles in the top section of her run meant she was unable to top Brookes’ first run score and remained in second position.
“I am super hyped on the switch backside 1260, that was the first time I have landed it in a slopestyle competition. I luckily put two down in practice so coming into the second run I had confidence; I was stoked to put it down.”
Current Snowboard Slopestyle World Champion 17-year-old Brookes took the win for the first time in her career at the LAAX Open, with Kokomo Murase of Japan rounding out the podium in third.
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott in action on the slopestyle course at the LAAX Open. Photo: Laemmerhirt / LAAX Open
Dane Menzies and Lyon Farrell represented NZ in the men’s finals, finishing in seventh and eighth respectively. Menzies put down a notably solid second run, executing his tricks near flawlessly and stomping top to bottom. Farrell, who always bring his infectious positive energy to the course, put down the first backside 1620 off a shark fin feature ever landed in competition.
Sadowski-Synnott will next be in action at the invite only Aspen Winter X Games next weekend.
Third place for Richards at first stop of 2025 Freeride World Tour
Meanwhile Ben Richards (Wānaka, 24) has kicked off his 2025 Freeride World Tour with a bang, finishing in third place at the Baqueira Beret Pro held in Spain.
Richards, who was named Rookie of the Year on the 2024 Freeride World Tour, carried his momentum from 2024 into the first event of 2025, putting down a trademark fast and fluid run that oozed style.
Due to variable snow conditions, event organisers made the decision to move today’s competition to the La Bamba face, located in backcountry in the Baqueira Beret valley. This was the first time the Freeride World Tour has used this venue for competition, making for an exciting event with the athletes relying on a visual inspection only to select their lines.
Richards says: “I am stoked, honestly with these conditions I am happy to make it through the finish line on my feet. My run went better than I anticipated, the snow is petty spicy but still rippable, and we ski conditions like this all the time at home, so I just tried to stay positive.”
Richards put down a fast, direct line with his skis remaining in the fall line to score exceptionally high in the fluidity category of the judging. This combined with plenty of airtime and a two huge 360’s thrown off the features impressed the judges, with his run scoring a 89.00 which held in podium position throughout the remainder of the competition.
Baqueira Beret Men’s Ski Podium. [L-R] Toby Rafford (USA) 2nd, Ross Tester (USA) 1st, Ben Richards (NZL) 3rd. Photo: Jeremy Bernard / Freeride World Tour
Ben Richards in action at the top of the La Bamba face today. Photo: Jeremy Bernard / Freeride World Tour
