Snowboard star enjoys success in the sun

• Published date: 26 January 2023
• Publication title: Central Otago News

Wanaka snowboader Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (21) won the LAAX Open Slopestyle World Cup in Switzerland earlier this week

Sadowski-Synnott said she was stoked with the achievement.

‘‘I have been dreaming of winning the LAAX Open. The weather has been pretty nuts, practice was challenging, so to have the sun come out for finals is super sick.’’

She finished with a score of 81.30, with closest competitor Mia Brookes claiming a score of 79.91.

Fellow New Zealand athlete Tiarn Collins placed 10th in the men’s division.

Across the Atlantic, Finley Melville Ives (16) finished in sixth place at the FIS Calgary Halfpipe World Cup.

Melville Ives said he was overall happy with how he performed.

“I would have liked to put down the 1620 but I am having a lot of fun out here experiencing the World Cup competition scene for the first time,” he said.

Melville Ives was the youngest athlete in...