8legs: Zoi sadowski-synnott

#1 out of 1

Kiwi rising: How New Zealand set an Olympic snowboarding record and became a power on snow

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott won silver in women’s snowboarding slopestyle at Milan Cortina 2026, marking her fifth Olympic medal.
New Zealand is investing in a coordinated, pipeline-style approach to snow sports across snowboarding and skiing.
Seven of New Zealand’s 11 competitors at the games have reached a final, demonstrating depth beyond the top star.
Luke Hetzel from Snow Sports New Zealand said Kiwi riders have a growing development system and focus on long-term outcomes.
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott is described as the centerpiece of a growing trend in NZ winter sports.
New Zealand athletes are described as ambitious and supported from an early age by the Melville Ives family and coaches.
New Zealand’s presence at the Games includes multiple athletes in finals across snowboarding and skiing events.
The NZ program is described as countering the notion of shallow depth by building a sustainable athlete pipeline.
Luca Harrington earned bronze in ski slopestyle, contributing to NZ’s medal tally at the Games.
The NZ program ties into a broader strategy of supporting both snowboarding and skiing under one federation.
AP coverage underscores New Zealand’s rising influence in Winter Olympic snow sports.

Vote 0