World Cup victory in Aspen slopestyle

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott back on top, Francis Jobin claims first World Cup victory in Aspen slopestyle

New Zealand snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (NZL) is back and better than ever after claiming her first slopestyle World Cup victory in two years at the U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen on Sunday.

On the men’s side, Francis Jobin (CAN) claimed his first World Cup win while many of his field’s top performers struggled with Sunday’s conditions.

Twenty-three-year-old Sadowski-Synnott was the first to claim slopestyle victory after topping the women’s final ahead of runner-up Kokomo Murase.

Sadowski-Synnott took an early lead in the first run with a score of 75.90 before she was overtaken by Murase’s second run score of 79.00.

As the last rider to complete her second run, the New Zealander responded to Murase’s score with a technically sound performance that gave her a winning score of 87.80, almost eight points clear of her closest rival.

Sadowski-Synnottt’s winning run began with a switch frontside boardslide 270 out, then a cab 270 boardslide 450 out, switch boardslide to 50-50 backside 180 out, switch backside 900 Weddle, frontside double cork 1080 Weddle, and finished with a backside double cork 1080 melon.

In a repeat of the X Games Aspen 2025 slopestyle medal standings from a week ago, Great Britain’s Mia Brookes finished third on 74.70.

Sadowski-Synnott said she knew she had to step up her second run after watching Murase improve on her first run score of 64.93.

“I watched her last run and knew that it was going to knock my first run score, and just knew that I had to clean up that rails section,” said the 23-year-old.

“I’m stoked with how it came out, stepping it up from X Games last week.”

The New Zealander said Sunday’s icy conditions and flat light were a challenge for everyone navigating the slopestyle course.

“We pulled up this morning and it was so icy and flat light. It got a bit softer as the day went on, though, so I’m stoked that everyone made it through all good and put down some good runs,” said Sadowski-Synnott.

The New Zealander’s win on Sunday follows her second place finish at the most recent slopestyle World Cup event in Laax (SUI) in January.

It is also Sadowski-Synott’s first slopestyle victory since she was plagued by injuries after winning the Laax Open in 2023.

“I definitely got a bit of confidence coming off Laax two weeks ago and I worked so hard to get back to this level and be competing with the rest of the girls because they’re pushing it so hard,” she said.

“I’m just so happy to be back.”

In the men’s final, more than half of the 16 finalists struggled to put down a clean first run before Canada’s Francis Jobin claimed his first World Cup victory with a second run score of 79.30.

Jobin began his winning run with a half cab nosepress back 180 on rail one, followed by a switch back 270 boardslide 450, switch boardslide to front boardslide 270, frontside double cork 1080 off the toes nosegrab, backside 1260 Stelmasky, then finished with a switch backside double rodeo 1260 nosegrab.

Runner-up honours went to Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games big air champion and slopestyle silver medallist Su Yiming (CHN). U.S. rider Sean Fitzsimons finished third on 77.43.

Jobin’s win is his first World Cup podium in 42 starts since he made his FIS Snowboard World Cup tour debut in 2016.

“I’m speechless. I’ve been dreaming of getting onto the World Cup podium for a long, long time, so I’m incredibly happy right now. It’s a dream come true,” said Jobin.

The Canadian’s performance on Sunday also follows his X Games Aspen 2025 gold medal in the inaugural men’s snowboard street style event.

“I’m so thankful for the past few weeks, it’s been incredible. Coming off of X Games it was such a good time, and the same course, I was happy I was able to put my runs down today.”

The 26-year-old said he is honoured to follow in the footsteps of the Canadian slopestyle World Cup winners such as Mark McMorris, Mark Parrot, Liam Brearley and Cameron Spalding.

“It means the world to me,” said Jobin.

Meanwhile, many of the top ranked men’s slopestyle athletes  finished in the bottom half of Sunday’s field, with top qualifier Cameron Spalding finishing in 16th place and Mark McMorris in 15th place.

Despite Sunday’s result, Spalding still leads the slopestyle World Cup standings on 215 points with three out of five slopestyle World Cup events now completed. Spalding is trailed by his Aspen runner-up Yiming on 146 points.