Short Description
Anna Gasser chases a historic third straight Olympic snowboarding gold. She must out-jump reigning slopestyle champ Zoi Sadowski-Synnott to make history.
Read Time
3 minutes, 15 seconds
Main Article
The stage is set in Livigno for a historic final act in women’s Olympic big air snowboarding. Austria’s Anna Gasser, a two-time defending champion, navigated a tense big air qualifier to earn the ninth spot in Monday’s final. Her path to an unprecedented snowboarding gold medal three-peat is now blocked by a familiar rival: New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, who scorched the qualifying field with a winning score of 172.25 points. With four Japanese riders, led by 2022 bronze medalist Kokomo Murase, also advancing powerfully, the final promises a high-stakes showdown.
Gasser’s quest carries immense weight in Olympic snowboarding history. No snowboarder has ever won three consecutive gold medals in the same event since the sport joined the Games. With Czech snowboarder Ester Ledecka eliminated from her parallel slalom event earlier Sunday, Gasser remains the only athlete in Livigno with a chance at this specific three-peat this week, setting up a pressure-filled final. For Sadowski-Synnott, the reigning slopestyle gold medalist, qualifying first allows her to ride with confidence, stating she hopes “the pressure’s kind of off my shoulders” for the final.
The final will be a dramatic showcase of athleticism and nerve on the mammoth Livigno ramp, where riders will launch from over 40 meters high. Their scores will be a combined total from their two best jumps out of three attempts. While all three American riders were eliminated in qualifying, the international field is fierce. Beyond the Gasser vs. Sadowski-Synnott narrative, riders like Britain’s Mia Brookes and Japan’s formidable contingent will be hunting the podium, making the competition for the reigning champion wide open. All eyes will be on whether Gasser can summon her legendary big-air prowess one more time to secure her place in the sport’s pantheon.
Short Summary
Anna Gasser advanced to the Olympic big air final, keeping her dream of a historic third straight gold medal alive. She must defeat qualifying winner Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and a strong field, including four Japanese riders, to achieve a snowboarding three-peat no athlete has ever accomplished. The final promises a high-flying battle for Olympic immortality.
