From wild card entry to world champion, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott continues to defy the odds.
The 19-year-old snowboarding star backed up her X Games silver and bronze medals with a stunning triumph at the inaugural Natural Selection Tour invitational event held at Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Known predominantly in snowboarding circles as being a big-air and slopestyle specialist, Sadowski-Synnott proved her all-around ability, producing a faultless run full of jaw-dropping tricks in deep backcountry powder.
The Wanaka teenager was a surprise wild card entry into the new event that featured the world's best snowboarders battling it out in the backcountry.
While two-time Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson could not even make it past the first day, Sadowski-Synnott continued to raise eyebrows, defeating women's favourite Hana Beaman in the semi-final, before going on to win the final.
"Really I just wanted to land some tricks that I was stoked on and land a full run and I was just so honoured to like be able to ride with my favourite snowboarders and learn a lot from them," Sadowski-Synnott said.
"This is just the craziest thing I've ever experienced, I never expected to be competing in Natural Selection and yeah to come away with the win like, it definitely means so much to me."
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