Kiwis Shine at X Games with Three More Medals in Aspen

New Zealand athletes excelled on the second day of the X Games in Aspen, Colorado, securing three additional medals, including a gold for Luca Harrington in the men’s ski slopestyle. Despite challenging conditions and delays, the 21-year-old successfully defended his title, showcasing a remarkable performance that added to New Zealand’s medal tally as they prepare for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy.

Harrington, who had finished second in the big-air event just a day prior, took the lead after the first round with two impressive triple jumps. Although he briefly fell off the leaderboard, he rebounded in his second run, earning a score of 94.33 to clinch the gold. His achievement places him among only two other skiers who have won back-to-back golds in this event.

Snow Sports NZ’s head coach for high performance park and pipe, Tom Willmott, praised Harrington for his resilience amid the challenging fresh snow and multiple interruptions. “Luca kept in the hunt, made the most of training, and just smashed it, scoring the highest in the first run,” Willmott stated. “He managed to reclaim his title following his rookie win last year.”

In the women’s slopestyle, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott secured a silver medal, improving on her previous bronze performance in big air. The 24-year-old dazzled the audience with a backside triple 1440, achieving a score of 94.66. Nevertheless, she was outperformed by Japan’s Kocomo Murase, who executed a groundbreaking backside triple cork 1620 to win gold with a score of 96.66.

“Zoi landed a flawless back triple 14 in her first run and was able to improve in the second,” Willmott noted. “Given her recent time away from competitive skiing, it was incredible for her to return to such an impressive level of performance.”

In a further display of talent, Rocco Jamieson, at just 19 years old, delivered an outstanding performance in the men’s snowboard big air event. He saved his best for last, landing a challenging backside 2160 that earned him a score of 90.66 and a silver medal. Willmott remarked on Jamieson’s determination, stating, “Rocco has been gunning for the back 21 for a while, and this was his first opportunity to land this behemoth of a trick on snow.”

The achievements of Harrington, Sadowski-Synnott, and Jamieson reflect New Zealand’s growing prowess in winter sports, setting the stage for a promising performance at the Winter Olympics next month. With their impressive showings at the X Games, these athletes are not just competing; they are making a significant mark on the international stage.