Snow Sports New Zealand high performance general manager Luke Hetzel believes New Zealand’s record haul of five X Games medals is just the tip of the iceberg for the nation’s winter athletes.
After an injury layoff, Olympic champion Zoi Sadowski-Synnott returned to glory in Aspen, Colorado, winning the women’s snowboard slopestyle and becoming the first woman to land a triple cork in competition. She earlier won bronze in the snowboard big air.
Luca Harrington had a weekend he will never forget.
Wanaka’s best were not done. Rising talent Rocco Jamieson won bronze in the men’s snowboard big air on debut.
"It’s just such a good reminder that New Zealand is also a winter sport nation," Hetzel told the Otago Daily Times.
"All of us are really excited to be supporting them and standing behind them and we’re really proud of them.
"It’s onwards and upwards for snow sports."
Harrington had already started the year with a bang, claiming two big air gold medals on the world cup circuit.
Hetzel said Harrington was well-rounded and dedicated, on and off the snow, and deserved everything coming his way.
"We were optimistic that this was going to be happening, but you never know until you sort of see it," Hetzel said.
"He’s always pushed the sport and it’s not always gone his way.
"But he’s always been sort of living at the edge of difficulty in skiing, and getting the execution piece to fall into place has been catching up over the last two years.
"We really think it’s just the beginning for him. He has the tricks in the bag."
It was equally exciting to see Sadowski-Synnott break new ground and it reiterated her ability to perform on top of the world, he said.
"A huge amount of emotion for her to be back on top.
"It’s really awesome to see how much intensity and excitement and adrenaline she still gets and you get reminded when she’s claiming landings grinning from ear to ear."
Hetzel said Jamieson, who snowboarded "in his own way", was having a breakthrough season where things started to click.
"He’s very creative and really has a lot of spirit and soul in his riding, which doesn’t always mix with competition.
"But it’s obviously working for him. If you can have that real ... individuality and intrinsic motivation in your riding then it really shines."
The X Games is among the most difficult snow sport competitions in the world — "it’s extremely meaningful to the athletes" — and the Kiwi success, paired with podium finishes at world cups, had been a big boost.
Alice Robinson won a round of the giant slalom world cup and Adam Hall won silver at a para alpine slalom world cup in recent weeks.
Hetzel was also proud of Finley Melville Ives’ and Ruby Andrews’ performances at the X Games.
The success reaffirmed New Zealand’s high performance programme was on the right path and gave them a chance to take stock, Hetzel said.
"We are constantly striving to be the best in the world and we have to both celebrate, you know, and at the same time, keep improving and keep seeking that improvement and knowledge.
"Yeah, it gives us confidence, but it’s also a reminder that it’s a good opportunity to see what’s working and how to lean into that."
