Monster Energy's Zoi Sadowski-Synnott Rides to Victory in Natural Selection Backcountry Snowboarding Competition at Baldface Lodge, Canada

NELSON, British Columbia, March 18, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- She just can't be stopped! Monster Energy congratulates team rider Zoi Sadowski-Synnott on taking first place in the second stop of the 2022 TAE Natural Selection Tour snowboard contest. On the final day of the invite-only competition at Baldface Lodge in the Selkirk Mountains, Canada, the 21-year-old from Wanaka, New Zealand, claimed the win only weeks after taking home the Olympic gold medal in Women's Snowboard Slopestyle at Beijing 2022.

"I just came back from the Olympics and had a pretty good time. I managed to come first in Slopestyle and second in Big Air. There was a lot of pressure leading up so I'm glad it's over and I can just ride pow," said Sadowski-Synnott on competing in the Natural Selection Tour at Baldface Lodge.

Now in its second year, the Natural Selection Tour was created by professional snowboarder Travis Rice. The goal: Taking snowboarding back to its natural roots in backcountry terrain. The tour showcases the progression of freestyle snowboarding in real mountain environments. As the ultimate test of skill and adaptability, riders navigate natural and naturally enhanced terrain, performing tricks on obstacles like trees and cliffs layered with fresh powder snow.

The 2022 Natural Selection Tour features three stops. After kicking off in Jackson Hole (Wyoming) in January, Baldface Lodge marked the second tour stop. At an elevation of 6,700 feet, the perfect mountain range just north of Nelson, British Columbia, holds a place on every snowboarder's bucket list. Next, the season will conclude with the grand finale in the Tordrillo Range outside Anchorage, Alaska, from March 20-27.

Monster Energy's Sadowski-Synnott dropped into Baldface as the most talked about snowboarder of the year. She's currently on a roll: At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the Kiwi ripper claimed gold in Slopestyle and also took silver in the Big Air discipline. In January, she earned two gold medals at X Games Aspen 2022 and became the first woman to land back-to-back double corks in a slopestyle competition run.

When it comes to backcountry skills, Sadowski-Synnott had already proven herself by taking first place in last year's Natural Selection Tour competition at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR). But this year's field of competitors, including backcountry veteran and 2021 winner Robin Van Gyn, was hungry for tour points and the title. So the battle was intense!

In the qualifiers, consistency was the key to moving ahead on the powder-filled 'Scary Cherry' course. Fortunately, Sadowski-Synnott has it in droves and sent a backside 360 tailgrab the kicker, Indy nosebone the cliff, stalefish the diving board, and big frontside 360 for 84.00 points in Run 1. On Run 2, she upped the ante with a tailgrab on the diving board and a huge backflip to move into the final in first place.

In the Women's Final, Sadowski-Synnott faced off against 32-year-old American freeride icon Elena Hight. Although Hight opened up the showdown by landing a flawless run on the steep course, Sadowski-Synnott sealed the deal on her first run.

Barging down the challenging course, Sadowski-Synnott popped a straight air on the first jump, followed by a tailgrab the cliff drop, perfectly stomped wildcat backflip, extended tailgrab into the distance and a shifty air at the bottom for 88.6 points and the lead. Taking her final run as a victory lap, she also threw in a frontside 360 and a floating stalefish air for 90.00 points to take home the win and a brand new 2023 Ski-Doo snowmobile.

"It's been pretty hectic coming here straight off the Olympics. I'm just so happy to be here!" said Monster Energy's Zoi Sadowski-Synnott. "It got a bit tracked up between the semis and the finals. I stuck to the same line and changed my lenses because the light got a bit flat. So fun out there, getting some face shots."

At age 21, Sadowski-Synnott is one of the most progressive riders in freestyle snowboarding. Named 'Rookie of the Year' in the 2020 Snowboarder Magazine Awards, she made history by winning Slopestyle bronze at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, ending New Zealand's 26-year medal drought and becoming a national hero. She boosted her hero status by claiming Slopestyle gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, becoming the first athlete from New Zealand to win Winter Olympic gold (she also won Big Air silver in Beijing). Sadowski-Synnott also owns seven X Games medals (4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze).

Will Sadowski-Synnott clinch the overall Natural Selection title? Stay tuned for Stop Three on the 2022 Natural Selection Tour at Tordrillo Range outside Anchorage, Alaska, from March 20-27, 2022!

For more on Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and the Monster Energy snow sports team, visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for exclusive updates as the snow season continues.

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About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com.

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