Sea, sand & surf - ZOI'S NEXT BIG CHALLENGE

Our winter Olympic whizz kid shares her plans beyond the slopes

- Aroha Awarau  

As New Zealand's very first gold medallist at a Winter Olympics, 22-year-old snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott is used to being surrounded by snow, and covered up in scarves and heavy jackets.

But when the Weekly catches up with the champion on a video call, she is holidaying in the tropical island of Sumbawa in Indonesia, sporting a glowing tan and a huge smile.

"I normally don't get to enjoy the summer," she says. "I'm usually travelling around the world, competing and chasing winters. So I'm really stoked to be here."

Zoi has even ditched the snowboard for a surfboard and will be enjoying riding the waves for two weeks.

"I will try and get out to surf," she tells. "It's inspiring for me and makes me hungry when I return to competition."

Our golden girl deserves a holiday after winning gold in the women's slopestyle event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, aged just 20.

She further cemented her place in the New Zealand history books by winning a silver medal in the Big Air event at the same Olympics. This came after winning bronze at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, when she was still a high- school student and her successes have made her the first Kiwi to not only win a gold medal, but multiple medals at a Winter Games.

“I’m still on a high,” admits Zoi about being on top of the Olympic podium and proudly waving the Kiwi flag in February last year.