Gasser wins women's Big Air gold at Beijing 2022, China's Rong fifth

Anna Gasser of Austria competes during the women's snowboard big air final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)

BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Anna Gasser of Austria defended her women's snowboard Big Air title with a stunning 1260 performance in the final run at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games at Big Air Shougang on Tuesday.

Zoi Sadowski Synnott of New Zealand and Kokomo Murase of Japan took the silver and bronze, respectively, while China's Rong Ge placed fifth, the best ever finish for a Chinese athlete in the event.

Sadowski Synnott, who took the women's snowboard slopestyle gold in Zhangjiakou a few days ago, went on last to stomp a frontside double cork 1080 melon and received 93.25 points in her first run.

The bronze medalist of the event at PyeongChang 2018 continued with a 83.75-point performance of a backside double cork 1080 weddle to still lead the rankings after two rounds.

Gasser, who is competing at her third Winter Olympics, ranked second with a total of 185.50 points after the second run, just 0.25 points shy of Sadowski Synnott.

In the final run, Gasser threw in a strong comeback show of a cab double cork 1260 melon to become the only snowboarder to land a 1260 in this competition, and outscored Sadowski Synnott by 8.5 points.

As Sadowski Synnott failed to improve on her score after her final run, 30-year-old Gasser bagged the gold as the oldest in the competition, following her sixth-place finish in the previous slopestyle event at Beijing 2022.

"I'm feeling so happy right now. I honestly did not expect this at all," said Gasser. "The level has been so high, all the girls were riding so well and I just wanted to show my tricks today. It was surprising that I'm on top of the podium again."

"I wasn't playing it safe. I was trying to give it all," Gasser commented on her strategy.

"Before my last run I was always going to do my backside 1260, but after seeing Anna land her 1260, I knew I had to land it," said Sadowski Synnott.

"I just took a little too much speed into it, and let it get away from me. But I couldn't be happier for Anna because she's been the main pusher of the woman's progression, so I'm stoked for her," she added.

17-year-old Murase, who took her first World Cup victory in Big Air in Chur, Switzerland in 2021 and her first slopestyle win in Calgary, Canada this year, finished third with 171.50 points.

China's Rong did the same frontside double cork 1080 weddle trick in her first two runs and improved her performance from 29.00 to 85.75 points.

In the third run, the 17-year-old dropped a cab double cork underflip weddle to collect 74.25 points.

With a combined score of 160.00 points, Rong ended fifth to better the eighth-place finish on her World Cup debut in Chur, Switzerland in 2021.

"I'm really satisfied with my performance today," said the teenager. "There was a flaw in my first jump, but I managed to land the next two jumps as planned."

"I'd like to thank my coaches, staff members and family for their support. I'm still very young, I will keep improving myself," she added.

Miyabi Onitsuka of Japan was the only snowboarder to attempt a 1260 twice today, but failed both times to only finish 11th in the 12-athlete competition.

"I just wanted to try it," Onitsuka said. "I'm so disappointed that I couldn't land the double cork 1260." 

Anna Gasser (C) of Austria, Zoi Sadowski Synnott (L) of New Zealand and Murase Kokomo of Japan pose for photos during the flower ceremony after women's snowboard big air final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

Anna Gasser (C) of Austria, Zoi Sadowski Synnott (L) of New Zealand and Murase Kokomo of Japan pose for photos during the flower ceremony after women's snowboard big air final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

Anna Gasser of Austria competes during the women's snowboard big air final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)

Rong Ge of China competes during women's snowboard big air final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

Zoi Sadowski Synnott of New Zealand reacts during women's snowboard big air final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)

Anna Gasser of Austria poses for photos during the flower ceremony after women's snowboard big air final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Anna Gasser of Austria competes during women's snowboard big air final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Yibo)