Zoi Sadowski-Synnott takes Overall Award at the HOUSE OF TRAVEL CHRISTCHURCH 2026 Snow Sports NZ Awards Night

From Zoi Sadowski-Synnott becoming the most decorated snowboarder of all time, to Ben Richards being crowned the inaugural FIS Freeride World Champion, to Alice Robinson’s career-first world cup victory in Super G – it was a heck of a year for New Zealand snow sports.

The calibre of talent and advent of an Olympic and Paralympic year made the selection of nominees and winners in the 2026 Snow Sports NZ Awards incredibly tough. Ultimately it was Sadowski-Synnott who, with her two Olympic silver medals, two X Games silvers, and Natural Selection Tour championship title, was once again crowned overall athlete of the year.

The award was presented to Sadowski-Synnott at the House of Travel 2026 Snow Sports NZ Awards last night. Synnott also won the Snowboarder of the Year accolade. The annual event, held at the Lake Wānaka Centre, celebrates the achievements of New Zealand snow sport’s best including the athletes, instructors and coaches who have enjoyed standout seasons. Five inaugural Life Members were also inducted during the evening.

Fellow Olympic medallist Luca Harrington was a winner, taking out Freeskier of the Year. Harrington is currently world #2 in Freeski Big Air and won a Slopestyle bronze at Milano Cortina, along with two X Games golds. Ben Richards won Freeride Athlete of the Year, after an almost perfect series of wins across the Freeride World Tour and inaugural FIS Freeride World Championships. Alice Robinson, meanwhile, took out the Alpine Ski Racer of the Year Award, a win that reflected a thrilling season of World Cup podiums concluding with a second place overall finish in Super-G and fifth place global standing in women’s alpine ski racing.

New Zealand para alpine skier Adam Hall delivered a sensational performance to win a silver medal in the Men's Slalom Standing at the Milano Cortina Paralympic Games, earning him the Adaptive Athlete of the Year Award. The achievement marked his sixth career Paralympic medal, making him first equal most-decorated New Zealand Winter Paralympian in history.

Up and coming star Dane Menzies crushed his season to take away Breakthrough Athlete of the Year. Menzies rocketed to the finals in both of his events in the Milano Cortina Olympics, stomping the field to qualify first in the slopestyle event. Finishing in 7th place in slopestyle and 6th in big air, he demonstrated he is one of the best park and pipe snowboarders in the world.

Here are all the winners:

OVERALL ATHLETE OF 2026 sponsored by House of Travel, Christchurch

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott

INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR sponsored by NZSIA

Robert Barry — Cardrona & Treble Cone

COACH OF THE YEAR sponsored by SITE Trampoline

Hamish McDougall

FREESKIER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Mons Royale

Luca Harrington

SNOWBOARDER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Dick Schulze

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott

FREERIDE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR sponsored by The Remarkables

Ben Richards

ADAPTIVE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Cardrona

Adam Hall

BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Sidekick Wanaka

Dane Menzies

ALPINE SKI RACER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Coronet Peak

Alice Robinson

MASTERS OF THE YEAR sponsored by Northbrook

Maria Kan and Geoff Hunt