Mia Brookes, 16, becomes youngest snowboard slopestyle world champion

Mia Brookes wins gold to become first British snowboard slopestyle world champion

By Michael Beardmore
BBC Sport

Great Britain's Mia Brookes has become the youngest world champion in snowboarding history at the age of 16.

Brookes beat New Zealand's Zoi Sadowski-Synnott to women's slopestyle gold at the Snowboard, Freestyle and Freeski World Championships in Georgia.

Brookes also landed the first Cab 1440 double grab in a women's event to claim Britain's maiden slopestyle gold.

"I honestly feel like I'm going to cry. I've never been so happy in my life," she said.

Brookes was in silver medal position after her first run in Bakuriani with a score of 86.41 to Sadowski-Synnott's 88.78.

However, Brookes' gamble of attempting the highly complicated four-rotation 1440 switch - named after legendary skateboarder Steve Caballero - earned her a winning 91.38 score from the judges.

"My coach was like, 'You know what? If you want to win this, just try the 14,'" said Brookes, who was too young to compete at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

"I'd tried 1260 in practice and I came round and almost went 14, so I knew it was possible on this jump.

"I'd tried it once before and this is the first time I've stomped it, so I'm super happy. I actually can't believe it."

Sadowski-Synnott upped the difficulty of her final run in response, but failed to complete the final section. Japan's Miyabi Onitsuka took bronze with 83.05.

"What Mia's done out here today is just next level," said GB Snowsport head coach Pat Sharples.

"We all know Mia's got the talent, but this is her first season on the World Cup circuit and her first World Championships.

"So to land a run like that with all the pressure of a World Championships tells you everything you need to know about her."

The World Championships are being shown live across the BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and mobile app.

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