The 22-year-old won the supreme award for the fourth time in six years.
She beat out Queenstown ski racer Alice Robinson and Steel and Silver Ferns midcourter Kate Heffernan to win the sportswoman of the year award as well.
Sadowski-Synnott had another astonishing year on the global stage.
She continues to dominate slopestyle, big air and freeride events and finished on the podium in every event she started during the qualification period.
The highlight was a slopestyle gold medal at the X-Games in Aspen in January.
The Otago Nuggets were the other big winners.
They were widely tipped to win the team of the year award following a breakthrough win in the National Basketball League last season.
Written off by some seasoned observers, the Nuggets edged the Hawke’s Bay Hawks and Nelson Giants in playoff games and went on to beat a classy Auckland Tuatara outfit 81-73 in the final.
The judging panel of Sport Otago chief executive James Nation, Te Pūkenga deputy chief executive Megan Gibbons, radio producer Rowena Duncum, Otago Rugby Football Union game development manager Michael Smith and Otago Daily Times sports editor Hayden Meikle rewarded that effort with a bunch of prizes.
The Nuggets won the Otago Daily Times sponsored team of the year award. Star centre Sam Timmins was named sportsman of the year and Brent Matehaere was named coach of the year.
The awards clashed with the Nuggets game against the Wellington Saints in the capital last night, so Matehaere and Timmins were absent.
You had to feel for the Otago men’s hockey team. It was a finalist in the team of the year category, while father and son combination Dave Ross and Nick Ross were both category finalist as well.
In any other year it may have been a sweep for hockey.
The Otago men beat Wellington 4-2 in the final of the National Hockey Championship to claim the banner for the first time since the tournament was established in 1908.
Dave coached the team and Nick captained, and was a leading performer.
The junior sportsman of the year went to biathlete Campbell Wright and swimmer Erika Fairweather was named junior sportswoman of the year.
Rugby referee James Doloman collected the official of the year award for another solid season behind the whistle.
Alpine skier Adam Hall had another successful season on the World Cup and European Cup circuit and was named para athlete of the year.
The emerging talent awards saw the Otago Boys’ senior A touch side pick up the team gong, while athlete Catherine Lund and touch player Hamish Faulks collected individual awards.
The innovation in sport award went to trail running organiser Steve Tripp. He has created numerous community events on the local racing calendar which cater to a wide demographic.
Rowing stalwart Royce Wilson’s long contribution to the sport was acknowledged when he received the services to sport award.
Wilson has been involved in the sport either as an athlete, coach, official or administrator for the best part of 60 years.
