SNOWBOARDING:

Ricker finishes strong with a 3rd place in SBX

March 19, 2010 — Canadian Snowboard Federation

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LA MOLINA, Spain — On a sunny day in Spain, the Canadian snowboardcross team ended the 2010 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup season with a podium by the consistent Maëlle Ricker, who finished third and earned the crystal globe as the top-ranked racer of the entire season.

This podium result by Ricker marks Canada’s 29th podium of the season, which now takes a one-point lead over Austria in the total for the most podiums by a nation in 2010.

Ricker, nicknamed “Mighty Mouse,” shredded to a third place, her sixth podium of the season and 32nd career podium, to cap off what has been an amazing season for the 31-year-old rider. In 2010, Ricker stepped onto the FIS World Cup podium six times, including three victories. She won the Olympic gold medal and will take home the crystal globe in the discipline.

“I lost a lot of speed. Helene (Olafsen) was so fast and passed me. It was a course where you cannot make any mistakes,” said Ricker after the race.

The third place puts Ricker in temporary first place in the FIS World Cup overall standings, with hopes still alive to win the overall title, all disciplines combined. With the alpine snowboarding events to come on Sunday, Ricker will be closely watching the women’s race, especially the World Cup leader and alpine snowboarder Nicolien Sauerbreij of the Netherlands, who needs only 200 points — a 13th place or better — to win the overall title.

Dominique Maltais took fifth place and finishes the season in third place in the snowboardcross standings. Maltais ended her season with five podium results in World Cup action.

Norway’s Olafsen, the defending world champion, took the victory, finishing the season ranked second in the standings.

In men’s action, Tom Velisek was the top Canadian, finishing in 16th position for his second-best result in World Cup competition this season.

“In the finals I rode hard and had fun. I destroyed the first run, in first all the way from the start to finish. Then in the second round, I killed the start again and led halfway down the course until my board slowed down substantially and I was passed by all three people on a straitaway section,” said Velisek.

Five Canadian men had advanced to the elimination round.

Rob Fagan finished 17th. Fagan was the top Canadian in the snowboardcross World Cup standings, finishing in sixth position. Fagan is the only Canadian man to have podiumed on the FIS World Cup tour this season.

Pierre Vaultier of France won his fifth race of the season to grab the coveted crystal globe. Vaultier, who came back this season after missing last season to rehabilitate an injury, ended the season with five wins and one silver medal. Vaultier had his career-best season with the six podiums to find himself in first place in the snowboardcross standings and second place overall in the World Cup standings.

The 2010 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup Finals in La Molina continues Saturday with the halfpipe contest. On Sunday, the alpine snowboarders (PGS) will end the 2010 World Cup tour.  SRC