Dominique Maltais’ world-class steadiness makes her a snowboard cross great
She’s a lifelong rider, who didn’t quit at snowboarding until it became an obsession, and years later was the sport to pause a career in firefighting. All for snowboard cross gold at Vancouver 2010.
Vancouver was a disaster. But she didn’t quit, even then, and five years later Dominique Maltais has four more Crystal Globes, Olympic silver, and is riding better than she ever has.
Last week, after earning her 15th career World Cup victory, this one in Switzerland, Maltais reflected on a more relaxed approach to her 12th-straight FIS World Cup season, “I wanted to take it easy this year because it’s my last World Cup season,” she commented in a FIS story, “but I always want to finish on the podium.”
This hunger for success is probably how Dominique Maltais rose to be among the best-ever Canadian snowboard cross riders, alongside teammate and Vancouver 2010 Olympic champion Maëlle Ricker. This Saturday, Maltais will compete in what could be her final World Cup snowboard cross race in La Molina, Spain. She is 100 points behind France’s Nelly Moenne Loccoz in the race to defend her Crystal Globe.
Dominique Maltais: Career Highlights
Sochi 2014 silver medallist: WATCH ON YOUTUBE
Turin 2006 bronze medallist: WATCH ON YOUTUBE
Five Crystal Globes (2005-06, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14)
2013 World Silver Medallist + 2011 World Bronze Medallist
2012 Winter X Games Aspen Champion
15 World Cup victories, (for reference: Ricker has 16, American Lindsey Jacobellis has 27)
