Snowboard Cross

Local boardercross ruler Maelle Ricker took today's women's World Cup snowboard cross and the purse of 9,000 Swiss francs. This is a repeat performance for the Whistler local, who won this event here last year. In fact, it was an impressive day of racing for many of her countrymen. Canadians dominated the first men's run, taking 15 of the 32 qualifying spots, and Canuck Drew Neilson took 4th in the final run.

"I just kept building speed and increasing the gap with each round," said Ricker, who's been on the snow for a mere three weeks, having spent the summer rehabilitating from a crash last March in which she tore an ACL. "My knee feels very strong," she said. "There were some flat landings and it held up fine." Ricker said she'll spend the night relaxing at home, getting amped for tomorrow's halfpipe competition.

"There are 16 Canadians out of 32 after the qualifying run. We started here. We'll end it here..." — Omar Lundie

The course started choppy and worsened throughout the day, but according to Omar Lundie of local the privateer riders Team Playas, it was typical Northwest fare.

"It's choppy and fast, typical Northwest powder," he said. But that didn't stop him or his countrymen. "There are 16 Canadians out of 32 after the qualifying run. We started here. We'll end it here," said Lundie, who placed 20th after the first run but missed the top two spots in his next heat.

The men's race went to the reigning Overall Snowboard Cross Champ Sylvain Duclos from France. This is actually his first snowboard cross win; his championship last year resulted from a number of high placements, but no number one spots. He said he's happy to have finally won, but not surprised by the victory.

"I'm in good health and I had a good qualifying run. I just had to keep speed throughout the course. I chose the middle left start gate, and that was a good spot. It was a good race – the best race of the season, so far," said Duclos.

	Maelle Ripper

There were a number of frightening near misses, but not much in the way of normal boardercross carnage. The patrol was only called when a member of the Korean team went down hard after the finish line, just trying to stop in the not-so-spacious finish corral.

Germany's Sandra Farmand, who finished 6th in yesterday's giant slalom, placed 2nd in women's racing today. She said she's happy for Ricker. "After I saw her first run I thought, 'my God, she should be with the guys," said Farmand. (Ricker's first run time of 59.2 seconds put her a full two second in front of the pack and would have placed her quite high in the men's division.)

Manuela Riegler (AUT), who won the women's consolation round, agrees with Farmand. "Maelle is the best in boardercross, for sure," Reigler said after the race.

Ricker said the course was in better shape than last year, "We had to put on the brakes a few times last year, but this year's course was better, and it was also not very technical."

Indeed, the airs were relatively small, compared to most, with high banks making up most of the course. "It's almost a banked slalom," said Lundie.

World Cup competition will conclude with tomorrow's halfpipe, in which American Tricia Byrnes, who already has one World Cup victory in the pipe this season, is expected to dominate.

—Mary Catherine O'Connor, MountainZone.com Staff