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Maelle RickerCanadian snowboarder
Date of Birth: 02.12.1978
Country:  Canada |
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Biography of Maëlle Ricker
Maëlle Ricker, a Canadian snowboarder, was born in 1978 in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, to Carl and Nancy Ricker. From a young age, her father tried to introduce her to sports. It was at the age of 12, the typical age for snowboarding, that Maëlle began her journey in the world of snowboarding. Prior to that, she was skiing, just as her father had wanted. With plenty of places to ride in her hometown, she didn't face any inconveniences in training. It is worth noting that the 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Whistler, the very place where Maëlle won her Olympic gold medal.
Early Career
Since childhood, Maëlle had dreamt of achieving the highest honors in snowboarding, even though it was not an Olympic sport at the time. Her second dream was to have snowboarding recognized as an Olympic event. In 1996, Maëlle made her debut in the FIS World Cup, earning two podium finishes as a rookie. The Nagano Olympics could have been the first Olympics for the athlete, but due to injuries, Maëlle was forced to miss the Games. Nevertheless, that year was already significant for her as she won a gold medal in the World Cup.
Rise to Success
Maëlle's journey to the top continued with her participation in the 2005 World Championships, where she won the bronze medal. At the Turin Olympics, she finished in fourth place after suffering a severe injury during the race for third place. This injury kept her out of the competition schedule for a long time. Knee injuries often interfered with Maëlle's sports schedule, frequently causing her to miss tournaments. In 2008, she achieved third place in the World Cup, ultimately becoming the overall winner in snowboard cross. It was in snowboard cross that she won the coveted gold medal at the "home" Olympics in Vancouver in 2010, surpassing the French competitor Deborah Antonios and the Swiss competitor Olivia Nobs. Needless to say, Maëlle's victory was a great gift to Canadian fans.
Career Highlights
Maëlle initially began her brilliant sports career in a different discipline, halfpipe, but in recent years, she has focused on snowboard cross. Throughout her career, she has stood on the top step of the podium nine times in World Cup events. Now, she also has an Olympic gold medal in her collection. Maëlle's coaches include Marcel Mathieu, René Brünnner, and Tim Milne. It is known that she is equally fluent in French and English. As for her preferences, Maëlle enjoys Indian cuisine.
