The first heat of the women's finals at the SBX World Cup on Wednesday at Blue Mountain in Canada. Dominique Maltais (CAN) in red, Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA) in green, Jaqueline Hernandez (USA) in blue, Michelle Brodeur (CAN) in yellow, Maria Ramberger (AUT) in white, Frederique Joncas (CAN) in black. (photo: FIS/Oliver Kraus)
World Cup

Maltais and Vaultier Win Snowboard Cross at Blue Mountain

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Collingwood (ON), Canada –Canada’s Dominique Maltais, and Pierre Vaultier of France, on Wednesday won the season’s fourth boarder cross race of the 2012 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup season in Blue Mountain, Ontario, and in so doing took over the lead in the SBX World Cup ranking.

It was the first time the Snowboard World Cup has ever stopped in Ontario. While Maltais, 31, was able to dominate the women’s final to celebrate her season’s first World Cup win ahead of Bulgaria’s Alexandra Jekova and Canadian teammate Maelle Ricker, it was an even tougher ride for Vaultier to earn his 13th career win. Reigning World Champion Alex Pullin of Austria crashed right before the course’s final jump, opening the door for Vaultier, a two-time World Cup title winner, to bring home the victory ahead of David Speiser of Germany and American Nick Baumgartner, of Iron River, Mich., who crossed the finish line head to head.

“That doesn’t feel like a first rank for me,” Vaultier explained. “Chumpy (Pullin) was the king today and led the whole way down. He would have deserved the win. When he crashed, I just had to pass him. But it was an incredible fight with Chumpy.”

The first heat of the women's finals at the SBX World Cup on Wednesday at Blue Mountain in Canada. Dominique Maltais (CAN) in red, Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA) in green, Jaqueline Hernandez (USA) in blue, Michelle Brodeur (CAN) in yellow, Maria Ramberger (AUT) in white, Frederique Joncas (CAN) in black. (photo: FIS/Oliver Kraus)
The first heat of the women's finals at the SBX World Cup on Wednesday at Blue Mountain in Canada. Dominique Maltais (CAN) in red, Nelly Moenne Loccoz (FRA) in green, Jaqueline Hernandez (USA) in blue, Michelle Brodeur (CAN) in yellow, Maria Ramberger (AUT) in white, Frederique Joncas (CAN) in black. (photo: FIS/Oliver Kraus)

“I’m pretty bumped on the side of the results. It sucks to have the win in the bag and lose it on the last jump,” Pullin said.  “At one point Pierre (Vaultier) was in front so I had to take a very tight inside line. This put me a bit straighter on the last jump. I expected him to be still there and I just tried to cut it, well, a bit hard. With the bumps, the board just went away and I crashed.”

While Speiser celebrated his seventh podium finish, he’s still waiting on his career’s first win.

“Being on the podium is always good. I’m happy as it was a hard afternoon. I’m glad to stand here because the sun made the course very fast,” he said following Wednesday’s race. “I had a bad start and had to see if there were any tactical options left for me. I chose a different line on the straight with the rollers and that paid off. And well, then it’s boarder cross. Everyone fights for the spots. Just like in the photo finish for second which I fortunately could win. Finishing as runner-up is rad.”

On the women’s side, Wednesday’s win was the seventh of Maltais’ career, and her 25th trip to the World Cup podium.

“I like it when I’ve a good quali, especially when I have a lot of advantage over the other girls like yesterday. That gives me a lot of confidence,” said Maltais. “Today, the conditions changed a lot but I knew that I was still fast up there. Nevertheless, I was pretty nervous.”

“I tried to keep up with Dominique (Maltais) but it was almost impossible for me today,” admitted Jekova. “I couldn’t catch her after she rode away in the roller section. I knew that Maelle (Ricker) was right behind me so I had to chose very defensive lines which didn’t look clean for sure. But I had to block her.

“I’m happy that I ended up second and look forward to the time when I might be first. At the moment I don’t feel that I’m ready for it.”

The LG Snowboard FIS World Cup continues in Canada at Stoneham and nearby Quebec City, Feb. 20-26.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
LG Snowboard FIS World Cup
Blue Mountain – Collingwood, ON, Canada – Feb. 8, 2012
Snowboardcross

Men:

Rank Bib Name Year Nation Points
 1  8 VAULTIER Pierre 1987 FRA  1000.00
 2  13 SPEISER David 1980 GER  800.00
 3  3 BAUMGARTNER Nick 1981 USA  600.00
 4  2 PULLIN Alex 1987 AUS  500.00
 5  9 MARIN TARROCH Lluis 1988 AND  450.00
 6  14 OLYUNIN Nikolay 1991 RUS  400.00
 7  39 SCHIAVON Alberto 1978 ITA  360.00
 8  5 SCHAD Konstantin 1987 GER  320.00
 9  17 CHEEVER Jonathan 1985 USA  290.00
 10  31 HOLLAND Patrick 1982 USA  260.00

Women

 

Rank Bib Name Year Nation Points
 1  1 MALTAIS Dominique 1980 CAN  1000.00
 2  2 JEKOVA Alexandra 1987 BUL  800.00
 3  3 RICKER Maelle 1978 CAN  600.00
 4  4 FUJIMORI Yuka 1986 JPN  500.00
 5  7 GILLINGS Zoe 1985 GBR  450.00
 6  8 MOENNE LOCCOZ Nelly 1990 FRA  400.00
 7  9 HERNANDEZ Jacqueline 1992 USA  360.00
 8  13 CHAPOTOT Claire 1990 FRA  320.00
 9  10 FRANCON Mellie 1982 SUI  290.00
 10  6 ANTHONIOZ Deborah 1978 FRA  260.00

Dominique Maltais (CAN) and Pierre Vaultier (FRA) have won the season’s fourth boarder cross race of the 2012 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup in Blue Mountain, Ontario, today and thus were able to take over the lead in the SBX World Cup ranking.


While the 31-years-old best qualifier was able to dominate the women’s final celebrating her season’s first World Cup win ahead of Alexandra Jekova (BUL) and Maelle Ricker (CAN), it was an even tougher ride for the 24-years-old Frenchman earning his career’s 13th.

It was a crash of reigning World Champion Alex Pullin (AUS) right before the last jump of the track which opened the door for the two-time World Cup title winner to bring home victory ahead of David Speiser (GER) and Nick Baumgartner (USA) who had crossed the finish line head to head.

The LG Snowboard FIS World Cup continues in Stoneham and Quebec, Canada, from FEB 20 thru 26.

Key facts

  • 25th World Cup podium for Dominique Maltais who celebrated her seventh win.

  • Rank one thru four went to the top four qualifiers on the women’s side: Maltais, Jekova, Ricker, Fujimori (JPN).

  • It’s been the seventh top-3 result for David Speiser who is still waiting on his career’s first win.

  • Luis Marin Tarroch (AND) is the first Andorran to ever rank in the top-5 of a World Cup competition.

  • First ever Snowboard World Cup in Ontario.


Quotes

Dominique Maltais (CAN): I like it when I’ve a good quali, especially when I have a lot of advantage over the other girls like yesterday. That gives me a lot of confidence.

Today, the conditions changed a lot but I knew that I was still fast up there. Nevertheless, I was pretty nervous.

It’s nice to win on home turf although I was focusing on winning in Stoneham. However, Blue Mountain is also home. There were a lot of people watching the Canadians so I wanted to do well.

Alexandra Jekova (BUL): I tried to keep up with Dominique (Maltais) but it was almost impossible for me today. I couldn’t catch her after she rode away in the roller section.

I knew that Maelle (Ricker) was right behind me so I had to chose very defensive lines which didn’t look clean for sure. But I had to block her.

I’m happy that I ended up second and look forward to the time when I might be first. At the moment I don’t feel that I’m ready for it.

Pierre Vaultier (FRA): That doesn’t feel like a first rank for me. Chumpy (Alex Pullin) was the king today and led the whole way down. He would have deserved the win. When he crashed, I just had to pass him. But it was an incredible fight with Chumpy.

I might lead the World Cup now but I will not comment on this. There are three more races to go. It’s still a long way.

Alex Pullin (AUS): I’m pretty bumped on the side of the results. It sucks to have the win in the bag and lose it on the last jump.

At one point Pierre (Vaultier) was in front so I had to take a very tight inside line. This put me a bit straighter on the last jump. I expected him to be still there and I just tried to cut it, well, a bit hard. With the bumps, the board just went away and I crashed.

But I’m really happy with my riding. Thats the main thing for me this year. If I would have won, the day would have been perfect.

David Speiser (GER): Being on the podium is always good. I’m happy as it was a hard afternoon. I’m glad to stand here because the sun made the course very fast.

I had a bad start and had to see if there were any tactical options left for me. I chose a different line on the straight with the rollers and that paid off. And well, then it’s boarder cross. Everyone fights for the spots. Just like in the photo finish for second which I fortunately could win. Finishing as runner-up is rad.

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