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BOARDERCROSS world champion Maelle Ricker relaxes at her West Vancouver home yesterday
with the spcils of victory. The 20-year-old placed first at the worids in Va! di Sole, Italy on Saturday.

Sy enreting on 2 Fiinezs Wortd Memberchip at thts lene You cicerve FREE return sirtare ter 2 [a Honahdy Hawall

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‘world title

Maelle Ricker shreds women’s field

Andrew McCredie

Sports Editor andrew@nsnews.com

MAELLE Ricker is the newest member of an
exclusive North Shore club which counts Alison

Sydor and Karen Magnussen among its ranks.

Ricker is a world champion.

The West Vancouver 20-year-old captured the [International Snow board
Federation women's boardercross tide last weekend in Val di Sole, ttaly.

She cesurned home Monday night.

“He just all came together” Ricker said vesterday morning trom her par-
ents’ West Vancouver home. “FP just went over fora week, so iC was a pretty
short time which ft rciped me.”

For hee ettorts Ricker won a wrought bronze trophy, a gold medal and a
computer printer,

There's alo a cheqae made out in Euro dollar. “Pinot sure how much
ws worth, but Mar going to the
baak today te find our,” she sad

with laugh of tie SS 000 pls rm going to Californ
hure cheque. this afternoon to

Oser 300 competitors took . . +
part athe women’s boardercross compete ina Swatch
event, and Ricker was the class of - 2 “Ve H
the competition, winning both Boardercross event this

time trial (one by over fo see: weekend. Then ?’m
ends) and all three climination :
heats. going to go up to
. Ricker sa consistent top 10 W istler and ride some
finisher, and while she wasn't ”
positive she would win the world powder.
SAM PIAS: 34, SIC RCM ste Da
Seer bes ‘te Kaew she bad" wraelie Ricker, werld champion
“Pm not toully shocked that
Twn, bor it ts pretty coud,” she sata.
Earlier in the week Ricker competed in the haltpipe competition, f°
10th. tts in boardercross, however in which four te sis ride
another down an usdulating course --- that Ricker has made her mark.
She credits her boardercross prowess te growing ap with the steep and
challenging tetra of Whistler and Blackcomb.
irdercroxs vou fave all kinds of different terrain ~~ its a dot like
she said “And Tere up doing that kind of riding with puvs all
over Whistler”
Ricker won't have too much time to savour her new world champ status.
“Pin geing te California this atternoon to corapete ina Swatch
Roardercross event this weekend,” she sad vesterday
“Phen Pin gomg to vo up to Whistler and tide seme powde
Whea reminded she gave that same answer > “riding powder i:
Whistler” -- when she returned frora last vear’s Nagano Winter Olympics
(she placed titth nv haltpipe), Ricker laaghed
“What can Psay — Whistler in February is the Ging for powder” she said.

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