Stoneham (QC), Canada –Canada’s Maelle Ricker and Pierre Vaultier of France each secured victory in the season’s fifth snowboard cross race of the 2012 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup tour which took place on Tuesday in Stoneham, Quebec, Canada.
While the fastest women’s qualifier relegated French rivals Nelly Moenne Loccoz and Deborah Anthonioz to second and third in the final, the current men’s World Cup leader crossed the finish line ahead of Russia’s Nikolay Olyunin and Jonathan Cheever, of Saugus, Mass., in the men’s final.
“That was a bit hairy. I was losing it at the end,” admitted Ricker, who earned her first World Cup win this season and the 15th of her career. “I could feel Nelly (Moenne Loccoz) coming on me. I just managed to hang on.
“I feel good. I feel relieved having won here on home turf,” she added.
Faye Gulini of Salt Lake City, Utah, ended up in fifth place. A mistake cost Canada’s Dominique Maltais all hope for a home turf win in the semi finals. She won the consolidation run and placed seventh to keep her position atop the women’s World Cup snowboard cross ranking. Noticeably absent were Lindsey Jacobellis, of Stratton Mountain, Vt., and Girdwood, Alaska’s Callan Chythlook-Sifsof. Both are recovering from knee injuries sustained earlier in the season.
On the men’s side, Vaultier has won back-to-back victories in Canada, scoring his third this season and his career’s 14th. He has won four times in Stoneham.
“Another win. I really don’t know what to say. It’s my fourth time here in Stoneham and the fourth time I win. I don’t know why but it seems to be the right vibes for me,” Vaultier said of Tuesday’s victory. “The course seems to be made for me. I celebrated my career’s first ever victory here and ever since it just works fine for me. I feel like home here so maybe I should think of buying an apartment here and settle down.”
“I’m very happy with the result,” added Cheever, who makes his home now in Park City, Utah. “Pierre was definitely riding good enough to win. I just battled, my legs are fried. I stuck to my game plan just to be patient enough to make the moves when I could. I’m stoked for the podium today,” he added of his career best performance.
Alex Tuttle, of Stratton, Maine, landed in eighth and Iron River, Mich.’s Nick Baumgartner took ninth place in the finals, up from his 26th qualifying position. Vermonters Ross Powers and Alex Deibold finished in 14th and 27th, respectively, and Jayson Hale, of Sierraville, Calif., was in 32nd. California’s Nate Holland was going for it and crashed in his run, ending up in 41st.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
FIS Snowboard World Cup
Stoneham, QC, Canada – Feb. 21, 2012
Snowboard Cross
Women:
| Rank | Bib | Name | Year | Nation | Points |
| 1 | 1 | RICKER Maelle | 1978 | CAN | 1000.00 |
| 2 | 9 | MOENNE LOCCOZ Nelly | 1990 | FRA | 800.00 |
| 3 | 4 | ANTHONIOZ Deborah | 1978 | FRA | 600.00 |
| 4 | 14 | BRODEUR Michelle | 1989 | CAN | 500.00 |
| 5 | 6 | GULINI Faye | 1992 | USA | 450.00 |
| 6 | 11 | MEILER Simona | 1989 | SUI | 400.00 |
| 7 | 2 | MALTAIS Dominique | 1980 | CAN | 360.00 |
| 8 | 8 | JEKOVA Alexandra | 1987 | BUL | 320.00 |
| 9 | 5 | GILLINGS Zoe | 1985 | GBR | 290.00 |
| 10 | 12 | FUJIMORI Yuka | 1986 | JPN | 260.00 |
Men:
| Rank | Bib | Name | Year | Nation | Points |
| 1 | 5 | VAULTIER Pierre | 1987 | FRA | 1000.00 |
| 2 | 35 | OLYUNIN Nikolay | 1991 | RUS | 800.00 |
| 3 | 22 | CHEEVER Jonathan | 1985 | USA | 600.00 |
| 4 | 12 | BOLDYKOV Andrey | 1983 | RUS | 500.00 |
| 5 | 23 | LIGOCKI Mateusz | 1982 | POL | 450.00 |
| 6 | 1 | PULLIN Alex | 1987 | AUS | 400.00 |
| 7 | 3 | SIVERTZEN Stian | 1989 | NOR | 360.00 |
| 8 | 45 | TUTTLE Alex | 1990 | USA | 320.00 |
| 9 | 26 | BAUMGARTNER Nick | 1981 | USA | 290.00 |
| 10 | 32 | HUGHES Jarryd | 1995 | AUS | 260.00 |
Maelle Ricker (CAN) and Pierre Vaultier (FRA) have secured victory in the season’s fifth snowboard cross race of the 2012 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup tour which took place in Stoneham, Quebec, today. While the fastest qualifier relegated French rivals Nelly Moenne Loccoz and Deborah Anthonioz to second and third in the women’s final, the current World Cup leader (3,632 points) crossed the finish line ahead of Nikolay Olyunin (RUS) and Jonathan Cheever (USA) in the men’s final.
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Season’s first win for Maelle Ricker, it’s been her career’s 15th
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Season’s third win for Pierre Vaultier, back to back in Canada, his career’s 14th
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Vaultier secures victory for the fourth time in Stoneham
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Season’s and career’s best for Nelly Moenne Loccoz who had placed two times on the podium before (Arosa, Switzerland 2008 and 2011) finishing third both times
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Deborah Anthonioz claims another podium this winter after finishing third in Telluride before
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First ever podium for Nikolay Olyunin in his career’s 19th World Cup start
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First podium of the season for Jonathan Cheever
Maelle Ricker (CAN): That was a bit hairy. I was losing it at the end. I could feel Nelly (Moenne Loccoz) coming on me. I just managed to hang on.
I didn’t really expect to win as Dom (Maltais) was so much faster out of the start on video. So, I knew it would be a tough and tight race no matter what.
My semi final was actually so stacked. We had such a fast heat. I was happy that I rode well in the heat before the final because it got me ready for the big final.
I feel good. I feel relieved having won here on home turf.