MORE THAN MIGHTY MOUSE

By Marina Ellis, Communications Coordinator, CSC Pacific

Call it a victory of substance over style. Maelle Ricker is the perfect example of an athlete who works extremely hard while staying humble and focused in the process. She would much rather be hiking in Squamish than signing a sponsorship contract with a shampoo company like some of her competitors. Maelle's quiet focus is ultimately what brought her an Olympic gold medal on Cypress Mountain, proving how important it is to stick to your guns and not be distracted by the hype.

I first met Maelle back in 2007 while on assignment with CTV. Going into the interview I half expected to chat with your typical board bunny from Whistler who cares more about snowboard lingo and clothing than getting up at 6am for dry land training. Yet Maelle came across as completely the opposite - an easy going girl with no attitude or look-at-me clothing.  As we stood on the very slope where she would end up winning gold during the 2010 Games, she shyly explained her love for snowboarding and how she planned to overcome her devastating fourth place crash at the last Olympic Games.

Although she was already a veteran of the scene, she seemed uncomfortable and guarded with the media, speaking softly in quick sentences and holding her snowboard in front of her face as I asked her questions. I will always remember her telling me she wasn't the best on the team - that we had to watch Dominique Maltais as well. But as we have seen over the past two seasons, Maelle now owns the spotlight whether she likes it or not.

Several months later I visited Maelle at Level 10 Fitness where her team trains in North Vancouver.  They were in the middle of agility drills, so I sat to watch and film some b-roll. Wearing a baggy sweatshirt, loose shorts and not a speck of flashy lululemon lycra, Maelle ripped through the exercises faster than anyone. Her trainer was quick to call her the hardest working athlete he knows - saying she outshines all of the national level competitors he works with. It's no wonder her friends call her Mighty Mouse. I couldn't help but be impressed by her determination and intrigued by her story leading up to 2010.

Over the next two competitive seasons on the World Cup tour, I watched Maelle's results improve steadily. She hit her stride in February 2008, beating arch rival Lindsey Jacobellis to win the overall Crystal Globe in snowboard cross and cement herself as the best rider on the circuit. After pocketing numerous other wins during the following season, all Maelle had left to do was to win an Olympic medal.

Fast forward to a mere two months before the Vancouver Games, and i'm on the phone with Maelle after she gets in from hitting the early season powder in Whistler. Her tone of voice is noticeably stronger and she seems content with the insanity of the Olympics as they loom several months in the future. Gone were the three word answers I encountered up Cypress, replaced by her sincere enthusiasm for snowboarding and the opportunities that lie ahead. As she openly described how she felt ready to compete at the Games, I was so impressed with the way she embraced the media. It all was coming together at the right time - the hard work, modesty and confidence to find the podium in 2010.

As I watched Maelle thoroughly dominate on the course at Cypress last week, I must say I felt privileged to have witnessed her amazing journey. Later that night she sat down to chat with prime-time Olympic host Brian Williams, looking totally comfortable and beaming with happiness – a shy mouse no more!  What an outstanding finale for such a deserving person.  Her success has surely inspired me - and thousands of young girls - to work hard and keep it real. Congrats Maelle!