Dominique MALTAIS |
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But nevertheless, her first attempt on a snowboard turned out a real disaster. The young girl, who started skiing at age five, cried almost all the way down of her run swearing never to try this sport again. But "a bit of a daredevil and stubborn which I'm still, I pushed myself the following year in order to try my luck again."
This second try then provided the moment in which new passion was born. Each weekend "Dom" was out in the mountains nearby hitting the slopes and hidden paths, absolutely motivated to become better and better. "I dreamed hundreds of times how one day I would become one of the best snowboarders in the world."
And she did. After she finished her first ever World Cup snowboard cross as 23rd (Whistler 2003) she proved her riding skills in this enthralling discipline just a few weeks later in Bad Gastein. In the first race in 2004, "Dominatrix" came in second best adding several other top-results to her belt. In her 45 World Cup starts until the 2010 Winter Games, Maltais placed 38 times in the top 10.
The fourth ranked rider of the 2005 World Championships captured the World Cup podiums 16 times including three victories. However, 2006 was the outdoor sports lover's most successful year so far. After claiming Bronze at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Dominique crowned her outstanding season by also clinching the 2006 Snowboard Cross World Cup title.
Ever since, the Canadian national team member after whom the winter resort Le Massif has named a run ("La Dominique Maltais") is one of the most dominant athletes in the World Cup circuit always pushing herself to the limit trying to keep her childhood dream of being one of the best riders in the world alive.
But this is not the only dream came true. While Maltais always was focused on her sport, the Beatles fan also achieved another goal set in her early days by becoming also a professional fire fighter for the city of Montreal.