Born in November 1980, snowboard cross rider Dominique Maltais had to give it another try in order to find out that snowboarding is the sport truly made for her as it was - back in those days - a little risky. Due to this, snowboarding was the perfect match as the Petite-Rivière-St-Francois, Quebec, resident always was searching for new thrills.

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 54 World Cup starts until the end of the 2011 season - where she claimed her second Crystal Globe, Maltais placed 21 on the podium, winning a total of six races.

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 her first 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.