Gals We Admire: Maëlle Ricker

Photo credit: Adam and Kev Photography

Having won the Gold Medal in the Snowboard Cross Event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Maëlle Ricker has the enviable distinction of being the first Canadian woman to win a gold medal at home in the Olympics. Ricker talks about what it takes to be at the top of her game, and lets us in on what she finds to be the most challenging and exhilarating parts of being a professional athlete.



Name: Maëlle Ricker
Profession: Athlete on Canadian Snowboard Cross Team
Website: agendasport.ca/athlete-agency/maelle-ricker.html

Describe your typical work day, from start to finish
I spend the majority of my day training in some form or another. I try to maximize time spent on my sport because it really does take 110% of my attention to really commit. Wake up, warm up, eat, on-snow training, eat, gym training, physio, eat, board preparation, video review, sleep!

When you were a kid, what did you want to grow up to be?
I wanted to go to the Olympics and be a full time athlete. I can’t remember ever thinking I wanted to be a doctor or anything like that.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
It’s outside and I get to push my physical limits. I love competition and I love the mountains. I realize how lucky I am to do what I do full time. It’s hard to imagine doing anything else right now.

What do you find to be the biggest challenge in your profession?
Staying healthy and being injury free. A snowboarder’s knees take an enormous amount of punishment.

Do you believe you had a "calling" for your profession?
Not so much. I think I was exposed to sport at a young age and my parents were very supportive.

What are the three most important pieces of career advice you would give to other Canadian Career Gals?
Don’t give up–if you quit once it’s easy to keep quitting.

There’s never room for an excuse.

Make decisions to minimize regrets… disappointment and regret are two different things.