Canada’s Maelle Ricker races en route to the gold medal during the women’s snowboard cross final at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, Feb. 16. (REUTERS/Mike Blake)

Canadian Olympic Snowboard team member Maëlle Ricker, who was born and raised in North Vancouver, B.C., and now lives in Whistler B.C., is seen after the snowboard cross final race where she captured a gold medal at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 16. (STEPHANIE LAMY/QMI AGENCY)

Canada’s Maelle Ricker poses with the silver and bronze medalists following her victory in the women's snowboard cross event in the Vancouver Winter Olympics at Cypress Mtn. on Tuesday, Feb. 16. (Stephanie Lamy, QMI Agency)

Canada’s Maelle Ricker poses with the silver and bronze medalists following her victory in the women's snowboard cross event in the Vancouver Winter Olympics at Cypress Mtn. on Tuesday, Feb. 16. (Stephanie Lamy, QMI Agency)

Canadian fans rally around a flag in anticipation of Olympic snowboard cross Maëlle Ricker's gold medal performance at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 16. (STEPHANIE LAMY/QMI AGENCY)

The fog and the rain surround Cypress Mountain on Tuesday morning prior to the snowboard cross competition on Tuesday, Feb. 16. (MARTIN CHEVALIER/QMI AGENCY)

Fans celebrate as Maelle Ricker makes her way to gold in the women’s snowboard cross final at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday February 16 at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

Maelle Ricker, of Canada, clears a jump during the women’s snowboard cross qualification at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday February 16 at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. Ricker took the gold in the finals. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

Canadian supporters from Squamish, B.C. celebrate the win of Canada’s Maelle Ricker in the final of the women’s snowboard cross at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler on Tuesday, Feb. 16. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer)

Maelle Ricker, of Canada, soars past a set of Olympic rings on her gold medal winning run during the women’s snowboard cross final at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday, February 16. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Maelle Ricker, right, of Canada, celebrates her gold medal win in the women’s snowboard cross final with course designer Jeff Ihaksi at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, B.C., on Tuesday February 16. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)