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LAKE LOUISE, Alta. -- Whether the track is bumpy, smooth, icy, or fluffy, Dominique Maltais is a contender on all snowboard courses. The consistency that has produced three consecutive overall World Cup titles in snowboard cross continued Saturday in Lake Louise, Alta. Maltais was second in the big final to Lindsey Jacobellis of the U.S. at the Sportcheck World Cup. Her second podium in as many World Cup races vaulted Maltais into a familiar position at the top of the overall World Cup standings. "Im looking to be fast on every kind of course," Maltais said. "Technical stuff was one of my weaknesses in the past and now its one of my strengths. I think right now, every kind of course Im doing well. "One of strengths is to be consistent and I showed it again today." Maltais was second in the season-opening World Cup in Montafon, Austria, earlier this month. The 33-year-old from Petite-Riviere-St Francois, Que., won bronze in the 2006 Winter Olympics and is a medal contender again in Sochi, Russia, in February. Maltais dominated her quarter-final and semifinal. She lost ground to Jacobellis on the first turn and couldnt run the American down before the finish line. "Even if its a second place Im really satisfied," Maltais said. "I want to step it up for the next couple of races and keep improving myself and be at my top level in Sochi." In snowboard cross, also called boardercross, athletes race a course of bumps, rolls and turns in heats of four with the top two advancing to the next round. Similar to short-track speed skating, crashes are common and boarders can come from behind to win if the leaders go down. Helene Olafsen of Norway took bronze and reigning Olympic champion Maelle Ricker of Squamish, B.C., was fourth in the womens final. In the mens final, Jarryd Hughes of Australia, Konstantin Schad of Germany and Alex Deibold of the U.S. won gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. Calgarys Chris Robanske and Rob Fagan of Squamish were eliminated in the quarter-finals, while Kevin Hill of Trail, B.C., went out in the round of 16. Ricker battled from behind to finish second in her semifinal and join Maltais in the championship round. But the 34-year-old crashed early in the final to fall out of medal contention. "I definitely wish I could re-wind and re-do that big final," Ricker said. "I was on a Sunday drive, but its Saturday afternoon. "I was so slow out of the gate. I bumped with Helene, but it was really minor and I went down. I must have not had my weight on my board properly, knocked me the wrong way and I was on my bum." Lake Louise was Rickers first World Cup of this season. A mild concussion suffered during training for Montafon sent her home before the race. So Ricker admitted to feeling nervous for her first final of the season. She was in trouble early in the semifinal, but generated speed off a banked turn to rocket from fourth to second and advance. "That was a tough race and Im happy I was able to step up and push myself because I needed that," Ricker said. "I needed to be aggressive and go for it." Jacobellis qualified for the U.S. Olympic team with her victory. A broken thumb on her right hand was encased in a purple cast. "Im having a hard time getting good pulls out of the gate because I broke my thumb last race," Jacobellis said. "I really was dependent on working the features to try and get back out ahead. "We were definitely bumping and grinding in the first two turns. I was just trying to stay tough and hold my line, but I could hear everyone behind me. You knew you had to ride with no mistakes." Hughes won the gold in the first mens final of his career. "I just had as much fun as I could and it came together," the elated Australian said. "I just hope I can keep the momentum going through to Sochi." Ricker, Maltais and Robanske have qualified for Canadas Olympic team. Ricker won the womens world title earlier this year. Robanskes victory on Blue Mountain near Collingwood, B.C., last season was the first by a Canadian male since 2007. In 70 career World Cup races, Maltais has stood on the podium 33 times and won 11 of those races. She has said the Sochi Games will probably be her final Olympics. "Shes been training, working so hard in the gym, so hard on snow," Ricker observed. "Shes an amazing athlete and its all paying off for her. Its a great testament to how shes preparing for each race. Its definitely something to look up to, respect and learn from." The snowboard cross team races World Cups in Vallnord, Andorra, and Veysonnaz, Switzerland, in January. The X Games in Aspen, Colo., is their final event prior to the Winter Games. 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And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. http://www.baseballbrewerslockroom.com/aaron-hill-...rs-jers ey/ . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday.TOKYO -- Local favourite Daisuke Takahashi produced a solid free skate on Saturday to win his fifth NHK Trophy. Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. Three-time U.S. champion Jeremy Abbott, who was seventh after the short program, had a strong free skate and finished third with 237.41 points. Takahashi, who was a disappointing fourth at Skate America, hit his opening quad toeloop. He had a shaky landing on a triple axel and was downgraded on a combination jump but was solid otherwise. "I didnt do well at Skate America so I was determined to get my confidence back," Takahashi said. "I wasnt perfect today but little by little was able to gain momentum." Two-time world champion Mao Asada completed a successful day for the host nation by winning the free skate to capture her fourth NHK Trophy. Asada, who was first after the short program, under-rotated her opening triple axel but finished with a total of 207.59 points. Coupled with her win at Skate America, Asada secured a berth at the Grand Prix final next month in the Fukuoka, Japan. "t;I was a bit disappointed not to do the triple axel cleanly," Asada said.dddddddddddd "Its something I want to be able to do well but Im happy with the overall result." Russian Elena Radionova was second with 191.81 points while Japans Akiko Suzuki finished third with 179.32. Gracie Gold of the United States was third in the free skate but finished fourth overall with 177.81 points. Russias Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov won the pairs by an overwhelming margin of more than 50 points. The defending world champions totalled 236.49 in their victory, while second-place Peng Cheng and Zhang Hao of China received just 182.18. Volosozhar and Trankov extended their impressive streak of victories with the triumph and qualified for the GP final. Two-time world champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the United States lead the ice dance after the short dance. Davis and White (73.70) are more than nine points ahead of Italys Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte (64.58) heading into Sundays free dance. The NHK Trophy is the fourth of six events in the International Skating Unions Grand Prix series. The next event is the Trophee Bompard in Paris Nov.15-17. 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