Dominique Vall茅e doesn't have a long commute from home to the 2005 FIS Snowboard World Championships.
The Quebec-born rider, who now makes her home in Squamish, is seen as one of the best halfpipe riders in the world - and her chance to prove it comes Saturday (Jan. 22) at the halfpipe competition in Whistler.
"She's probably in the top three in the world for height," said Tom Hutchison, the coach for the Canadian Snowboard Halfpipe Team.
Vall茅e competed in the FIS Snowboard World Championships in 2003 in Austria where she placed fourth in the halfpipe competition. In 2001, she won a bronze medal in Italy for the snowboard cross (SBX) event at the FIS competition.
This year, her finish for the snowboard cross event in Whistler wasn't as glamorous. She placed 23rd with a time of 1:50:21, nearly nine seconds off the leader's pace.
"I didn't do well at all," Vall茅e said. "It was a really long course, I just didn't have a fast time. It was probably double the length of the average boardercross.
"I usually get easy top 16 or top eight," she added. "I haven't really been training for anything that is remotely close to boardercross. I was really bummed for sure. It was my fault."
This Saturday, however, she will be competing in what she knows best - the halfpipe at the FIS event in Whistler.
"She's incredibly good," Hutchison said. "She's good, but she's also a money-type rider. When it counts she really does well.
"I see her doing the next Olympics. I see her being one of the favourites in halfpipe."
"I'm really excited because it's a brand new pipe," Vall茅e said. "I don't want to anticipate anything, I'm just really excited to ride."
"My style is really different," said Vall茅e, who learned to ride from her male friends. "It's maybe more aggressive than some girls. I think I picked up a more aggressive guy style."
Hutchison said he's heard she could be one of the finalists in SBX as well.
Vall茅e, 23, is originally from Quebec, but she lived in Whistler for three years before moving to Squamish.
"I train a lot in Whistler. It's like my home mountain."
Vall茅e used to be a ski racer with the Mont Tremblant Ski team. "I did that for four years. My coach told me I should try snowboarding. I tried it and I never went back to skiing."
As a member of the halfpipe team, Vall茅e spends a lot of time on the road. She trains in Montreal, and travels for competitions.
"It's everything, it's not just a sport. It's awesome. Just meeting people around the world and people start recognizing you. It's nice. It's more of an honour I think."
She has been in snowboarding videos, and in the magazines Snowboard Canada and Transworld. She's also sponsored by Oakley and Elan Snowboards.
Vall茅e has faced some challenges this year.
"I got injured a bunch," she said. She spent two and half months recovering from a torn hamstring and preparing for the season mentally. Vall茅e didn't get back onto snow until August.
"At first it felt a bit weak, and it was adding stress to the rest of my body, but now it's fine. I don't even think about it."
