Canada's Dominique Maltais, shown finishing third at the snowboard world championships in January, has won the Crystal Globe award for the second time in her career. Canada's Dominique Maltais, shown finishing third at the snowboard world championships in January, has won the Crystal Globe award for the second time in her career. (Christophe Pallot/Getty Images)

Canadian Dominique Maltais captured the Crystal Globe award Thursday, given to the season's best female snowboard cross rider.

The 29-year-old from Petite-Rivière Saint-François, Que., secured the World Cup overall title after finishing fourth at a race in Arosa, Switzerland. Maltais finished with 4,800 total points with one race remaining, while Bulgaria's Alexandra Jekova — Thursday's winner — was second with 3,200 points.

American Lindsey Jacobellis stands third at 2810 points.

"I am very happy. It’s a pretty important trophy to go and win," said Maltais. "The Globe is always my objective at the beginning of a season. About 10 minutes after the race, my coach came and told me the globe was mine, and that’s when I realized it. I will be able to sleep tight tonight and focus on my race [Friday].

"I was not very nervous as I only needed a Top 15 to secure the Globe. Throughout my career, my results were always good, so I wasn’t too preoccupied. That being said, my qualifications yesterday did not go well, so I was a bit more nervous today for that reason. I had some good training with the guys on the team, and it gave me a boost of confidence before the race. From heat to heat throughout the race, everything went really well and as the race was unfolding, I felt better and better.”

Maltais, a 2006 Olympic bronze medallist, has won three World Cup events this season and reached the podium four times. She also earned a bronze at the 2011 FIS world championships.

She last won the Crystal Globe back in 2006. In 2010, Olympic gold medallist Maëlle Ricker of West Vancouver, B.C., won the award.