Melissa “Missy” Giove Faces New Challenge | Mountain Biking World Champion Arrested over Marijuana Selling

Mellissa “Missy” Giove,  former mountain biking world champion was ordered held on $250,000 bail Thursday,  June 18, 2009,  after federal authorities said they have seized more than 200 pounds of marijuana from a truck she was driving in upstate New York.

Giove, 37 and Eric Canori, 30, of Wilton were charged Tuesday with conspiring to possess and distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.

Giove, who was nicknamed “The Missile,” was the downhill mountainbike world champion in 1994 and won The World Cup season titles in ’97 and ’98, she is credited with national titles from 1999-2001. Mellissa Giove was one of the sport’s first female stars, her last race was run in 2003.

It is always a strange and tragic event when one so gifted runs into trouble.  Our first instinct is to try to remain calm and let the story play.  But to a greater degree,  one knows no matter what the outcome, that Giove and Canori will have scars from this challenge for the rest of their lives.

I have known very few people in this life that have not faced great challenges over the course of their own lifetime.  So instead of rushing to judgment, let’s all try to remember our own faults and take this opportunity to work towards helping others around us who need our help to recover from such challenges and return to a prosperous and productive life.

Here’s to Missy for all the great memories and to a speedy recovery.  We all love you and wish you the best.