It’s safe to say that Katy Curd has had one of the most exciting careers in mountain biking. She’s ridden and raced since she could crawl and her hard training and positive mental attitude has led her to scoop up a horde of awards and medals along the way. Delving from the mountains into 4-cross and then into downhill, Katy has done it all and has the shirts to prove it.
Last week I caught up with the 4X World Champ and Elite downhill athlete, Katy Curd whilst sipping tea in the cosy Pedalabikeaway café. Having come back from a seriously wet and muddy morning of coaching a women’s basics course, I welcomed a mud-splattered Katy with open arms, before quickly stepping back and instead greeting her with an air-hug (I was clean and dry after all!) so we sat across the table from one another to do what we do best – talk about bikes and life.
When Katy isn’t racing, she’s riding her bike, or she’s coaching the next generation of athletes but, more recently, Katy has been overcoming the harrowing effects of a brain injury she sustained last year. Now, it goes without saying that crashes can and do happen in mountain biking regardless of your ability. While the Rose Bikes rider has undoubtedly bumped her head countless times throughout her career, it was last year at the Fort Bill world cup round that the multiple impacts she suffered were the final straw.
“I would get back on the bike and feel ok, but as soon as I went back to racing it would go tits up again.” – Katy Curd
