A full-face hides Katy’s ear-to- ear grin

Katy Curd is a former 4X national champ, a pro downhill rider and now she runs Katy Curd Coaching in the Forest of Dean.

“My favourite trails are normally the ones with the best memories attached to them. A good trail is a good trail, but it’s the people you ride with and the memories you make from the day that turn good trails into the best trails.

“Still to this day, I remember my first run down the Champéry DH track back in 2010. I don’t think I have ever smiled so much after one run down a track. I heard the trail was steep, but this track was on another level. It was also so fast – the acceleration from simply letting off your brakes was mad. I was so scared to let go of the brakes because I didn’t know if I could slow myself down again! I remember it just being one thing after the other, if it wasn’t the sheer speed of the trail it was the technicality of the lines and features on the trail. You had to rely on the catch of a bank to slow you down as it wasn’t enough just to lean on the brakes.

“And then the rain comes down and turns the whole trail on its head!! Normally at a race you are constantly looking for extra speed and after it rained it felt like you were constantly trying to find safe places to slow down enough to just be in control. This was the first time I had ridden anything like this and I fell in love with it, it felt like skiing on two wheels. During my race run in the pouring rain I overtook seven other racers! I didn’t have a clean run, or by any means a fast run, but it was one of the most fun race runs I’ve ever had. It took a lot of commitment and trust riding your lines but being on the edge of fear and excitement during that race run made me fall even more in love with the sport and that trail than I already was!”