Roots - The first chapter of the documentary video series "Rising" takes us on a journey to Kate Courtney's roots and the beginning of her mountain biking career. Despite her young age of just 23, the reigning cross-country world champion inspires people inside and outside the mountain bike scene all over the world.
The American grew up on the famous Mount "Tam" Tamalpais in California, the legendary birthplace of mountain biking. She not only inherited her love of biking from her father, he also taught her how to ride. "When I was growing up here, I was surrounded by the idea that mountain biking was something special and that there was something magical about the mountain," says Kate Courtney, describing the impact of the mountain and the place where mountain biking has shaped her life since long before she was born. Today, she only knows one big goal: the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
"The fact that I can now go biking around Mount Tam with my dad in a UCI rainbow jersey and it doesn't feel a bit different to when I was little is extremely special to me." - Kate Courtney
MTB racing - The career of Kate Courtney
Courtney's racing career began when she joined the Branson High School mountain bike team as a freshman. She won her first race at Fort Ord and quickly became the first American to win a UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in the Junior category in 2012. After graduating high school in 2013, Kate went to Stanford University to study human biology to balance racing. In 2017, she won four U23 World Cups, taking the overall U23 World Cup title. In 2018, her first year at elite level, she finished in the top 10 in six UCI World Cups and finally ascended the MTB throne when she won the Elite XC World Championships in Lenzerheide.
Kate started the 2019 season with the Pan American Championship title and top three finishes at the Sea Otter Classics. All eyes will be on her at the eight major races of the UCI XCO Mountain Bike World Cup or the 2019 World Championships, where she will be looking to defend her rainbow jersey.
"To see fans who really want you to do well and are excited that you're there and have come to see you - that's an incredible thing that is so unique and rare in life. Taking an extra moment to sign a jersey for a kid or talk to them about their mountain bike could actually make a difference in what they do. That's something so special, and I have the opportunity to do that. I see that support and those fans as a source of inspiration, that's what drives me." - Kate Courtney
Rising - What Kate Courtney says about the video series
Why is this video series so important to you?
This series gives me the chance to tell my story in an authentic way and give an insight into my journey to becoming a professional cyclist. This series captures so many of the things that make MTB racing meaningful to me, from being able to share it with my family, friends and support team to interacting with young children who are just starting out on their bikes. It's an opportunity to discover for myself and share with others what makes our sport so special, both competitively and as a way of life that so many people can understand and relate to.
What story do you want to tell with this series?
I hope that both the hard work I've put into my progression in the sport and the enjoyment I get from cycling are made clear through the videos. For me, it's the balance of those two things - joy and hard work - that I think allows me to ride at such a high level consistently, to not only invest in the process of improvement, but to enjoy it. My roots and rides on Mount Tam with my dad to happy hour rides with my boyfriend keep the love of cycling alive and bring me joy and motivation at the same time.
Whilst I spend the majority of my time training hard and often alone, it's these moments that sometimes have the biggest impact on recharging my batteries. I hope this series not only conveys my relentless pursuit of improvement in training and also in racing, but also that certain balance of fun that allows me the extra focus, connection and motivation I need to work hard - and remember why I started.
What would you like people to learn for themselves from this series?
I'm excited to share the process behind what we do. I hope people will get an insight into the many details that go into a great race - from the hardest days on the bike and in the gym, to my recovery periods, mental focus, team atmosphere and the equipment itself. There are so many ways to improve and optimise the start of a race season. Things that so many people would probably never have thought of. I hope this series gives an insight into the work and process that ultimately leads to those single special days on the track where everything comes together.
More videos from the series Rising with Kate Courtney
Sebastian Brust
Editor
