TeachAids Ambassador Kate Courtney Wins Mountain Biking World Cup
Mountain Biker Kate Courtney is at the top of her game. In the past 9 years of competing, she has earned gold medals in 36 national and world cup races. Last year, she became the 2018 Elite XCO World Champion after winning gold the Cross-Country World Championship race in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. And on September 9th, Courtney became the 2019 Elite XCO World Cup Overall champion, the culmination of seven races throughout the 2019 season. She is the first American to achieve this title in 17 years.
She came in as the front runner of the season, finishing first in four early World Cup races. However, this season has been full of ups and downs. Going into the September 9th race, she trailed behind last year’s defending overall champion. She pushed through and fought “for every single spot and every single point,” ultimately winning enough points to secure the World Cup. A web series called Rising follows her journey through this year’s mountain biking season.
Throughout her journey, she exhibited resilience, grace, and generosity. No matter the results of a race, Courtney hugs and congratulates her opponents. Courtney explains, “There’s a lot of mutual respect… I think everyone wants each other to have a true battle, and want everyone to have their best day, and they want to be the best. That atmosphere means I’m grateful to my competition for helping me to push and achieve more.”
We are so proud of Kate Courtney for all she has accomplished, and for her incredible passion, resilience, and work ethic. We are excited to see what comes next for her, including competing for the US team in the 2020 Olympics!