A WORLD Cup mountain biker turned coach from the Forest has been named one the most influential women in UK cycling for 2023.

Katy Curd, from Lydbrook, is no stranger to the limelight with an impressive list of pro downhill race wins to her name, but it’s her work helping others to achieve their goals which has brought her this latest bout of national recognition.

Cycling UK, a charity which promotes all kinds of cycling through a range of community projects and initiatives, has named Katy on its ‘100 Women in Cycling’ list for 2023.

The annual list celebrates the “exceptional” work of women who’ve had a positive impact by inspiring others to cycle, “and thus helping make cycling a more inclusive space”.

The list includes champion cyclists, academics, filmmakers, and social enterprise leaders who’ve made a difference to women’s cycling in the past year.

Katy started cycling at a young age, and in her words, “quickly became addicted to it”.

Lydbrook’s Katy Curd has been named on the 100 Women in Cycling 2023 list as an industry mogul for her work as a champion racer turned mountain bike coach. She runs her own coaching business, Katy Curd Coaching, in the Forest. (James Vincent)

With a list of race wins including British 4X and Downhill National Series champion titles and seven World Cup podiums, Katy has now turned her hand to MTB coaching, both for everyday riders and elite racers.

On her turn to coaching, Katy said: “Cycling has been my life and has allowed me to travel the world, meet some of the most incredible people, help me over come huge mental health blocks and now allows me to give back to others by empowering them with the knowledge and freedom that cycling gave me.”

Katy was named in the ‘Industry Mogul’ category on the list.

Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK’s chief executive, said: “Cycling is a fantastic way to get around sustainably, keep fit and have fun outdoors and we want everyone to benefit from the joy of cycling. But in the UK, substantially fewer women ride than men. It’s our mission to reverse that and see equal levels of cycling across all genders.

 “A great way to encourage more women to cycle is to share the stories of these amazing women – whether they’re chronicling their adventures on social media, advocating for better infrastructure in their neighbourhoods, inspiring their communities to join them for a ride or winning medals around the world.

“Choosing the top one hundred winners involves some really tough choices – there are so many brilliant women out there who we’d want to celebrate.”

To see the full list, go to www.cyclinguk.org/100women/2023.