People who weren’t paying attention remember Missy Giove for the big pot bust she was caught up in after she stopped riding fulltime, and that’s a shame, because there was a time when she was the most dominant downhill racer of her day. 14 NORBA downhill titles, 11 World Cups and the 1994 World Championship. She was bombastic, stylish and tailor-made for the X-Games generation.
She did what she did on technology most of us wouldn’t deem fit for riding our local single-track today. This is one of those deals where you have to push the story aside and respect the game.
I love Missy. I got to interview her numerous times and spent an off season day at home with her for a feature. She had such keen insight and perspective on life. My favorite memory was at Mont-Ste-Anne (I’m pretty sure). She finiahed the downhill without brakes. I asked how she slowed down. She said she brushed against trees with her shoulder. Bad ass, passionate and clever. One of a kind