MOUNTAIN LIFE - Coast Mountains | Summer 2018

106 MLCM SUMMER 2018 It wasn’t just mountain biking and it still happens a lot in motorsports today. It’s definitely becoming less and less prevalent in the MTB industry, which is awesome, but it just breaks my heart when I see younger girls get lost or caught up in the pressure to sexualize themselves to gain more attention and recognition in the industry, rather than being recognized for their skills and strengths on and off the bike. That being said, there is no shame in being proud of who you are, your femininity, and presenting body-positivity to other women. It’s a super fine line that most female professional athletes struggle with, myself included. ML: You stopped racing after 2014. How difficult was that decision? Did you have your next moves planned out? MG: It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to decide. When I didn’t get re-signed to my World Cup team for 2015, it felt like my entire identity was ripped away. Racing was all I knew, and all I was known for, but a bad crash and a pretty severe concussion made me take a step back and really look at my life. I loved racing, but looking back at my last year I realized I was more there for my friends, and more concerned about whether they were feeling good about their race than I was about my own. It definitely became less about the race results for me and more about the social aspect of being there. I guess that’s when I realized I wanted to impact people in a different way. I want to inspire people, regardless of gender or background. I want Micayla used to hate pineapple on pizza but now she quite likes it. She also enjoys burly shale descents. MARGUS RIGA to get people stoked on life and riding bikes, and I knew I wasn’t going to do that racing World Cups. ML: It’s working! Ferda Girls was a landmark moment and to follow that up with a big award at Banff for Intersection is killer. Now you’re a big part of the Crankworx broadcast team. How is it going? MG: It’s really exciting and also really nerve- wracking because I’ve never done it before. Being on TV and having to come up with relevant questions in a certain timeframe with an earpiece on and the producer directing me is crazy! I definitely have a newfound respect for everyone involved in live television. I know a lot of the riders personally so that is an advantage, but there was definitely some worry that people who don’t know me and my personality might be expecting a professional broadcaster… and they get me. I’m not afraid to do it; I just get nervous with how people will perceive it. Because I want to do the best job possible. ML: Spoken like a true artist. MG: That actually happened with Ferda Girls too. It’s just that feeling whenever you’re about to do something new; there is always that fear of the unknown. I was really nervous, because you’re putting yourself out there, but overall it was received really well and developed into something above and beyond what we ever could have expected. Now with this Crankworx gig, there’s just tens of thousands of people watching me do it, on live TV. So that adds a little pressure. ML: Do you get nervous like that when you are riding? MG: I used to. I used to rely on the guys I was riding with to tell me what I was capable of doing. Most of the time they’d give me great tips and support but I was being overly cautious. So this year, and I think this comes with experience, I just told myself that I wasn’t going to listen to anyone other than myself and I did some of the gnarliest things I’ve ever done on a bike and I came out fine. I still look for guidance and support sometimes, but being confident in my own abilities has really changed my riding. ML: What’s next for Micayla Gatto? MG: I have this year pretty much planned out, but nothing is set in stone yet. Two years ago, if you had told me I’d be one of the main reporters for the Crankworx World Tour I would’ve just laughed. I’m learning that anything can happen and new opportunities will constantly present themselves if you just keep developing and pushing the boundaries of your own skill, putting yourself out there, and keep creating what you want to be a part of. I have some lofty dreams of hosting my own Netflix series, and other projects like that, but in the meantime I’m just going to keep hustling, creating, and riding, and see where life takes me!