MTB Girls Magazine celebrates the Top 10 female riders of all time at the Downieville Classic, including legends like Katerina Nash—who also stars on our September cover. With editor-in-chief Liz Donahey racing her first Classic, this piece honors the legacy, grit, and sisterhood of one of mountain biking’s most iconic events.
Throwback Thursday: The Top 10 MTB Girls of the Downieville Classic
MTB Girls are heading to Downieville next weekend to cover one of the rowdiest, most iconic mountain bike festivals in the country. But did you know this race helped build the trails it’s famous for?
Back in the mid-90s, the Sierra Buttes Trail Association (SBTA) wasn’t just dreaming of epic descents—they were digging them. The Downieville Classic was born from their vision to revive a forgotten Gold Rush town through two things: mountain biking and trail stewardship. Every dollar from the race helped fund trail work, and it’s still that way today.
Today, the Classic is home to the legendary All-Mountain World Championships and a community-wide celebration of grit, guts, and getting rad.
Top 10 Women Riders of All Time – Downieville Classic
Katerina Nash – 5x Olympian, multiple-time Downieville winner, and the queen of this course
Kelli Emmett – Technical prowess + XC engine = unstoppable
Rachel Lloyd – Known for her power climbs and fearless descending
Leigh Donovan – Hall of Fame legend, still crushing it on every descent
Mary Moncorge – Fast, fierce, and a consistent podium presence
Amber “HB” Hovious – Brought major freeride flair to the race
Teal Stetson-Lee – Cross-discipline crusher with multiple podium finishes
Amy Morrison – NorCal native and all-mountain powerhouse
Marla Streb – One of the original downhill queens, blazing trails in every way
Juli Furtado – Iconic legacy racer and early inspiration for the women’s field
