While children of the same age get together to play on Wednesday afternoons, Emely Grand spends every spare minute on her bike, mastering daring trails and spending hours honing her technique to overcome the various obstacles on her race tracks. Her passion: downhill biking.
Even as a child, the 11-year-old realised that she preferred being on two wheels to being on foot: ‘I rode a bike for the first time when I was three. My dad went with me.’ However, Emely quickly grew bored of the tarmac roads, so her dad Thorsten took her to the nearby Pfyn Forest to explore the off-road trails.
Park premiere in Grächen
Emely completed her first bike park when she was seven years old. The SiSu Flow Trail in Grächen offered the eight-year-old girl her first opportunity to experience a bike race and get a feel for what it's like on a real race track.
Emely's passion for biking grew and grew until she decided to take part in her first MTB downhill race in 2022. Just one year later, Emely competed in all the races in the Maxiavalanche series and came out on top against her competitors. Since last year, Emely has also been riding in the Swiss Hot Trail series.
In recent years, Emely's hobby has become increasingly intense – and so have her preparations for competitions. The fifth-grader is now trained and instructed by more experienced downhill riders. She also goes to the gym several times a week in winter and is supported by a mental coach. Downhill trails not only require energy, but also a great deal of courage:
‘I'm always extremely nervous before races. Mental training helps me focus and I'm learning to deal with the excitement better.’
Emely also receives a lot of mental support from her family. They accompany her to races, train with her in front of their house and make sure she has time for other things besides downhill biking:
‘We support Emely in everything she does. However, there should also be bike-free times, enough rest and, above all, time for school. Good grades were a prerequisite from the very beginning,’ explains Thorsten.
The longer Emely races down the downhill trails, the riskier her races become. She races in rain and sunshine, the jumps get higher and crashes are not always avoidable. ‘So far, I've been lucky and only suffered minor injuries,’ she says with a mischievous smile.
In the midst of racing fever
The downhill season began at the end of April with the first race in Homberg (Switzerland). Emely got off to an ideal start, finishing in fourth place. Last weekend, the second race took place in Todtnau (Germany) – Emely finished fifth on the most demanding course of the series.
The intensive preparations have paid off, even though she is one of the youngest competitors in the U15 category: ‘I have to make up for the disadvantage of my fellow competitors' strength and size with technique and endurance.’
Next on the agenda is the race in Les2Alpes, France, followed by the competition in Lenzerheide. The race is timed, the downhill course is between two and four kilometres long, and Emely will compete in both the individual and mass start (which is an impressive 10 to 15 kilometres).
Coordinating Emely's race schedule, her school timetable and the sometimes long journeys is not easy for the family, as Thorsten explains: "We need our bus to transport all the bike equipment easily. We always travel a few days before the race so that Emely can inspect the course and rest. In the high season, we then continue straight on, sometimes travelling hundreds of kilometres to the next location."
Emely's motivation and enjoyment of cycling are also reflected in her goals – even though downhill cycling is still relatively unknown as a women's sport, but is growing in popularity:
‘I really want to qualify for the Swiss Cycling regional squad. I dream of competing as a professional in the MTB Downhill World Cup one day.’ Until then, she needs to gain as much racing experience as possible, even if that means a few scrapes and bruises.
Grächen bike region supports young talent
Grächen has recently made a name for itself as a starting point for bike fans. Whether it's the flow trail, enduro trail or the new bike park opening this summer on the Hannigalp, newbies and bike pros alike appreciate the diverse experiences on two wheels that the destination has to offer.
This makes it all the more important to support young talent. Grächen and St. Niklaus Tourism and Trade has been a sponsorship partner of Emely since 2023 and is supporting her on her way to becoming a downhill pro.
We wish Emely every success for the upcoming season and are keeping our fingers crossed for her!
