MISSY GIOVE

DOWNHILL’S ORIGINAL ROCK ’N’ ROLLER

With her wild haircuts, piercings, tattoos and the remains of her pet piranha Gonzo hanging from her neck, Missy ‘The Missile’ Giove was hard to miss. The true rebel of the sport during the 1990s, she became downhill world champion in 1994 and went on to rack up three bronze medals. She won the World Cup series twice and was never far from the podium in any major race. Much of the time she had to play second fiddle – on the track, at least – to AnneCaroline Chausson, although she had a fair few tangles with fellow American and 1995 world champ Leigh Donovan, too. Missy’s life was often shrouded in controversy and, after retiring from racing, in 2009 she was busted on charges of attempting to traffic and distribute a huge stash of marijuana. In 2015 she made a brief return to the scene and qualified 17th fastest for the Windham World Cup, introducing herself to a whole new generation of riders.