Leigh Donovan
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Donovan at the 2013 BMX hall of fame induction ceremony | |||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Leigh I. Donovan | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname | Booty | ||||||||||||||||||
| Born |
11 December 1971 California, USA | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 65 kg (143 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | Liv Bicycles & SRAM | ||||||||||||||||||
| Discipline |
Mountain bike BMX | ||||||||||||||||||
| Role | Racer-Ambassador | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rider type | Off-road | ||||||||||||||||||
| Major wins | |||||||||||||||||||
 Norba National Championship (9 Wins) UCI World Cup (5 Wins) UCI World Championship (1 win) | |||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Leigh Donovan (born December 11, 1971 in Orange, California) is an American downhill mountain biker cycling ambassador and women's mountain bike clinic instructor.
Leigh Donovan was a champion mountain bike racer, competing from 1993 to 2001, the most decorated U.S. downhill and slalom rider. Leigh retired from her professional career in 2001, with the world championships in Vail, Co. as her final pro career event (where she placed 3rd in the final downhill). Leigh went into sports marketing with Hansens energy drink (at the ground level of what would become Monster Energy). She then went on to own and operate a very successful clothing boutique in Temecula, Ca. from 2003 until she departed the retail fashion business in March 2011.
In 2010, at 38 years of age, a mother, business owner and wife and 9 years after retiring from pro racing, Leigh decided to try and make the U.S. National downhill team. Leigh competed at a few qualifier events and took 4th place at the national championships, qualifying for the world championship team at Mont St. Anne Quebec Canada. Leigh finished 8th place in the finals, was the highest placed American and oldest competitor in the race, Leigh and her daughter carried the flag out at the opening ceremonies.
Leigh married in 2000 and had one daughter in 2005. Leigh has been a long time women's mountain bike coach and instructor for women of all backgrounds and skill levels, promoting and hosting her own women's only events over the last 15 years. In 2014 Leigh launched a coaching and clinic business called iChooseBikes.
Career highlights
- BMX Hall of fame inductee (2013)
- MTB Hall of fame inductee (2014)
- Only female in both MTB and BMX Hall of fame
- 9-time U.S. NORBA National Champion
- 1995 UCI Downhill WORLD CHAMPION
- 2001 UCI World Cup Champion
- 3 time world championship medalist
- In the 24 years of the official UCI world downhill championships, Leigh is one of only 3 American women to have won the title