Katie (or Kathryn) Hayes is a 21 year old freerider from Whitefish, MT, in the US of A. Last week she uploaded a super sick video to Vimeo as a demo of what she can do on a bike.

Click to watch the video below, and while it’s loading scroll down to read Martha Hucker’s interview with Katie.

Hey Katie! That’s an awesome video. What was the motivation behind putting that together?

Thanks! I ended last season early with a broken arm, and it squashed any possibilities of putting together anything for sponsorship before winter. I spent all winter building the strength back in my arm and, to be honest, getting back on my bike this spring I was a bit timid. The purpose of this video was mainly for input and criticism from others. I spoke briefly with Transition a month ago about getting on their factory team, and they suggested sending some media in. I was planning on putting together a better video for sponsorship purposes, but figured I may as well send this one out.

You seem super relaxed on all those jumps, even though you’re going huge. Was it all as easy as you make it look? Are they your home trails?

Those are the trails we build and ride almost everyday, so yes I’m typically relaxed. Though, it is a bit nerve racking after a long winter of not touching a bike.

Tell us a bit about where you ride, and who you ride with normally…

At home we ride at Spencer Lake and have larger practice jumps, similar to the boneyard, at a friends house. Four years ago all of the trails were torn down and ladders burned. Since then we have been working on rebuilding the old ones and adding new trails. Being that the freeride and downhill race scenes are not very big, though increasing, there are not many girls that ride. Consequently I ride with my boyfriend, Jordan, and a handful of boys. Its great, they treat me like an equal, and it makes me strive to go faster and bigger.

We try to spend as much time as possible in the spring and late fall in Utah, freeriding near Moab and Virgin. Otherwise I enjoy riding in Bellingham, Vancouver, Nelson, and at Beacon Hill in Spokane. Currently I’m in Whistler, and decided to get a pass this summer, so it’s the first few days of many!

Katie rides on a skinny log ladder on Spencer Mountain near Whitefish, Montana

How long have you been riding for, and how’d you get into biking?

-Growing up I chased my dad around, built jumps in backyards, and raced cross country. About three years ago I got tired of shuttling Jordan for rides and decided I needed to get a downhill bike and tag along. We live two hours from Fernie BC and spent the two days a week we had off from work riding their bike park, all summer long. I couldn’t get enough of it and knew I was hooked. It was great having a bike park so close to home, for my first year of riding. Jordan decided to enlist me in the building army at home (which isn’t really much of an army, being there is only four of us) and I realized building what you ride makes everything that much more comfortable.

Is that a Transition Syren you’ve got there? What’s your setup, and what do you think of the bike? What other bikes are in your bike shed?

Yep that’s the Syren and I love it. I went from a Kona Stinky to this bike and the differences in having a women’s specific ride are incredibly apparent. The Syren frame is shorter, making the bike more compact and easier to move around. It is a six inch bike, but feels great shredding anything from tight and tech to fast and jumpy. I run a medium frame custom built with a Marzocchi 66, DHX 5.0, Avid Codes, Transition 32 wheels, Michelin DH tires, Sram drivetrain, and Twenty6, FSA and Race Face components. I also have a SE Dirt Jumper, single speed hardtail. Many thanks to Brian Frank, owner of Hammer Nutrition, for this nice little ride. I run a Hayes Nine on the back, a Marzocchi Dirt Jumper, and Deity components.

Do you have any riding idols, or anyone that inspires you to shred harder and go bigger?

Jordan is the biggest influence on my riding. I think its great to have someone you can physically watch and follow. He is constantly pushing me to do better. Also Stephanie Nychka, she rips hard and goes huge. Getting to know her during Crankworx last year was a modest introduction to the women’s scene.

What else do you do when you’re not riding your bike?

I love to ski and snowboard, skiing has been my passion since I was two. Ok maybe that’s an exaggeration, but it sure seems like it. Hiking and skiing deep powder keeps me in excellent shape through the winter. It manages to snow enough where we live to hold off riding a bike for months. In general I enjoy being outdoors, hiking, camping, backpacking and hanging out on the lake. Over the last two years, partly because of shooting with a professional photographer, I have developed an interest in photography and would love to pursue a career in the field.

Katie takes to the air on the Step Up Trail. Look Ma, no feet!

What are your aims for this summer? Any events lined up?

I am competing at Crankworx and the Slope Sistair. Besides riding in Whistler off and on all summer, we are going to take a trip to Post Canyon and one through BC, hitting up Nelson and Kamloops along the way. We found a new freeride zone off I-70 in Utah that we want to develop at the end of the fall. My plans are to ride and train hard enough, to put together an impressive promo at the end of the year.

Anyone you’d like to thank?

First I have to thank Jordan, for ALL of his help and letting me chase him down every trail. Tom Danley, owner of MSI cyclery, who felt it was appropriate to hook me up with my Syren. Camas Ellingson, for all of his time spent behind the camera and for being a ripp’n riding partner. Brian and Sonia Frank with Hammer Nutrition. And of course my parents, who shy a worried and concerned eye, and love to help me succeed.

Thanks Katie, and good luck with your riding this season!

Photos thanks to Chuck Haney – www.chuckhaney.com