Point Roberts, Washington | isabellabertold.com
| Primary Discipline(s) | Road Cycling / Criterium, Gravel Cycling, Other |
| Bucket List Race | Women's Paris Roubaix, and the first ever Women's America's Cup in 2024 |
| Favorite Picky Bars product | performance oatmeal (trail mix fix) |
| Off-Day Activity | hike with my bernese mountain dog, or a walk with my film camera |
In short, I like to go fast, and inspire the next generation of female athletes. I race professionally as a road cyclist for InstaFund Pro Cycling, and I also made a return to the sport of professional sailing (retired from the Olympic space in 2019) in the high-octane league of SailGP. I lead sustainability initiatives in both sports, I manage my own Next Gen Legacy Fund for up and coming athletes in the sport of sailing, and I am always looking for opportunities to use sport as a platform for positive change. From supporting the SailGP Inspire Youth Program by volunteering my time during events, to organizing a ride for the future (https://factorbikes.com/isabella-bertold-cycling-to-raise-awareness/), to working with our suppliers and the UN Sports for Climate Action to shift products to a more circular economy, and eliminating plastic packaging - When away from a racing environment I am fulfilled by driving positive change.
This year was a really interesting year of balancing both sports. My priority was still road cycling, and I had the hard role of developing into a road captain, and helping to set the team up for wins. We started the season with a "no bikes allowed" retreat, and this set us up for a very special year. On paper, we were never the strongest team. But because of our team bond and trust, we took multiple wins, and even more podiums. Beyond that, I personally developed new leadership qualities, which I was able to bring to the Canada SailGP Team. On the water, I am one of the strategists. It is a unique position as a female in the league, as the league as mandated women on the boats to help push the sport towards equality. As such, we need to work collectively to help one another get up to speed, and develop an equal skill set to the men on the boat. Looking forward to 2023, I have set a big goal of taking a GC win at one of the major stage races in North American Cycling, and I will also continue to race in SailGP - with the added opportunity of bringing together a Canadian Women's team with a big goal of competing in the first ever Women's America's Cup in 2024.