Red Bull Rampage is one of the most popular action sports events under the brand’s incredibly encompassing umbrella. The addition of a women’s event expanded the talent on display and interest in the epic event in St. George, Utah, on October 10-12.
Scroll down for the faces and feats that defined a new era in mountain biking.
Landmark Red Bull Rampage
The weathered Red Bull Rampage start gate towers over Utah’s red rock cliffs, a silent witness to action sports history since 2001. Its iconic silhouette has graced countless photos, GIFs, and videos, recognizable even to those unfamiliar with freeride mountain biking.
In 2024, this wooden sentinel saw a seismic shift. For the first time, top female riders joined men in dropping into the daunting terrain below. This shattered barriers and redefined possibility on two wheels.
No longer just a landmark, the gate now stands as a symbol of progress and dreams realized. Fans watched as a new chapter in the sport’s history unfolded. The event marked the evolution of freeride mountain biking before everyone’s eyes.
First Through the Gate
Women’s sports are surging, with 2024 revenue expected to top $1 billion for the first time. Media coverage of Rampage has tripled since 2021, fueling rapid growth. Now, mountain biking’s most progressive event is expanding its reach, welcoming female riders to its daring cliffs.
But how we got here is a circuitous story. The women did not pass through the gates of Red Bull Rampage for the first time without the significant sacrifice of many people.
Struggle to Break New Ground
For years, riders like Chelsea Kimball and Casey Brown sculpted their own lines in the dirt, honing skills and nurturing dreams. Many set their sights on Red Bull Rampage, yet the selection process remained a closed door.
As seasons passed, a question lingered. Would these athletes carve out their own category or continue vying to be the first woman competing alongside men?
Recently, it became clear. To stand on their sport’s grandest stage, these pioneers would have to blaze their own trail.
Women in Formation
In 2019, Katie Holden (pictured with the author) and an army of co-conspirators came together to try and capitalize on the groundswell of activity in women’s cycling. It was evident that if Red Bull Rampage was to ever expand its program and create a category for women, it would require that the talent pool deepen and widen significantly.
Enter Red Bull Formation, a first-of-its-kind event. Formation was a progression session on the dusty Southern Utah landscape. The goal was to increase the capabilities of the sport’s top female participants and plant a flag in the dry dirt for all to see.
Since that first year, women’s mountain biking has exploded. Events across the globe embrace the groundswell of hungry riders eager to participate alongside their peers.
It was clear that 2024 was the year to evolve freeride’s flagship event. It was time to let the women show what they were capable of, and they didn’t disappoint.
Goomes Blazes Trail
Robin Goomes was the first woman to ever drop in at Red Bull Rampage. In front of a sold-out crowd, with cameras rolling, Goomes descended the line she’d been working on with her team for over a week.
Aboard a Barbie-themed Yeti SB 165, she absolutely set the tone for the runs to come.
Goomes crafted a line echoing Rampage’s early days: raw and challenging. Her route featured a rugged top chute with rock shelves and a 41-foot diagonal drop. Two trick jumps, one near the top and another at the bottom showcased her skills.
During practice, she hinted at her game-day strategy, occasionally throwing backflips. Astride her Barbie-themed bike, she joked about being “Backflip Barbie,” embracing her love for inverted tricks.
Late Call-Up Takes Silver
Canadian Georgia Astle clinched second place with a precise, confident run at Red Bull Rampage. Initially an alternate, Astle got the call in September to join the final roster, arriving in Utah primed to leave her mark.
A gravity specialist, Astle’s background spans World Cup downhill, Enduro World Series, and Crankworx competitions. Off the race course, she honed her skills on British Columbia’s steep lines and massive drops.
Astle’s freeride journey accelerated in 2021. She joined Casey Brown’s dig team at Red Bull Formation, participating as a rider the following year.
Godmother of Freeride: Spirit Award
The Godmother of Freeride, Casey Brown, was strong in practice throughout the week. Many in attendance were certain she’d stand atop the podium at the end of the day.
Her 16-year journey to Red Bull Rampage began in 2008 when she first witnessed the event in Virgin, Utah. Brown has blazed a trail as one of the first female freeriders, inspiring countless women to follow suit. The Canadian’s composed demeanor during practice culminated in the first top-to-bottom run.
Brown’s standout feature, the “Laundry Chute,” was a highly exposed rock roll drop. She described it as one of the most challenging obstacles she’s faced.
Synonymous with the event, large roll-in or drop-in chutes play a large role in the success (or potential failure) of one’s attempt to head home with a win at Red Bull Rampage.
Brown took home the McGazza Spirit Award for her hard-charging run and contributions to the women’s freeride movement.
Guess Who? Goomes Gets Gold
When the dust settled on this historic day, it was Robin Goomes who stood atop the podium. Georgia Astle (second) and Casey Brown (third) were alongside. This podium represents years of advocacy and progression in women’s freeride, with Brown, a longtime pioneer, realizing a 16-year dream.
The event was run on a new course alongside the men’s competition. This showcased the caliber of riding that earned these athletes their place on mountain biking’s most prestigious stage, ushering in a new era for the sport.
If the groundswell of activity in the last 5 years is any indication of women’s progress, we are sure to see many more vying for this coveted celebration in 2025 and beyond.
Wind Waylays Men’s Rampage
Fast-forward 48 hours, and it was time for the men to push off the precipice and vie for their spot in history. But Mother Nature had other plans.
Red Bull Rampage has a two-run format. So, each competitor gets a chance to refine his or her performance from the first attempt. However, the weather in Southern Utah can be brutal and unforgiving. Even a slight change in the breeze can jeopardize the whole day.
Godziek Goes Berserk
Before the wind delayed the event by multiple hours, the anxious crowd was treated to a handful of hard-charging runs, and the venue was humming.
Poland’s Szymon Godziek sent a huge front flip on his first and only run that day. It was followed immediately by a backflip off the infamous “Price is Right” jump and then a double backflip on his final jump.
His line this year was incredibly bold and creative, enough to earn him first place in the early part of the day. But there are no guarantees at Red Bull Rampage, especially with people like Brandon Semenuk waiting in the wings to throw down another run.
Godziek was all smiles in the rider’s tent as he sat in first place, watching the rest of the field attempt to dislodge him from the podium.
Scary Moment for Zink
Cam Zink is an absolute legend in freeride and one of the most seasoned riders in the event’s history. There was a lot of anticipation for his runs that day.
Unfortunately, he took a huge fall on the first backflip of his run and was airlifted to St George Hospital. Zink later reported that he suffered six broken ribs next to his spine and a collapsed lung. He stated, “I’ll be OK,” on his personal Instagram account.
Bronze-Winning Flip
Before the wind delay, Tom Van Steenbergen threw this massive front flip off of “The Price is Right,” sending it well into the runout of the landing. This trick, combined with the incredible nature of his full run, would land him in third place before the second runs would commence.
Old Venue, New Lines
Over the course of Red Bull Rampage, many different venues have been used. For myriad reasons, it often returns to old venues with the goal of rethinking and reinventing the landscape.
The last time riders saw this venue was in 2019. Many of the old lines were still carved into the landscape when the teams started to dig in early October.
Tyler McCaul, a Red Bull Rampage veteran who competed at this venue in 2018 and 2019, decided to cut an entirely new line in the sand with the goal of improving his previous results.
The feature that stood out on his line for this year was this incredible step-down canyon gap, measuring over 70 feet from takeoff to landing.
Semenuk Sets Up Staggering Comeback
The 2024 Red Bull Rampage opened and closed with a performance by Brandon Semenuk unlike any other. On his first run, everything began clean and crisp. But a small mistake near the bottom during a backflip tailwhip sent him to the ground. Luckily uninjured, he set his sights on run number two.
Semenuk’s score on the first run was good enough to land him in third place. However, his position precipitously slid as competitors pushed him down the scoreboard.
Before he dropped in on run number two, he was sitting in a dismal 14th place.
Much can be said about Semenuk’s riding style and general level of creativity in everything he does. The lines he builds at Red Bull Rampage are iconic for their refined touches and elegant construction. Semenuk is the kind of guy who ensures that everything he touches is clean and crisp, and his riding is no different.
At the end of a very long day in the desert, with the occasional wind gust kissing the venue, Semenuk was the last one to drop in to attempt to reclaim his title. Absolutely greasing his line, the crowd nervously watched as he approached the drop that took him out in run one.
An effortless flip-whip on the last drop sealed the deal, and as he cruised into the finish corral. It was clear for all to see that he’d take home the gold that day.
With the sun nearly setting after an incredibly long day, Semenuk (first), Godziek (second), and McCaul (third) hoisted their trophies overhead in celebration into the windy sky. It was a fitting close to a historic few days in the desert witnessing history.
Historic Rampage Looks Ahead
One of the most enjoyable elements of the Red Bull Rampage experience is the fans. Thousands from around the world flock to the small town of Virgin, Utah, each year to witness the spectacle. This year’s event had a palpable amplitude to it among the hoards of roving masses throughout the venue.
The more I walked the venue, the more convinced I was that the expansion of the event did more than just open a door for women to compete. The vibe throughout both event days was lively and inclusive. And, of course, it shared a competitive buzz as onlookers cheered for their favorite rider.
It was clear to all that the future was bright.
