Brandon Semenuk was in elementary school when the first Red Bull Rampage was held, but for the legendary mountain bike event’s triumphant return to Utah, he proved he was no child, grabbing first place and $10,000. Brandon joined 27 of the world’s best mountain bike riders who gathered to celebrate the legacy of the sport's most influential freeride event. Red Bull Rampage, which set the standard for big mountain competition from 2001 to 2004, re-emerged in 2008 with a new venue, a radical new course, and a lot of anticipation. Red Bull Rampage: The Evolution showcased the unbelievable progression of big mountain riding. Riders took gutsy, creative lines down the mountain and stomped huge tricks on the challenging terrain. When the dust settled, the adrenaline stopped racing, and the sting of sweat subsided, Canada’s Semenuk emerged as big mountain riding’s next big thing.


Seventeen-year-old Brandon Semenuk en route to victory.  Photo: John Gibson

WEATHERING THE STORM
The event kicked off with more challenges than just a 60-foot gap jump. A thunderstorm that passed through Southern Utah on Saturday’s qualifying day (the first major rain seen in this part of the country in months) caused the event to be postponed for 24 hours. However, the sun came out and brought with it improved course conditions, as the rain helped temper the dust, make the course more tacky and the riders more eager. Twenty-eight of mountain biking’s best riders were invited to compete in Sunday’s qualifying round. The field was narrowed in half for the finals, where the most technical and gutsy lines equaled a hall pass to the next day.


Thomas Vanderham took home third place, and $5000 for the best trick.  Photo: John Gibson

MANIC MONDAY
The finals fulfilled all expectations, from gutsy progression like Thomas Vanderham’s suicide no-hander over the 60-foot gap - named the Utah Sports Commission’s Best Trick - to some dramatic crashes, including one that took out event favorite Gee Atherton in practice just minutes before the competition began.


World Champion downhiller Gee Atherton finished 2nd at the Rampage in 2004. This year, his day ended with a crash over the massive gap jump. Photo: John Gibson

On a day where many of the sport’s legends, like previous Red Bull Rampage winners Kyle Strait and Cedric Gracia, struggled to get a completely clean line down the mountain, it was the young up-and-comer Semenuk who proved that it’s not just experience that puts you at the top of the podium but also guts. His no-handers, no footed can and a big 360 down a gap catapulted him to the top of the podium. Semenuk showed that it was a mix of planning and luck that got him there. After getting doused in celebratory champagne, he said, “I built a line up on the right ridge that I thought mixed it up a bit; I felt good and stomped it. I was pretty worried about the three (360) at the bottom, because I never stuck it on a downhill bike before, but it came together and I’m so stoked.” The judges agreed with his method, citing his big tricks as well as his speed and fluidity as the reasons for his win.


Left to right: Kurt Sorge (2nd), Brandon Semenuk (1st), Thomas Vanderham (3rd). Photo: John Gibson

SETTING THE STANDARD, SETTING THE STAGE
Born in 2001, the Red Bull Rampage provided the only true competition venue for a new breed of mountain bike rider – those who were charging off established, groomed trails to forge first descents down unchartered mountains, similar to back-country freeskiers. Red Bull Rampage was an immediate phenomenon.  Riders from all mountain bike disciplines hoped for an exclusive invite to the event, and the industry held its collective breath every October to see just how far Red Bull Rampage and the riders would push the sport.


Kurt Sorge soars into second place. Photo: John Gibson

After four inspiring and extremely successful years at the same venue, the long search began for a new, even more challenging piece of terrain. Event organizers scoured the globe from Turkey to China to Mexico and beyond. Meanwhile, trick-heavy disciplines like slopestyle and dirt jumping were advancing rapidly, and big mountain riders continued to push their technical skills. Of course, no competition could bring these elements together as Red Bull Rampage had, so mountain biking's biggest, most influential event was destined to return.


The original Rampage put riders like Darren Berrecloth on the mountain bike radar. Darren finished
10th this year. Photo: Ian Hylands

The return of Red Bull Rampage itself proved to be an evolution, where big mountain riding met groomed obstacles and a challenging course. A new standard has been set, and the young Brandon Semenuk has proven that you can never predict when the future becomes right now.

FINAL RESULTS
NAME            RUN 1        RUN 2        BEST SCORE
1. Brandon Semenuk    64.6        82.2        82.2
2. Kurt Sorge        79.6        DNF        79.6
3. Thomas Vanderham    77.6        71.0        77.6
4. Mike Kinrade        51.8        76.0        76.0
5. Cameron Zink    46.0        73.6        73.6
6. Mike Hopkins    DNF        73.4        73.4
7. Cedric Gracia        65.2        66.6        66.6
8. Graham Agassiz    49.4        65.0        65.0
9. Kyle Strait        59.8        52.0        59.8
10. Darren Berrecloth    54.4        55.2        55.2
11. Robbie Bourdon    53.8        54.2        54.2
12. Paul Basagoitia    DNF        52.4        52.4
13. Cam McCaul    DNF        DNF
14. Michal Marosi    DNF        DNS
15. Gee Atherton    DNS        DNS
*DNF indicates athlete did not cross finish line during the run
*DNS indicates athlete did not take their run

$5,000 BEST TRICK AWARD (presented by the Utah Sports Commission):
Thomas Vanderham, Suicide No-Hander over 60 ft. gap