Rampage Wrap - Part 1

Play By Play from Virgin

Words by Cam McRae.

Melted butter: that’s how our shuttle driver described the consistency of the road we were traveling on after a rainfall. “Can’t drive it except in a lifted Suzuki 4by.” Forget rain - it hadn’t been below 100 degrees Fahrenheit during the day for over three months – but the forecast looked bad.


Rachel Atherton helping her brothers build their lines. Photo ~ John Gibson

Practice Friday rolled out nicely with riders finishing up their lines – many with crews of helpers – and then sessioning portions to get a feel for the speed and control needed to stay on the bike.

And then it poured – all day Saturday and then most of the night. After hearing the driver’s warning I figured we’d be waiting for a few days until the soil dried but we got an email from Red Bull telling us it was game on for Sunday – a one-run qualifier for all 28 riders followed by a two-run final on Monday for the 14 due to move on. We changed our flights, extended reservations and then went hiking in Zion.


Those clouds were telling us something. Photo ~ David Ferguson

As it turned out the road was perfect and the rain made the conditions at the site even better than it had been Friday. The timing was lousy for Ted Tempany though – who had spent days hauling in water to sculpt the hillside; “man could I have used that three weeks ago!” After re-touching their lines and then dialing things in it was time for the riders sort out which of them would be among the 14 riders who would advance to the final round of Rampage – The Evolution.


Graham Agassiz of Kamloops - charging into the final. Aggy is the newest member of the Kona Clump and the Sombrio Cartel. And this may be the last shot you see of him wearing shorts. Photo ~ Long Nguyen

In the past qualifying for Rampage was a very long day. Every rider invited – assuming they are healthy and their wheels are round – normally takes two qualifying runs. 56 riders and a lunch break takes a whole day – but it’s a recipe for some exciting finishes – or at least it was. This year the courses were arranged with two starting gates so riders could choose their lines more effectively. To make things easier on the media and support crews it was decided that the riders would have to declare their ridge and then the riders would roll down one ridge at a time – first all the riders on the right ridge and then all the riders from the left. For the two-run final the original start order would remain for the afternoon, rather than the top rider last format that coaxes top performances out of riders facing elimination or removal from the podium.


Andrew Taylor got the rotation on this but he cased hard 50/50 and got ejected. Photo ~ Long Nguyen

The best thing about the single run qualifying format was that it encouraged riders to ride clean. There was no opportunity to give something a try in round one to fine tune things; do it right the first time or you’re done.

Much of the highlight reel from qualifying features riders who didn’t make the final. Kelly McGarry threw down his helmet after crashing after x-ing up one of the largest drops on the quali course, but then realized he could finish his run. “I got caught in the wind and then just threw in the towel for a second.” He then busted a massive flip off a man-sized table with a never-ending tranny. He landed with his front wheel up some but still stuck it and got one of the biggest cheers of the day. Andrew Taylor went upside down to 50./50 on the burly dirt jump step down on the left hand side of the zone and then bounced to the bottom of the tranny – and he too was done.


James Doerfling's line was nice to look at - and he rode it well - before crashing on the XL step down. Photo ~ Christian Pondella

James Doerfling and Garrett Buehler worked hard on an original line but both crashed ending their hopes of an appearance in the finals.

Guido Tschugg took the same racer line that Cedric and Gee were grooving on and he nailed it. Gee overshot the big drop some and rode through the rhubarb but didn’t disrupt his flow much – but Guido nailed the same line without going off course, whipped larger at the bottom and rode one more drop. A fall at the bottom – that I didn’t see – cost him a spot in the finals but personally I think he should have snuck in.

Matt Hunter shredded the Heinous Chute line, boosted a massive, stylish hip, but then his shoulder dislocated when he landed the step up ramp and his day, and his winter, were both done.


Dan Atherton gives Matt Hunter's huge hip some perspective. Photo ~ Ian Hylands

Chris Van Dine was a wind casualty on the same drop that claimed Kelly McGarry. He banged his noggin hard and couldn’t continue – a shame since everyone was hoping he’d again attempt his signature roll. He was initially packed up on a spineboard but then the cut him loose and he was spotted – drink in hand – at the Bit and Spur later that evening.

Gully was another rider who you could build a solid case for – but who failed to qualify. The problem is who to pull out and replace him with? Gully’s line – which was the same line the racers favoured – was fast and smooth but when you are being compared to Gee Atherton, Cedric Gracia and Guido Tschugg – three riders who have spent time on the world cup podium – you better toss in something very special to make the judges take notice.


Robbie Bourdon aired into this position - from directly above where you see him in this photo. I'd love to see the frames before this one. click image to see a larger version. Photo ~ Christian Pondella

Bourdo had been chipping away at an out-cropping in the Heinous Chute – I thought to smooth it out some or to create a straight line. I don’t think anyone was prepared when he aired blind into one of the nastiest lines imaginable and stuck it perfectly. Bourdo’s line up top along the ridge was nothing special but after the hip he boosted one of the largest step downs on the course – without so much as a chain slap. He sketched out and fell lower down on the course but the judges decided he didn’t completely leave his bike and opted for a smaller penalty – saving his place in the final.


Gee Atherton sent this one farther than anyone. Photo ~ Long Nguyen

Cam Zinc and Kyle Strait were attached at the hip all weekend. They rode the same line in qualifying and very similar lines in the final. Their qualifying line was judged to be one of the highest scoring by the judges. It featured an exposed double drop that had to be nailed – and the second drop had a transfer as well. They both ripped it but Strait carried more speed in and flowed it more confidently. Strait also lost a foot on landing the Red Bull ramp step up and then had to push off to get going again – but he didn’t seem to be penalized for it much.


This fully realized Superman Seatgrab left little doubt that Paul Basagoitia was destined for the finals. Photo ~ Long Nguyen

You would have thought that Brandon Semenuk had been to Rampage before. At the very least he got good advice and took it to heart. He built an exposed billy goat line that nobody else rode, kept up his speed and clicked a suicide no-hander off one of the lower step downs. He flowed everything, didn’t take unnecessary risks and kept it simple for a solid entry into the final.


Classic Berrecloth style. Photo ~ Long Nguyen

The Claw kept things simple as well but he rode aggressively and tweaked the massive drop at the bottom that only he, Mike Hopkins and Bourdo attempted.  Kurt Sorge rode smart and fast and sent it without much drama.  He seemed to focus on flow and amplitude and it was the right recipe to slide into the big show.


Cam McCaul - top qualifier with a score of 83.0. Photo ~ Long Nguyen

Cam McCaul had a solid run. He did no-hand a burly drop and then suicided a step-down lower down but for whatever reason it didn’t light my fire. It was world class for sure but it didn’t have the wow factor you usually get from a top run at Rampage – or from Cam McCaul for that matter. I guess that’s one of the problems with a one run qualifier.


Mike Kinrade stomped his qualifying run - but was only ranked 16th after qualifying - 4/10 of a point out of 14th. Photo ~ Long Nguyen

After 28 riders chose their own way down the mountain 15 remained standing. A tie for 14th place meant Thomas Vanderham and Mike Hopkins both snuck into the final. I thought a little justice was done for Mike Kinrade when Dan Atherton chose to remove himself from the comp with a leg injury. Dan’s quali run was fast and flawless and it was a shame to lose him – but Kinrade’s run was certainly final worthy.


Kyle Strait on the gentle roll in to the right line of the finals course. Photo ~ Christian Pondella

A huge cheer went up when nobody was on course and I looked over to see what was up.
Before any results were known or the qualifier was even finished, the ever-confident Cedric Gracia was over on the finals course charging practicing lines. He got in several drops before one of the security guys finally stopped him – and I can assure you he got an earful of Gracia charm.


The finalists were stoked. Photo ~ Ian Hylands

With a few exceptions spirits were high after Sunday’s results – and the anticipation for the final was even higher. Anyone who went in thinking the building that Ted and his crew did would take away from the spirit of Rampage were converts by the end of the day.

We’ll be posting a finals write up and many more photos shortly.

Cam McRae

If you have anything to say or questions about riders I didn't talk about serve them up on our Article Discussion board (where non-registered users can post) here - and the thread on the Shore board here.

Red Bull Rampage 2008 Qualifying Results

1	Rider	Score
1	Cam McCaul	83.0
2	Brandon Semenuk	82.3
3	Gee Atherton	79.0
4	Darren Berrecloth	78.0
5	Kyle Strait	75.3
6	Michal Marosi	74.7
7	Dan Atherton	74.3
8	Cedric Gracia	71.7
9	Paul Basagoitia	71.3
10	Robbie Bourdon	71.3
11	Cameron Zink	71.3
12	Kurt Sorge	70.7
13	Graham Aggasiz	70.0
14	Mike Hopkins	69.7
15	Thomas Vanderham	69.7
16	Mike Kindrade	69.3
17	Guido Tschugg	68.7
18	Geoff Gulevich	68.3
19	Alex Prochazka	66.3
20	Logan Binggeli	64.7
21	Kenny Smith	63.7
22	James Doerfling	58.0
23	Kelly McGarry	55.3
24	Garrett Buehler	48.7
25	Andrew Taylor	39.2
26	Trond Hansen	DNS
27	Matt Hunter	DNF
28	Chris Van Dine	DNF