A new Teddy in town

Red Bull Rampage Finals 2004 Round 2 - A victor is crowned Cam McRae Click here for Finals Round 1

Eventually all the riders finished their scouting and chin rubbing and made their way to the Red Bull arch at the top of the course.  It really felt like it the title was up for grabs - particularly because line choices were not as varied as they had been in the past. What was clear was that it would take a stunning performance to come out on top. The usual scenario in Virgin is that the wind picks up in the afternoon and this day was no exception.  It was a little gusty at our level but it was certainly much stronger up top and was likely to play a role in line choice. Riders were seeded in reverse order with the lowest scores going first which left Wade Simmons, who was unable to complete his run because of a mechanical - not an injury despite a horrific crash - up first. What follows is based on my explanation of the main lines ridden that can be found here.

Gee Atherton making his way to the top for round 2. Photo Cam McRae

Wade Simmons was expected to launch the Super T drop but his crash from round one must have slowed him down some because he decided to launch the hip drop instead.  He did a nice job of it and then went for the doubles below and rode them confidently before sketching out on the slippery earth in front of our journalists corral.  After that he pedalled in to the T Step.  Riders had been coming up short on this line but Wade's not that kind of rider and he blew over the landing into a nasty rocky section where he pretty much exploded. He needed to be helped off the course because of an ankle injury.  Score 64

Mike Kinrade rolled into the Canfield drop and then rode the Hip Drop and his toilet bowl line.  It was clean, well executed and solid but not terribly inspired. Score 67.4

Guido Tschugg took a tumble into the roller coaster line and then crashed again on the Canfield drop.  He finished strongly though hucking the T Step and boldly kept it together after going into the rhubarb a little on the landing.  He punctuated it with a superman off the kicker at the bottom of the course. Score 58.4

Cameron Zink carved riders right along the ridge and once again failed to stick the three.  He destroyed The Sender though and left us with no doubt about the size of his cajones. Score 69.6

Glyn O'Brien Rode the common line but this time he rode the Hip Drop and went down hard. He took a little while to get his bearings again and then finished the final two step-downs beautifully.  A masterful performance for someone in a lot of pain.  Score 61.4

Never one to hold back, Wade went too big on this one. Photo David Ferguson.

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Ben Reid also took the popular route down the hill until he was at our level and from there he rode Glyn's finish and dialled it every step of the way. He moto-whipped the final kicker and tossed in a nose wheelie for the crowd. Ben did all this on a seven year old Giant ATX. Score 70.4

Steve Romaniuk rolled into the roller coaster and then dialled the hip but rode around the second of the two doubles. At the run-in for the final move he took a moment to stoke the crowd - leaving little doubt that he was going to float something rowdy.  Romaniac always seems to carry lots of speed and he powered into the take-off and whipped out a completely unfurled one-foot table. It was difficult to tell from where we were but Sterling Lorence assured me it was textbook.  At the bottom of the course he allowed his bike to ghost ride to a stop a la Wade Simmons at the inaugural Rampage event four years earlier. His score was the second best of the day at that point and it knocked Vanderham, Canfield and Atherton down a position on the score sheet.Score 79.8

Gee Atherton took a slightly different line into the Coaster - perhaps slightly less difficult and then nailed the Canfield drop smooth and fast.  He ripped along the ridge and without so much as a speed check sailed off the Super T drop. Not only did he land it - Gee smoothed the 30+ footer and never looked even moderately ragged.  From there he scorched into his canyon line and pulled a little sui off the final kicker just for fun.  It was immediately clear to everyone in attendance that Gee's score had become the one to beat.  He took a very strong line and added one of the most difficult moves on the mountain. This left the final three knowing they had to hit the next level to stay in podium position.  Score 83.8

Racers can huck it turns out.  Gee Atherton feeling the earth's pull. Photo David Ferguson.

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There was a little gap between riders at this point while the judges tabulated their results and Brad was going off.  It had been brought to the big man's attention that a Utah couple was to be married right on the hallowed ground of Rampage.  Brad trumped this announcement by telling all in attendance that "Utah's first same sex marriage will now be taking place between Gareth Dyer and Robbie Bourdon." Brad did a wicked job keeping everyone laughing and informed all weekend and he makes a great pimp too.

B-Rad Ewen announcing Utah's first same-sex marriage. Photo Cam McRae

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Lance Canfield had such a great run in round one it was difficult to know where he could improve on it but he was about to try.  Disaster very nearly struck on his own step down and he almost slid over the next ledge - and he only managed to save his bike from a similar fate at the very last second. At this point Canfield's Rampage was pretty much over.  He knew there was no way he could improve on his first round score or even come close to it.  Some riders would reel it in and cruise to the bottom - and certainly few would attempt the biggest drop on the course but that was exactly what Lance did.  He landed a little hard and couldn't control his speed and he smoked right into the jagged bottom of the canyon.  It wasn't a big drop where he came in and it looked comparatively harmless.  It soon became clear that this was a situation though and all the EMT's began moving quickly to the scene of his crash.  Brad kept trying to reassure us and let us know that he was going to be alright - and then the helicopter fired up came to collect the fallen rider.  In the end it turns out that Canfield severely lacerated his thigh - apparently right down to his femur.  I remember talking to him about an injury he suffered last year and how the medical expenses nearly broke him.  We can only hope he managed to pick up some medical insurance since then.  Get well Lance - looking forward to seeing you on the bike again soon.

Canfield doing a self arrest and trying to hang on to his bike too. This was before the fall that won him a free helicopter ride. Photo David Ferguson.

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Loading Lance into the helicopter was done with relative efficiency but it still took a significant length of time.  All the while the final two riders were waiting at the top of the course and despite the bluebird conditions it was really nipply when the wind began to blow.  Finally it was time to finish up Rampage for the last time.

Thomas Vanderham: Unfortunately he couldn't hold on to this one. Photo David Ferguson.

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Thomas Vanderham probably knew he was sitting just off the podium and his goal was to be there.  The top of the course again went really well and he nailed the Canfield drop, styled the Hip Drop and once again nailed the doubles on the run out.  Instead of the conventional way in The Kid chose the T Step and again pulled his hands off the bars and spread his wings.  This time unfortunately Thomas came apart on the landing and took a really hard tumble.  He was slow to his feet and limped off the course to await the final rider of the day. Score 68

Kyle Strait knew he was in second place before he rolled in. He pulled a nice whip up top and then a sweet flattie off the Canfield drop.  Coming along the ridge Kyle tossed in some nice long manuals and then hit the Hip Drop.  He rode off the line on landing missing both the doubles and then headed over to the step downs.  It was pretty obvious he was going to have to rock The Sender to take it all and he did just that.  Kyle didn't just pull his hands off the bars or spread his wings - he went into full clap before landing with nary a chain slap.  Score 85.8

Before the results were announced there was much speculation and nobody was sure entirely sure, not even the riders themselves, who would be standing where.  When the boys were called up they were remarkably calm and, when compared to Cedric, Shandro and O'Brien from last year you might even say they were under whelmed.

Left to Right Steve Romaniuk, Kyle Da Bear and Gee Atherton. Photo Cam McRae.

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At the party afterwards there was much to say about the judging in between cocktails and there were two placings that were vehemently contested by the armchair pundits.  Most of the bluster concerned the placings of Strait and Atherton and Vanderham and Romaniuk.  Many of those in attendance felt that each of these results should have been switched.  All in all those are very fine points after two days of incredibly close, high-level riding.  I didn't speak to anyone who felt those in the top 5 shouldn't be there or that someone should have replaced one of them.

Dimitri Lehner - the editor of Bike Germany - felt that Gee should have been crowned winner because of his flow, grace, speed and amplitude but he did concede that "in Kyle Strait's line there was a lot of playing - doing the manuals and looking very easy - everything looked very easy."  I accused him of buried animosity from 1945 - that Dimitri was still fighting the war and he came clean; "we do always and in the end we will win." In his defence he did not raise an outstretched arm at 45 degrees, palm down and begin stomping straight legged around the room chanting 'heil Hitler!'

Kyle Strait on The Sender. There was nothing tentative about this suicide. Photo David Ferguson.

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Darren Butler was the judge I spoke to most and he spoke passionately about the system they used; "It took us two or three riders to get our system down and once you have it dialled you need to rely on it."  The scores were so tight that there was some disagreement even between the judges and there were judges who scored Atherton in first place as well as those who put Thomas on the podium.  It's never going to be perfect in a judged event but this was as close as Rampage has come.  One thing I would like to see if the event continues some time in the future is more transparency.  Make each judge's score card available to the media - just like in figure skating where there is never any controversy.

What I appreciated this year was that the judges could justify the final placings and explain how they came to their conclusions.  Last year that wasn't the case - perhaps a result of too many Red Bull and Vodkas being quaffed on judges' ridge.  In my opinion the judges should be proud of the effort they put in this year.  I give them an 82.6.

Red Bull puts on an incredible show.  Every night there was a party, dinner or a video screening - some for media and riders only and some for everyone.  We are truly lucky to have them interested in freeride and the effort they have made to pave the way will be a key factor in securing new sponsors for future events.  Thanks to Piney Kahn from Red Bull as well as Todd Barber and the crew from Global Event.  You put on an awesome show folks!

The reality is starting to sink in that we may never see an event like this and that doesn't go down easily. I really think that the riders and the venue have a lot more to show us and that Rampage - in Virgin even - should become an annual event. 

Here's hoping.

Cam McRae