Canadians Sweep Podium as Semenuk Ties the Record for Most Red Bull Rampage Wins in History
For freeride mountain bike riders, there is nothing better than winning Red Bull Rampage. For Brendon Semenuk, winning it three times puts him among the top riders in the world as he is now tied with fellow Canadian rider Kurt Sorge as the only riders to win the event three times.
To say Red Bull Rampage is out of this world, may be a stretch. To fully grasp the insanity of what Rampage is, you need to see it with your own eyes.
“There is no other place like Red Bull Rampage and this venue on Earth,” said Darren Berrecloth, two time third place finisher in the toughest event ever made for downhill freeriding.
For Semenuk, winning the Super Bowl of freeride mountain biking Friday with an insane ride down the treacherous cliff-side course in Virgin, Utah, near Zion National Park even after winning it twice before is still as sweet as ever. “It’s hard to say,” Semenuk said when asked how this win compared to his prior wins. “Obviously, the last two wins were great too, but to take the third one, I’m speechless. I don’t know. It’s awesome.”
Semenuk, who won the Rampage in 2008 and 2016, was among 20 of the world’s top freeriders invited to compete in the 14th edition of Red Bull Rampage. Joining Semenuk on the podium were fellow Canadians Brett Rheeder, the defending champion who took second, and Tom Van Steenbergen, who placed third.
“Obviously last year didn’t go very well, but this year we had a good line, I didn’t rush and I got something good down,” Semenuk, 28, told Red Bull after his winning run. “It was still nerve-racking, but I was feeling it.”
It was considered redemption for Semenuk, who fell on both runs in the finals last year while attempting a cork 720 on a hip he had built. That wasn’t the case this time as he only needed his first run to secure the win, making his second run an unforgettable victory lap.
You can watch Brandon’s winning run on Red Bull TV and if thats not enough freeride footage to satisfy your need for insanity, watch Brandon Semenuk in MTB Raw, a Red Bull TV video series here.
RED BULL RAMPAGE 2019 FINAL RESULTS
- Brandon Semenuk (CAN) – 92.33
- Brett Rheeder (CAN) – 91.00
- Tom van Steenbergen (CAN) – 89.66
- Brendan Fairclough (GBR) – 87.66
- Tyler McCaul (USA) – 87.00
- Szymon Godziek (POL) -86.66
- Ethan Nell (USA) – 86.00
- Carson Storch (USA) – 85.66
- Kyle Strait (USA) – 83.33
- Vincent Tupin (FRA) – 81.33
- Reed Boggs (USA) – 80.00
- Emil Johansson (SWE) – 79.00
- Graham Agassiz (CAN) – 76.33
- Thomas Genon (BEL) – 74.00
- Reece Wallace (CAN) – 72.00
- DJ Brandt (USA) – 70.33
- Andreu Lacondeguy (SPN) – 52.33
- Kurt Sorge (CAN) – 51.66
- Bienvenido Agua Alba (SPA) – 45.33
- Cam Zink (USA) – 36.66
Best Trick Award Presented by Maverik
The most progressive freeriding tricks are displayed at Red Bull Rampage every year, and in the 2019 edition of the competition, the bar was once again raised as Brett Rheeder landed a huge can-can backflip to claim the Best Trick Award, Presented by Maverik.
People’s Choice Award Presented by Utah Sports Commission
Thousands of fans voted online throughout the live Red Bull TV broadcast to determine the athlete that would take home the People’s Choice Award presented by Utah Sports Commission. Szymon Godziek took home the People’s Choice Award winning fans over with his bold choices throughout the contest.
Kelly McGarry Spirit Award Chosen by the Athletes
To commemorate the life of mountain biking legend Kelly McGarry, the participating athletes named local favorite Tyler McCaul as this year’s recipient of the Kelly McGarry Spirit Award. The criteria for the vote was to select the peer they thought most embodied McGarry’s spirit.
Digger Award Presented by Venmo
To honor the hardest working Red Bull Rampage dig team this year, the Digger Award, presented by Venmo, was introduced. Voted on by the internal team that chooses and builds the Red Bull Rampage Course every year, Brett Rheeder’s team was chosen as the inaugural winner of the Digger Award for exemplifying perfect team chemistry and hard work in their quest to build the most progressive line on the course.