RED BULL RAMPAGE

A COMPETITION OR ENTERTAINMENT?

JUDGE’S OPINIONS VS THE PEOPLE’S OPINION

BY DREW ROHDE; PHOTOS BY TREVOR LYDEN

Controversy around Red Bull Rampage and the judges scorecards is nothing new. It seems like the last few years have enflamed more than a few viewers as #______gotrobbed posts begin circulating and hilarious memes start popping up on Instagram. As a rider just over the crest of 40 years old, I find myself on the jaded, good ol’ days of the spectrum every now and then, and Rampage is certainly one of those times and places where I can’t help but reflect. Sure, Corrosion of Conformity may be playing in my head, and images of New World Disorder VHS cover art were pasted over my walls, but I can’t help but LOVE big, raw, mountain biking. Those old school freeride lines, mega hucks and steep chutes inspired me as a teenager to get off the couch and ride. While I’ve sent my fair share of big drops, I’ve never been able to tailwhip, I’ve only ever landed a barspin while manualing and my dirt jumping skills are my weakest link on two wheels. I share that because I do not want to take anything away from the impressive skills and talent that dirt jumpers, slopestyle riders and other trick-based disciplines excel at. Mad respect. That said, I personally think there is a time and a place for different disciplines, styles and flavors to shine. And if big mountain freeride can’t shine at Red Bull Rampage, then what else is there?!

Without joining the hordes of commenters talking about renaming Rampage to Slopeage, or Slopestyle Utah, I will say that I find a nice mix of built features and raw terrain to be a pretty fun combo to ride. Catch berms, packed landings and some other nature-assisted features can do so much to increase flow, help maintain speed and yes, make for a more fun experience on the trail, or the cliffs of Utah.

What I struggle with however is how the disconnect between judging and public perception can grow year after year to a point where the People’s Choice isn’t even in the top 10 and riders who throw down the heaviest trick of the entire contest aren’t even on the podium. I can’t even imagine the stress, and process the judges deal with during that event. These judges know that acquaintances and sometimes even close friends can be on the other side of the scoreboard. Plus, they know that a very passionate and vocal group of fans will be blasting their opinions for months to come. It is a toll not many are willing to pay. Even so, I believe a judging makeover is worth considering if Red Bull wants to keep viewers and riders coming back.

I’m not sure how viable that is, but if the people (and riders) aren’t getting what they want, then I’m not sure how stable the future will be. While I’m sure there are plenty of cooks in this kitchen, one possible solution is to have all riders drop in, and after watching each run in real time with loose scoring that’s kept private. After everyone has dropped, the judges can replay the runs again to finalize scores and that way everyone will know where they stand and what’s being rewarded most that year. I would imagine that there have been times in judging history where a score came out that was maybe lower than viewers and athletes anticipated, only to find out that the judges also agreed after seeing a few other competitors drop in. However once the score is out, I don’t believe there’s much room to edit, and the motivation for a rider to go back up to risk life and limb for a couple extra points is a big ask. After talking with former competitors, it seems that the riders have been asking for this schedule for years but have not made any headway in negotiations.

Obviously, we’re no mega-corporation with experience in promoting such massive events, however, if the public and the competitors are united in what they want, it could lead to a significant setback for the event. Then again, maybe Red Bull knows how much visibility the event has and that there will always be a line of hungry up and comers who are willing to do whatever it takes to launch their career, and that promise will keep the start house full and the spectator tickets sold out.

This piece isn’t meant to cast shade, bring anyone down or discount the skills, talent or hard work of riders, builders, judges, organizers or anyone else involved in the production of this MTB Super Event. But, as a lifelong mountain biker who used to make my own pilgrimages to Utah after watching NWD videos and trying to huck cliffs and skid down steep chutes, I hope that we can get a bit closer to having the public’s opinion matter in how riders get awarded points. Maybe that’s selfish or idealistic to think that a bunch of people who could never ride these lines deserve a say in something that is meant to be a competition first and foremost, not entertainment. Either way, we’re happy that the riders made it out with only a few serious injuries, and we hope that the event will return again next year.

Ultimately, this may just be a great reminder that mountain biking is a personal sport, and we get hooked because of how it makes us feel as riders. Sure, it’s nice to win trophies, but perhaps we should just focus energy on building and riding in a way that makes us happiest, and that positive energy will shine. ♦