Words by Cam McCaul | Photography by Ian Collins


Showing up to Red Bull Rampage is quite a bit different for me these days compared to how it was a few years back. Now that I’ve traded my competitor’s number plate for a funny looking little microphone, my goals are no longer geared toward finding a way to stand out in front of the judges, but instead, the focus is on how we can all work together to help this event be a stand-out in the world of action sports.


This year’s Rampage was the 11th edition - and possibly the most important. Just as the Southern Utah desert has endured thousands of years of harsh weather patterns to eventually become what it is today, this event has done the same. 2016 saw a new venue, new format, and new judging panel, but the same old grit, tenacity, and enthusiasm that have made Red Bull Rampage one of the most eye-catching flares that mountain biking has shot into the outside world.



Knowing how intense and stressful this event can be as an athlete or digger, there is a big sense of responsibility to convey the story effectively to both the core mountain bike audience, and the non-endemic audiences alike. I’ve found myself in this interesting position of holding that funny little microphone, so to solely focus on the “daredevil” or “nut job” angle and ignore the intricacies would be a waste of this opportunity.



Going from being a competitor in the event to now standing at the bottom of the course staring at a monitor with my back toward the mountain, brings with it a whole different perspective. As a competitor, I feel like you do whatever you can to shrink the magnitude of the situation in your head so you can just focus on the next 20 foot long section of 3 foot wide trail ahead of you while ignoring the 100’ vertical of exposure on either side. You’re not thinking, “wow there’s like a million people watching me ride my bike right now,” or “if I stomp this, it could be the biggest moment of my bike riding career,” or “look Ma, I’m on NBC!” No, you’re thinking, “is that lip still packed? Do I have the right speed right now? Is that flag in my peripheral waving? Are my alignment rocks still in place?" and "should I really try to flip that?” As an outsider, standing at the bottom of the course with my funny little headset, I feel this overwhelming sense of respect and reverence for these guys. During the runs, I stick my face right down in front of my monitor like an Ostrich with his head in the sand, half feeling a sense of edge-of-my-seat excitement and half pins-and-needles-gotta-scream anticipation. I cross my fingers for some of my best friends and my little brother to, not only accomplish their goals, but make it out of this thing in one piece.

Cue up the Garth Brook’s song; 'Rodeo,' and he might as well be singing about Rampage. Two big differences though; these guys aren’t just hopping on a random bull and hoping for the best, and unlike the rodeo, there’s only one Rampage a year. The amount of careful calculation that goes into finding, building, testing, and stomping a line on command is a process that’s hard to describe.



Goal setting, fear management, teamwork, and eventually the art of execution under pressure are all elements of this event that give it the ability to transcend the typical demographic barriers that exist for an action sports broadcast. These are things that any human with their own challenges can relate to; putting Rampage in the unique position to not only drop jaws, but inspire.

I’m honoured to have the opportunity to help tell this story alongside people I really respect in the broadcasting world. I’ve honestly been watching Pat Parnell on TV, commentating other action sports for as long as I can remember, so to now be sitting alongside him as we blabber for hours on end about mountain biking, makes me really stoked about where Freeride Mountain Biking sits in the world of sport. A no-compromise representation of the core values that define Freeride, and more true to its roots this year than ever before.

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MENTIONS: @trek

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