Female Gravity Racer of the Year 2014

"Standing on top of the gravity world for ladykind, the Pinkbike panel shortlisted 5 exceptional females, pushing the boundaries like no one else: Rachel Atherton, Manon Carpenter, Tracey Mosely, Anne Caroline Chausson and Tahnee Seagrave. Each presented us with a case more than hard to ignore, and although the debate over DH and enduro comparability will rage on, the feeling across the board was that one rider in particular made an unrivalled impact this year, so great and so inspiring that we expect to see a lot more young lady bums on saddles in the coming years as a result. Today we must crown the new Queen of the Gravity World... and she's more than a little bit Welsh." - Nathan Hughes

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Female Gravity Racer of the Year

Manon Carpenter Ruling the roost at 21 years of age in any aspect of life is pretty extraordinary, not least in a sport so demanding of both physical and mental strength. While downhill can at times seem more about flat-out pace and fearlessness, as demonstrated by the crop of youngsters that have the ability to break the top 10, DH history tells us a lot about the importance of experience. To claim the series overall by US drinking age, is nothing short of incredible and quite clearly not related. In 2014, Manon was able to strike consistency gold without a crow's foot in sight, podiuming at every single round, bar one. Taking to the top step in South Africa, Austria and Canada she was doing the unthinkable after a season of complete and utter black and yellow domination the one prior. After securing the overall in France, the grudge match with the defending World Champ, six years her senior, would come at the Worlds in Norway. Watching in disbelief from the hot seat, Carpenter saw Atherton hit green and every split, before faltering in the last rocks and the rainbow stripes become her own by an unfathomably minimal 0.08 seconds. We were suddenly looking at a brand new double-crown champion and it's likely we'll be watching her accolades expand in each of the many years she has to come on two wheels.

Season Highlights • 2nd - Shimano BDS #1 Antur Stiniog • 2nd - Shimano BDS #2 Fort William • 1st - Shimano BDS #3 Ae Forest • 2nd - Shimano BDS #4 Llangollen • 2nd - Shimano BDS #5 Bikepark Wales • 2nd - Borderline Events - UK National Champs 2014 Innerleithen • 1st - Megavalanche Ladies '14 • 1st - UCI World Cup #1 Pietermaritzburg • 2nd - UCI World Cup #2 Cairns • 1st - UCI World Cup #4 Leogang • 1st - UCI World Cup #5 Mont-Sainte-Anne • 4th - UCI World Cup #6 Windham • 3rd - UCI World Cup #7 Meribel • 1st World Championships 2014 Hafjell Bike Park

The story of Manon's rise to success, beginning in the dark, damp, depths in the Welsh valleys, no doubt in the dark, damp, depths of an uplift van at 12 years old, to become double-crown champion by 21 is inspiration for girls everywhere to hit the trails and surely the stuff of dreams for fathers and boyfriends looking to get their daughters and other halves down the woods. The tremendous determination, ability to handle pressure and ultimately the accomplishments she has been able to tick this year at such a young age, put her well ahead of the rest of the best in our eyes and we hope you can join us in congratulating Ms. Carpenter as our undisputed MTB gravity queen!