Pinkbike Awards: Slopestyle/Freeride Event of the Year

Some athletes thrive under pressure, how else to explain Cam Zink's boundary breaking runs at Red Bull Rampage, or Brandon Semenuk's flawless perfectionism on the Red Bull Joyride course; others perform best when they're having fun riding with friends. This award pits the monumental NBC spectacles of Joyride and Rampage, vs. the grassroots FEST Series vibes of Aggy's Reunion. Our nominees include: The Red Bull Joyride, The Red Bull Rampage, and Aggy's Reunion. Each event was a major contributor to our sport's progression, but only one champion can be crowned.



Slopestyle/Freeride Event Of The Year


Aggy's Reunion

The Fest Series is for the riders, by the riders. -Graham Agassiz

Kamloops, British Columbia is hallowed ground for freeriders everywhere - Kamloopsian's Brett Tippie and Wade Simmons basically invented the concept - and its influence is felt by those who have enjoyed movie segments from the likes of Matt Hunter, Steve Romaniuk, Graham Agassiz, and Matt Miles over the years. To this day, the jumps and trails hidden in the grasslands will test the skills of anyone bold enough to tee them up, that's why it makes sense that freeride went back to its roots. The very first FEST stop, Aggy's Reunion, took place in May at the Kamloops Bike Ranch. The course, built by Aggy, Brad Stuart, and friends, was massive, the closest thing to freestyle motocross that we'd seen in mountain biking. Riders, and fans alike, raved about it.




FEST was more than just a massive set of dirt jumps and a Hall of Fame rider list. The FEST Series is an ideal, it's the first time we've seen riders actively band together to organize something beyond the confines of major corporate events. While there were sponsors for individual events in series - someone had to pay for the machines used to build these beasts - there were no set start times, and no judges, branding was minimal: it was just like riding with your friends (if your friends happen to be some of the best riders on the planet). It will be interesting to see whether the interest generated from FEST can lead to the money needed to make them sustainable, whether it will spark interest in some sort of athlete union as in traditional pro sports like hockey, baseball, or basketball, or whether FEST will simply fade away into obscurity. For now the FEST Series looks to be the most entertaining show on two wheels. As Aggy said, ''The Fest Series is for the riders, by the riders.'' Simply put, Aggy's Reunion is what freeride mountain biking is all about.

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Industry News Slopestyle