Qualification Results: New Breed Of Athletes Attack Red Bull Rampage Course

ANYONE’S GAME ON NATURAL TERRAIN
On a dangerous network of ridges near Zion National Park, riders had free reign to navigate their descent between a designated starting gate and a finish line more than 1,000 vertical feet below. Utah resident Logan Binggeli qualified first with his confident and strong domination of the course. He joins Alex Prochazka and Chris Van Dine who cruised their way into the top 3.


They are also joined by slopestyle madman Andreu Lacondeguy of Spain, who took his wild style to the cliffs for the first time with a huge backflip off the step-up jump. Of the 10 qualifying athletes, five were Red Bull Rampage rookies and now will get to display their creative lines to an international audience come Sunday. Several athletes outside the bubble also got the crowds talking, including 16-year-old Wil White who fearlessly charged down the mountain in his Red Bull Rampage debut, and Steve Romaniuk who was a favorite but washed out towards the bottom of his run on a wallride transfer.


Today’s action was just a preview for Sunday, with the athletes strategizing about how to qualify without showing the competition too much. As Van Dine puts it, “It’s like a high stakes poker match. It couldn’t be any better. I’m stoked because I still have my tricks up my sleeve.”


It will take big tricks, creativity and style to impress the judges. Scott Hart laid it out “The guys that were mining out the big, creative lines are what we are here to see. Everyone knows what a slopestyle contest is and how to do a 360. Let’s see if the guys can do it off some natural terrain. There were some really unique lines out there. I think stuff like that is going to be really prevalent on Sunday, so I think we are really in for a show.”


COUNTDOWN TO THE SHOWDOWN
Today’s qualifiers will have a day to determine their lines and practice for the final on Sunday, where they will join 11 athletes who were pre-qualifed based on their 2008 Red Bull Rampage results. This is where the heavy hitters will take the stage and spread out to a choice of three start gates across the vast landscape. There will be a mix of challenging obstacles returning from the ’08 contest like the 60 foot canyon gap, and new items like the Oakley Icon Sender - complete with a signature skull and plank that will send riders more than 30 feet down – which is sure to spook anyone who dares approach.


On the line is the Red Bull Rampage title, and the FMB World Tour overall crown as this event is the last stop to earn points for the season long title. While there is plenty on the line, today’s top qualifier Binggeli knows at the heart this event is about simply enjoying a sport he loves, “I’m just having fun out here, it’s what it’s all about, just riding my bike.” Come Sunday, he could be just riding away with the biggest bragging rights in freeride mountain biking.


Watch the event live online, beginning at 1pm MST (12pm PST/3pm EST) on Sunday, October 3rd at redbullusa.com/rampage and pinkbike.com . Highlights will air on NBC’s World of Adventure Sports on Sunday, November 14th at 3pm ES




In the finals each rider will get two shots at the course and their best run score counts. Competitors will be judged on style, amplitude, fluidity, and difficulty of line. In addition, the athlete who throws down the most amazing trick during the finals will also be presented with a Red Bull Rampage Best Trick award by the Utah Sports Commission.

www.redbullusa.com/rampage
International partner sites who will also broadcast and allow users to vote on the Red Bull Rampage are: Freecaster.tv in the UK; bikemag.com and sicklines.com in the US; nsmb.com in Canada; mtb-news.de in Germany; pedal.com.br in Brazil; mtb-forum.it in Italy; dh-zone.com in Poland. Freeride legend Tarek Rasouli will also showcase the Rampage on his video based site, watch26.tv.

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Racing and Events Red Bull Red Bull Rampage