12 Under-the-Radar Female Freeriders to Watch Among the Diggers at Red Bull Formation 2022
One of the best things about Red Bull Formation is that it isn't just about elevating the riders themselves. Formation aims to give established freeriders, up-and-comers, and media folks a platform for development, and while there are plenty of well-known incredible riders to be found at the event, there are also a handful that you may not have heard of, but should probably watch. Here are a dozen women who helped dig for the headlining riders and who are also rippers to put on your radar.
Danielle Bordeleau
What's your name and how old are you?
I'm Danielle Bordeleau and I'm 22 years old.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I'm from Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, and I live in Whistler, BC.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
It's been really fun. I'm definitely really stoked to be out here digging and learning and seeing all the girls shred, so it's been a good time.
What's your favorite style of riding?
Jumps!
What are you most proud of with your riding?
Very recently, I've been able to ride a lot of new stuff and get a little bit more into the freeride side of things, which I'm pretty stoked about.
What are your riding goals?
Formation maybe! I don't know, just keep shredding and keep having a good time every time I get on my bike.
Where can people follow you online?
Just Instagram! @daniellebordeleau.
Alex Showerman
What's your name?
Alex Showerman.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
Orginally from Vermont, I now live full time in my RV. I spent most of the spring based out of Virgin, now I’m in the Pacific Northwest for the summer.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
Life changing. Amazing new friendships, and so much learned. I came in with the desire to ride in this event, but still a bit unsure. I left with the belief that I am more than capable. Having that confidence and belief is so important in this sport and the culture of mutual support at Formation instills it in each and every one of us. It’s been so inspiring to see this belief grow across the group throughout the week.
What's your favorite style of riding?
Big mountain. I absolutely love steeps and tech. My favorite is to really play with the raw landscape and find creativity from what catches my eye. Super inspired by Cami and Louise’s lines this year. Also, loved how playful Vero and Georgia’s line was.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
Shifting from a fixed to growth mindset. I used to look at freeride and think there was no way I could do it. Over the past couple of seasons I’ve really shifted to being process driven, calculated in my
progression, and viewing setbacks as learning moments instead of failures. It’s completely changed my relationship with fear and opened up what I am capable of on the bike.
What are your riding goals?
Ride in Formation. Some building blocks I’m working on are Redemption on Blue Steel at Hang Time, Ride the line we (Louise Ferguson and team) built, and get down to the Southern Hemisphere to train through the winter. I’m also super focused on creating more opportunity for others as well. Currently developing a women’s dig program with Pivot and Roam Fest, and I’m hoping to get a grassroots women’s freeride series off the ground to help more girls break into the scene.
Where can people follow you online?
Instagram @alexshowerman and TikTok @alexshowerman.
Kirsten Van Horne
What's your name and how old are you?
My name is Kirsten Van Horne and I'm 20.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I'm from Nelson, BC. I still live there. It's such a nice place, it's hard to leave.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
It's been unreal. Coming in first day, just starstruck and overwhelmed by the scenery, and now it just feels like an everyday thing I could do. But yeah, hard work but it's really rewarding.
What's your favorite style of riding?
Probably jumps. I do a lot of tech at home, so to be able to go and do jumps is quite rewarding and different. I like it all.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
Just progression, really. In the community of Nelson, there aren't that many female riders, so when I did my first sui, I felt like I was the only chick in the world doing suis, then you start looking on Instagram and I got more into the scene and it's like, wow, this is just the very edge of it.
What are your riding goals?
Formation. And I have quite a few tricks I want to do. And just travel more, get down to New Zealand, see what's out there, push myself, push the sport, and hang out with cool people.
Where can people follow you online?
My Instagram is @kirsten.vh. That's all I got!
Gemma Corbera
What's your name and how old are you?
My name is Gemma Corbera. I'm 30.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I'm from Barcelona, Spain. Now, normally I'm in Alicante, riding in La Fenasosa.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
Amazing. I'm lucky that I came here one week before to ride with the girls. I'm in love with this place, I love the jumps. The first time, I was so scared, but after a day on my bike, I felt super comfortable. The dirt here is amazing, it's soft. I love it.
What's your favorite style of riding?
Jumps. I love big jumps and tricks.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
For me, I'm proud to do like this [freeride jumps]. I started to do dirt jumps, but now for me it's better, I love freeride because it's the same but with big bike and big jumps, and I love to do tricks.
What are your riding goals?
My goal is to do big tricks on big jumps.
Where can people follow you online?
My Instagram is @gemmacorbera.
Brooke Trine
What's your name and how old are you?
I'm Brooke and I'm 30.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I'm from Ohio and I currently live at Highland Bike Park in the summers, and I think I'll be living here in the winter.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
It's been really cool, just getting to make connections with people who are in my similar situation as well as people who are a little bit more established in the industry has been really enlightening, as well as just girls from across the globe is really cool for making connections. Being here digging has been really cool, seeing how the riders pick their lines and their mental approach to what they're stoked about and how they're working through some of their fears has been really cool to relate to as a rider. And, just learning how to dig more has been cool.
What's your favorite style of riding?
I started in more of a slopestyle and dirt jumping background, but I've definitely been focusing more on freeride on the big bike. I've been out here for the last three months just trying to get better at this style of riding, and that'll be the aim next winter as well to just keep trying to get as good as I can on some of the more freeride and technical features so that hopefully I can be a rider here one day.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
I have worked a lot on my mental preparedness. A lot of the stuff out here that you ride, you just have to have confidence in yourself and confidence in the features. I've worked a lot on just deciding I want to do certain features and just pulling the trigger, and I think that's helped me break out to the next level of hitting some of the '21 Rampage features and some of the '19 Rampage features while I've been here.
What are your riding goals?
I definitely want to be a rider here in 2023. I really want to go to DarkFest also, obviously seeing all the girls that were there, it looked like such a fun event. And really, I just want to be one of the top female freeriders - getting to go to all the big events and making a good example for people who are getting into it a bit later, showing that you can progress quickly and be a competitive rider.
Where can people follow you online?
I'm most active on Instagram, @brooke.trine.
Ana Julia Gutierrez
What's your name and how old are you?
My name is Ana Julia Gutierrez and I'm 24.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I'm from Sonora, which is underneath Arizona, and right now I live in Guadalajara.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
It's been amazing. It was much more than I was expecting.
What's your favorite style of riding?
For sure flowy jumps.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
I've had a short career - I've only been on the bike for three years - and I've been shifting my goals. I started riding cross country for almost a year, then moved to enduro, and now more freeride stuff. It's the one I like the most and I just feel happiest about.
What are your riding goals?
I would love to be in more freeride events, and of course, come here as a rider.
Where can people follow you online?
On Instagram, it's @anajuliag.
Lua Oliveira
What's your name and how old are you?
My name is Luana, but people call me Lua. I'm 30.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I'm from Brazil and I'm living in the south of Brazil. It's Floripa. It's an island in Brazil and it's a pretty sick place to ride, as well.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
Oh my god, so amazing. So stoked to be here. Honestly, it's a dream to be here and helping the badass girls getting down the lines. It's an amazing experience. I can say that it's one of the best in my life. It's so insane to see all the lines getting done and so many options.
What's your favorite style of riding?
Jumping, for sure. And drops. Freeride.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
I think to hit big jumps, big drops. I'm working on my tricks as well. [Q: What tricks?] I do backflip already, but a couple years I'm not doing it, so getting back on it. Superman, no-foot can-can, and 360.
What are your riding goals?
Just enjoy my riding and freeride more. So, I'm going back to Brazil and I'm going to start a slopestyle track to build. I think it's to motivate more girls to get into it and also progress in their rides. I have a bike school in Brazil running so I share the knowledge that I got in these 17 years riding, so my goal is to see more girls shredding.
Where can people follow you online?
Instagram, it's @lua.oliveira101.
Kelsey Timpany
What's your name and how old are you?
Kelsey Timpany, I'm 29.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
Queenstown, New Zealand, and now I'm just floating around the world.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
Pretty freakin' awesome. To be able to come and think everything is unachievable and then every day it seems more and more achievable by breaking it down, building it actually, and just seeing everyone slowly tick things off.
What's your favorite style of riding?
Freeride.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
Getting here! Having some backing behind me, as well. Being here at a world-class event, to be honest.
What are your riding goals?
To keep up this level.
Where can people follow you online?
I'm @3kels on Instagram.
Paula Bianchi
What's your name and how old are you?
I am Paula Jara Bianchi and I am 32 years old.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I am from the north of Chile, from the Atacama desert, and I live in a city called La Serena.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
For me it was a dream experience! My dream was always to be in Utah, which is the home of freeride, and ride with a group of spicy women who like adrenaline and who are good people! The event has been showing me in real life the best level there is in the world of female riders, and that inspires me to progress as an athlete and as a person because thanks to this discipline we learn to ride better technically, but more than that, learn what is inside us! It also gave me new tools to strengthen my career as a freerider, since the races have me a bit exhausted. It's not that I don't like racing, but that I like chill riding more and progressing with a group of friends. I think I learn more and enjoy it more.
What's your favorite style of riding?
My style is freeride in high mountains. In Chile we have a lot of freeride since we have endless mountains, desert and a lot of elevation. I also like jumps and dirt jumps, but the discipline that I do the most is enduro since that is what I am dedicating myself to for now.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
I think that what I do best is old school freeride. I like to look for very steep lines and loose dust to turn with the hips when descending and simulate skiing! The other thing that makes me proud is that I do what I love and I am lucky to be able to make a living riding a bike.
What are your riding goals?
Seeing it in real life, I would love to get to Red Bull Formation as an athlete in one or two more years! That's my dream, to be able to ride my bike and do tricks down my line.
Where can people follow you online?
@paulajarabianchi is my Instagram.
Lucy Van Esteeren
What's your name and how old are you?
Lucy, I'm 16.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
Squamish, British Colombia. I was born and raised there.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
Absolutely insane. It's been such a good time. I've met lots of cool people.
What's your favorite style of riding?
I like jumps and I like freeride.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
I'd probably say my style. I've worked a lot on it the past couple years.
Where can people follow you online?
You can find me on Instagram, it's @lucy.vaneesteren.
Blake Hansen
What's your name and how old are you?
My name is Blake Hansen and I'm 32.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I'm originally from the smack-dab middle of SoCal, right in Temecula, California, but I've been in Salt Lake City, Utah, since 2011.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
Really good. I think from the first Formation that I was at last year to now, I would say that the first Formation was really exciting to learn a lot really fast, and the second Formation, I've taken a much more reserved approach to analyzing and considering the lines.
What's your favorite style of riding?
I like flow and jumps and style.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
I've definitely been the most proud of myself for facing my fears and starting to do some of the much larger stuff that I've historically found less enticing because of its fear factor, so I'm trying to branch out and grow more.
What are your riding goals?
Riding goals - Formation, 2023!
Where can people follow you online?
You can find me on Instagram, @handsblakesen.
Renata Wiese
What's your name and how old are you?
I'm Renata Wiese and I'm 23.
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I am from Chile and I'm actually living in Chile, but I'm going to be coming to the States a lot.
How's your Formation experience been so far?
It's been awesome. Seriously, this year is so much fun. Everyone is choosing different lines, different styles, and I love to see how every girl chooses a line to go more with her style. That's insane. I love it.
What's your favorite style of riding?
I more like jumping. I like the finish line, like Robin and Haz's [trick jumps at the bottom of the course] is really, really good. Yeah, I more like styling and jumps and stuff.
What are you most proud of with your riding?
Being able to ride a lot with my hardtail. I've started getting really confident and I'm proud that I feel like I can jump any big feature with my hardtail, and that makes me feel really powerful.
What are your riding goals?
I want to ride a couple FMB World Tour stops this year, like Highline and Big White, and I really, really want to go to Formation next year and Audi Nines. It's like my top goal.
Where can people follow you online?
On Instagram, at @renataweisepena. Yeah, that's pretty much what I use.
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She should be there showing how it’s done !