Aaron Gwin Launches Charity Giveaway to Cover Pit Damages at the Tennessee National

Mar 14, 2022
by Ed Spratt  
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Aaron Gwin has launched a charity giveaway to help privateers who suffered damage to their pits at last weekend's Tennessee National.

After qualifying on Friday, the area around Windrock Bike Park had a severe storm with high winds and lots of snow, this led to some heavy damage. The organisers were quick to cancel Saturday's racing but this still left the pits that were hugely damaged by the storm. To help out privateers at the event a giveaway has been launched to help cover costs for those who are now out of pocket. Each donation of $10 gives you one entry to win jerseys from Aaron Gwin, Neko Mulally, Dakotah Norton and more.


bigquotesHey everyone! We are hoping to raise some money to give to the privateers and their families who lost their pit setups in the big storm at the Tennessee National this weekend. We are donating a bunch of jerseys with all proceeds going directly to those racers and the @windrockbikepark for damages not covered by insurance etc. Entries are $10 and the website to enter is aarongwinmerch.com. If you or anyone you know incurred significant damage at the race this weekend and need help please send us an email- hello@aarongwinmerch.com. All other info is on the website. Thanks everyone!— Aaron Gwin

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100% of all donations will go to privateers who suffered damage at last weekend's race and donations received will also go to assist Windrock Bike Park National with event damages not covered by insurance. If you were a privateer at the Tennessee National you can email hello@aarongwinmerch.com with your contact info, approximate cost of damages, and photos if possible and they will try and help out if possible.

You can find out more and donate here.

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201 Comments
  • 439 7
 Aaron Gwin, winning again.
  • 46 2
 Sorry wrong arrow, sorry, big fat fingers
  • 77 2
 @budjoni: I know the feeling. Hopefully Outside will use some of their profits to add an edit option to the up/down votes for those of us with SFS (sausage finger syndrome). The struggle is real.
  • 23 1
 gwinning
  • 134 288
flag Griot06 (Mar 14, 2022 at 14:11) (Below Threshold)
 Well ... you know ... I don't know. OK it's sad for the privateers but they dedicate their free time to their passion. And I agree this snow storm can appear as a shit storm for them. This said, it's only material and in the end it's just ... pits.
I agree this is painful for them, but from there to set up a donation? mmmmh. the cycling world is full of money, the stars who seek to put themselves forward with this operation are full of money... There are other way to solve the problem than ask for common people to pay for it.For me this action comes from people locked in their bubble. It seems to me that if there are donations to be made, they can be intended for something else rather than this : poverty, malnutrition, environment, and oh, victims of war, seems relevant, doesn't it? There are so many fight around the globe much more important than metal tubes and fabric.
  • 49 49
 @Griot06: You are about to be the most down voted person on Pinkbike!
  • 57 3
 @Griot06: You know, if you can afford it, you can give to more than one charitable project...
  • 6 8
 @Griot06: sigh…
  • 17 3
 @jb2mntbike: LOL there are some all-time terrible commenters on Pinkbike over the last decade, I don't think Griot has a chance to break the top 100 most downvoted.
  • 11 3
 Aaron gwin will be first world Cup winner in the metaverse
  • 41 32
 @Griot06: i agree with you (unpopular opinon, but i agree)
  • 21 36
flag SterlingArcher (Mar 14, 2022 at 17:08) (Below Threshold)
 i like that Gwin funneled the web traffic thru his merch store LOL SMH
  • 40 16
 @Griot06: Get bent. Any giving to this cause is just. Anyone giving to any of the myriad of other causes out there, including the ones you also mentioned. Giving to people in your sphere (IE: fellow mountain bikers) is also just. Go spend your smug money how you wish. You get ZERO morality points berating people for spending theirs how they wish, in this specific case to help OTHER mountain bikers.
  • 10 1
 @SterlingArcher: @Griot06: Easy fellas. I have no dog in this game, but from experience it's way easier to quickly spin up a page that sits under an existing shop than to put it somewhere else in the metaverse.
I'm sure he'd be happy if you want to register a DN and 301 it to his URL?
Better still, do that, plus give us some gofundme pages on people who are doing it tough, and maybe some that do that and link to biking like www.lorrainetruong.ch ..? We don't hate poverty, etc... it's just this happened on our watch so we want to help.
  • 10 3
 @bman33: 100 f*cking percent this.
  • 7 0
 Gwinrock….
  • 23 31
flag dancingwithmyself (Mar 14, 2022 at 18:46) (Below Threshold)
 @SterlingArcher: Yep. Treating people who race mountain bikes as a charity cause with everything else going on in the world is a complete joke. Won't be popular in this bubble, but it's true. Ukraine aside, what about all the poverty in rural TN that surrounds where all of us go to spend our leisure time and disposable income. People need to get some f'ing perspective.
  • 20 6
 @dancingwithmyself: What about the other causes? Who says if we throw $20 to this cause we are totally forbidden from EVER giving to any other cause? Assumptions like yours are just further evidence of the smug or 'holier than thou' attitude permeating much of our culture. I have been to that race a few times and ridden the Rock multipole times. The money coming in from that race DIRECTLY supports the immediate area. Commerce supports people better than charity almost every time. You think we should ignore our fellow bikers JUST because there is deeper issues elsewhere? Fine. However, that in NOW way undercuts PB'ers or Gwin donating to this cause nor does if give you a right to publicly judge
  • 2 1
 @SterlingArcher: New York, lol
  • 10 18
flag PremiumCyclingProducts (Mar 14, 2022 at 21:26) (Below Threshold)
 @Griot06: just as I was starting to think French people might not suck so bad, you come along
  • 17 2
 @Griot06:

Ah, the old fallacy of "We can only do one nice/good/moral thing! And there's something terrible happening in the world somewhere always, so I'm gonna make you feel sh**y about whatever sort of nice thing you are doing because that situation isn't as bad". It's kind of like the "why are we still going into space when the environment is a terrible problem" argument. Turns out people can do/care about more than one thing at a time!

Or.... is everyone who donates money to help abandoned animals a jerk because they could have instead donated it to a homeless shelter?
  • 2 6
flag SterlingArcher (Mar 15, 2022 at 0:03) (Below Threshold)
 @bman33: I also agree with you
  • 1 6
flag SterlingArcher (Mar 15, 2022 at 0:03) (Below Threshold)
 @KK11: lol at you cuz I know I’m better than you
  • 2 6
flag SterlingArcher (Mar 15, 2022 at 0:04) (Below Threshold)
 @PremiumCyclingProducts: “and totally redeem yourself!” is what you were about to say am I right
  • 1 7
flag SterlingArcher (Mar 15, 2022 at 0:04) (Below Threshold)
 @nilswalk: to answer your question - yes
  • 5 2
 Surely any cause is better than none. You can bet that gwinner also does stuff for other charities. Before bad mouthing him ask yourself if you can do more to help disadvantaged folk @dancingwithmyself:
  • 6 0
 @Griot06: google "whataboutism".
  • 4 4
 @conoat: Google - ‘bigoted dialed bike mechanic’
  • 4 5
 @Griot06: i get you
  • 2 4
 @SterlingArcher: Thanks, and you username is 100% on point! Big Grin
  • 4 10
flag pen9-wy (Mar 15, 2022 at 6:14) (Below Threshold)
 @RelapsedMandalorian: or you could give double to a meaningful project. You know genocide, famine , war , terminal illness.

Its a nice gesture from Gwin but I get Griots point
  • 10 1
 @pen9-wy: Charity starts at home....taking care of your community does NOT mean not caring about others. 100% strawman approach.
  • 9 0
 @SterlingArcher: I'd assume it's because he already has an enterprise level website with traffic management and a payfront set up, and on top of that, GoFundMe is trash-tier and takes a percentage, as do all of the rest.
I'll bet a $100 donation that he "funnels" 100% to the people that need it, cause we all know he doesn't. Let a good man be good, yo.
  • 6 0
 @Griot06: How do you say DICK in french?
  • 8 0
 @togood2die: there will always be some miserable pricks so unhappy/unfulfilled they even need to take shots at genuine altruism.
  • 5 2
 @odbrider: In France? Pretty sure they say, "American".
I'll be here all week!
  • 2 0
 @odbrider: Le Dique
  • 2 1
 @danger13: "2 things I hate: people that assume that they're better than an entire group of other people, and Americans" - clueless Euros lol
  • 3 1
 @pen9-wy: Not enough, dude. I say you triple that sht. No more bike parts, Starbucks, luxuries etc.
send it all to charity. Cut back on meals, brush twice to be sure.
  • 1 5
flag conoat (Mar 15, 2022 at 15:40) (Below Threshold)
 @justanotherusername: do you have an example of bigoted, you putrid troll?
  • 2 2
 @bman33: Alright. How much have you donated to nonprofits in the last five years? How many volunteer hours?
  • 3 7
flag taskmgr (Mar 15, 2022 at 19:13) (Below Threshold)
 @Griot06: I'm with you. Gwin flaunts his million dollar properties and can't pay for a f*cking tent?
  • 2 5
 @enduroNZ: I do a lot, a whole lot, for actual charities. I'd place a very healthy wager I've given more dollars and more time to actual charities. But that's not the point. I mean, the use of the words "cause," "charity," and "donate" in this context are ridiculous and incredibly self-involved.
  • 7 1
 The absolute douchebaggery from some of you is astounding. A dude is trying to do something nice for someone else and all some of you can do is shit all over him and it. Bunch of fucking idiots.
  • 3 8
flag taskmgr (Mar 15, 2022 at 19:27) (Below Threshold)
 @DBone95: no. He's doing it for the exposure. Real, non asshats donate and help people without advertising. The guy is loaded. Why can't he reach into his deep pockets and pay for it himself and not tell anyone? Are his arms too short?
  • 4 2
 @makripper: He has to advertise to get people to bid and therefore gain the most money he can for those that he believes needs it. I thought everyone knew that, guess I was wrong.... Now hop back on your high horse and gallop away spreading your superior virtue with every step.
  • 2 0
 @dancingwithmyself: Shovel time, not profit/trail building probably 75-100 hours maybe more. Volunteer hours build bikes for underprivileged kids, 5-10. Maybe $2k in cash. Not crazy, but THIS $20 donation did not hamper me in any way what so ever. I fully support what Gwin and others are doing for fellow bikers. If you have an issue with it, that is pretty f*cked up. You smug self promotion isn't a good look.
  • 1 7
flag taskmgr (Mar 15, 2022 at 22:24) (Below Threshold)
 @DBone95: those are alot of words for a comment that doesn't have any meaning.

They are just tents you wierdo. Go direct you attention at more important things like passing grade 10 this time.
  • 6 0
 @makripper: holy hell you're a cynical c-note aren't you. ok imagine he does a private donation of $30k. Do you think that will compare to what he could raise by crowdfunding AND doing a personal donation?
You have obviously never needed to raise money or gain funding or you would realize that getting publicity to your cause is essentially step one of securing a greater funding amount.
lol at you saying what real "non asshats" do as you proceed to shit on someone trying to raise money for people pursuing their passion. get a life.
  • 3 0
 @bman33: set your own life in order before you go trying to change the world. lobster virtues 101.
  • 2 7
flag taskmgr (Mar 16, 2022 at 18:04) (Below Threshold)
 @Caligula1620: 30k for some tents? really? those must be damn nice. also 30k should be nothing for the guy whos loaded. put his money where his mouth is. so say its crowd funded and raises 100k, thats 100k for tents. give me a break dude lol
  • 4 4
 @makripper: it's not just tents you dense ignoramus, it's to help them have some stability and financial support to continue racing as privateers. Do you not understand what privateers are, or the concept that they are self funded? that's fine if you don't want to donate, don't. but don't shit on other people trying to be charitable. cuck
  • 5 3
 @Caligula1620: Lol, you’re trying to get through to someone who self glosses “ripper” in his handle. Probably has a corvette with a vanity plate.
Useless.
  • 3 3
 @youseeus: I don't put a lot of stock in reading into usernames, some idiot on here was getting butthurt that my username is caligula. but otherwise I agree lol, he's a waste of space. probably just upset his country is becoming the newest first world dictatorship.
  • 1 4
 @Caligula1620: who said i don't want to donate? you really are as dumb as your screen name sounds. maybe I donated but didn't advertise like an attention seeking wanker. so what else got damaged exactly and how much of said stuff got damaged?? all we are seeing is a pro rider whos getting slower as he ages trying to get more attention and you blow hards sucking it up lol
  • 1 3
 @youseeus: what does your username mean? some creepy ass neckbeard phrase?
  • 1 5
flag taskmgr (Mar 17, 2022 at 16:53) (Below Threshold)
 @Caligula1620: whats wrong with a dictatorship? not sure where you are getting your info from? fox "news"? there are lots of positives to communist countries and dictatorships, as much as negatives to capatlisim and democracies. doesn't sound like you really know what you are talking about. SAD.
  • 4 1
 @makripper: it’s a long story but I’ll give you the short version..


F*ck you, Comrade.
  • 1 3
 @youseeus: yeah if you have to explain the joke, its probably a shit joke. just like your life. lol
  • 2 1
 @makripper: Says the "ripper"
Dude, you rip brah! lol
  • 2 0
 @youseeus: this is probably my favorite part about pinkbike comments. thank you for joining me on this journey to the bottom of this trash heap that is a website
  • 1 0
 @youseeus: aww you "blocked me" how thoughtful
  • 4 0
 @makripper: lol "ripper" a quick look through your photos and it's easy to see your dirt stacking is almost as horrible as your jumping skills, bet that ohlins shock comes in real handy on b-line bud. Talk shit on starting a charity how about you sell that $1200 dollar shock and buy something that suits your riding
  • 3 0
 @makripper: sorry just looked it up it's $800. Still more expensive than FACTORY FOX shit, go buy some clapped out monarch because you won't be able to tell the difference and donate the extra to charity. And before you post stolen bike park photos to pink bike learn how to whip you hack.
  • 2 0
 @makripper: LOL at you getting downvoted into oblivion. hey I'd be angry too if I was almost 40 and still being a toxic shit in response to other people trying to spread some positivity.
If you donated then you are a total hypocrite and idiot, you literally said it was 'just for tents bro'. lmao you are one dumb motherf*cker. go lick some boots and worship your racist prime minister
  • 2 0
 @makripper: you don't seem to have a good grasp on what a 'joke' is so I'll help you:
Charitable crowd funding = not a joke
you and your life and passions = total joke
your life as a canadian = sad joke
you being some pube beard 40 year old trying to troll people on a site you claim is trash = very bad joke
  • 1 1
 @Caligula1620: wow you are angry. sorry to hear that haha. upvotes and/or downvotes =/= anything. sorry to hear your life revolves around that. you are obviously triggered. maybe try drink some tea and do some yoga.
  • 1 1
 @PremiumCyclingProducts: yeah the PCP is strong with you dude lol. maybe gear down on the hard stuff a little
  • 1 1
 @bman33: I have no problem with folks tossing these guys a little money - it's none of my business.

And it's not meant to be smug self-promotion, more exasperation with (with some notable exceptions) how little the industry (who is making money selling bikes to be ridden mostly on trails built by volunteers and donors) and the athletes (who are making money off a sport that wouldn't exist without said trails) do to support actual trail oriented nonprofits, how hard it is get most riders to give anything back that is meaningful, and being triggered by seeing this treated as something that justifies a high-profile athlete soliciting dollars.

If Gwin wants to help these people, he should just give them some of the money he's made off the sport. And save leveraging of his celebrity for trails and nonprofits.

And cheers to you for giving back. That's a lot more than most.
  • 1 1
 @dancingwithmyself: That's lots of words to tell someone else how they should spend their money...
  • 1 1
 @DBone95: That's a very few words to create a complete strawman.
  • 90 44
 We donating for some rich kids race gazebo hahahahahah twisted
  • 6 0
 Think that instead we should buy all of them lifetime subscriptions to a weather app.
  • 38 2
 Gwinter strikes back!
Great initiative!
I liked watching his amazing race runs back in the day, now I like the decent person he seems to be (from far away and w/o following v closely). He appears quite humble in his instruction videos, which are catering to beginners, too, seems to care about privateers, and keeps working hard although it must be hard for him to see the top spots from below now.
Maybe I'll include him in my Fantasy League team for this Smile
  • 32 1
 100 percent on board with what Gwin is doing here. Giving to a cause to help out fellow mountain bikers is a good thing for our community. I along with two other dads run a youth development team (I'm not going to plug it here) but if we had showed up there with all our stuff that we purchased with what little money we have along with local sponsorship money we'd be devastated. That said, in regards to another commenter's concerns; No it simply doesn't compare to a bombed out maternity ward or, having some crap head drop bombs on your house just... because. However they're two entirely different things and can hardly be compared to each other. A good deed is a good deed, whether it's a donation to help out a fellow mtb team, a donation to help those ravaged by war, adopting a dog from a shelter, or simply comforting a crying child that skinned their knees. Kindness adds up and makes this world that much better of a place to be. Cos a lot of the time it kinda sucks. That's all I got to say about this.
  • 8 10
 Only show kindness to dogs though. Other equally sentient animals can be exterminated by the millions.
And if you dare saving them you're a crazy person taking away people's freedumb to have cheeseburgers for 2$.
  • 1 0
 @colincolin: because no epic mountain bike ride story or crash gets told over a salad...
  • 34 0
 that's a solid dude right there.
  • 26 0
 More of this please. The world can be a better place.
  • 20 1
 There's always one! The classic 'what about' brigade!! Stoked to see Mr Gwin doing this, legit dude.
  • 19 0
 Good-guy Gwin.
  • 15 1
 Some of ya'll motherfuckers waxing lyrical about charity better start showing your receipts for donations to the humanitarian causes you're going on about. Bullshitting, miserable cretins.
  • 3 12
flag pen9-wy (Mar 15, 2022 at 6:19) (Below Threshold)
 Maybe they dont neex to show them as they arent virtue signalling as you seem to require Or maybe youre the kind who only does stuff to show people what you did and people find you boring Takes a cretin to spot a cretin
  • 2 0
 @pen9-wy: Ooh burn.
  • 1 0
 I'm gunna write off this comment just like my charitable donations.
  • 14 1
 Glad to see that he was helping out the privateers instead of the big companies that have had record breaking profits within the last couple of years, even though they can't seem to get parts to their consumers.
  • 11 0
 So many people giving Gwin heat because he wants to help out the heart and soul of DH here in the US.. Most of the people at these races aren't getting a paycheck to be there. They put in their 40+ a week, use vacation time, spend a ton in travel to race for a plastic medal and maybe a chance to step up in the future.. Or, to relive past glory.. Or, maybe because they love DH.. Yeah, there are bigger issues in the world today and we get constant reminders of them.. But, DH has obviously been good to Gwin and he wants to support those people that keep it going. What's really wrong with that? Plus, if you've met Aaron, this isn't a surprising gesture..
  • 13 2
 You just know this thread will be full of people saying "why don't you give to x because they're more deserving that y".

Didn't realise we were only allowed to donate to one charitable project at a time. JFC.
  • 11 1
 I think if he just kept racing the chainless demo he would have won 55 more world cups
  • 9 1
 Yeesh, there are some sour people on here. Good on Gwin for setting up this charity.

Charity is good for your soul/karma/vibe. Give when you can because it really sucks when you can’t.

Be good and go ride your bike!
  • 10 0
 Stoked to see the positive vibes from AG and PB!!
  • 10 0
 If only there was a way to forecast the weather.
  • 9 0
 Gwinning.
  • 6 0
 Those weren’t from dicks sporting goods. You can Easily drop $2-3 grand on a proper commercial ez up.
  • 1 0
 Yep. Gotta show those sponsors that are paying to support ya.
  • 5 0
 This sucks and all that but did they not check the forecast? Seems like a problem that may have been averted?? It's pretty accurate these days. Shot ag for sorting this out!!
  • 6 0
 An example to follow, on and off the track. I would like him to win the World Cup again.
  • 7 0
 You really rock A.G.
  • 5 0
 from chainless wins ,,to winning w/o a bike !! 100% winner
  • 5 1
 now I know that if you pay for a race team you will have no money left for a tent Big Grin
  • 2 1
 This initiative is to help out Privateers, not sponsored teams.
  • 1 3
 @creativefletch: thx captain obvious, you can fly away now Big Grin
  • 6 3
 Im wondering what got broken? Tents, wood table/stand, a few scratches on the trucks maybe?
  • 3 0
 Bought an entry. Come on guys. It’s only $10 and it helps out the new huckers.
  • 6 2
 #getwokeyall
#findsomethingtobeoutragedabout
#glasshouses
  • 4 0
 Classy
  • 4 0
 Wow ,this blows me away!
  • 2 0
 An alternative to the snowed out dh race could have been an e fat bike snow uphill race? Just to mix things up a bit?
  • 3 0
 Definitely a class act!
  • 3 0
 Donated.
  • 3 3
 How much is a tent in US now?

BTW coaching videos, racing tips, charity, anyone else expecting Gwin to quit the racing carrer this year?
  • 3 1
 This. Youtuber in the training. But Neko has the drop on him with the whole custom bike thing.
  • 3 0
 Stand up dude.
  • 2 0
 People are defined by their actions ;-)
  • 2 3
 wow 43 posts here, how come then it says 90 at the top?
looks like outside interference from my perspective!
half of the posts deleted?
  • 2 2
 "Below threshold threads are hidden" - if you're logged in, click this at the bottom - it shows the rest of the comments. A lot of downvoted posts with replies to them in this thread.
  • 1 0
 @aerob: cheers for that.
why would they hide comments that have more upvotes than those currently being displayed?
  • 1 1
 ok done. PS I don't really care to win a commemorative jersey, I just request Nestoroff runs a shirtless race.
  • 2 2
 The Fezzari and DVO boys seem to be doing just fine in the back there.
  • 2 2
 moral: dont save cash on pit tents - rather on bikes and suspension ware
  • 1 1
 donate ! I can't race myself...
  • 2 4
 Maybe Buffalo Wild Wings could display the jerseys and contribute to this?
  • 12 14
 Ho la la... poor things.
  • 2 4
 What about Puerto Rico?
Below threshold threads are hidden







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