The talent at the forefront of women's freeride mountain biking has been growing quietly for the last decade. In the last few years, numerous riders have launched into the public eye, putting women's freeride on the map - a movement that has been ushered in, partly, by the creation of Red Bull Formation. The Formation field has grown from the original six riders in 2019 to eight in 2021 and now twelve. These skilled athletes hail from all across the globe, with the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, and Argentina represented among them. The riders are already hard at work shaping their lines for the three ride days this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and we checked in to learn about who they are and what they hope to achieve this week.
Photos by Re Wikstrom, courtesy of Red Bull
Name: Cami Nogueira
Age: 27
Hometown: San Martín de los Andes, Patagonia, Argentina
Current home: Aspen, CO, USA
Formation experience: 2021
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "Another top-to-bottom is my goal. That would be super sick if I can do that."
Instagram: @caminogueiraa Name: Casey Brown
Age: 31
Hometown: Revelstoke, BC, Canada
Formation experience: 2021, attended but didn't ride while injured in 2019
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "I'm just hoping to do a T-to-B run. I'm really excited for our line and that's the dream goal - to get from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the mountain and feel like I'm having fun."
Instagram: @casey__brown__ Name: Chelsea Kimball
Age: 31
Hometown: Mesa, Arizona
Current home: Down by the river
Formation experience: 2021
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "Have a lot of fun and work with other girls on different features."
Instagram: @chelseasendsit Name: Georgia Astle
Age: 24
Hometown: Whistler, BC, Canada
Formation experience: Digger in 2021
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "I'm already learning a lot, so that is being achieved currently, and then my next goals are just to improve on my riding that I know I can do, believe in the process, and hit the lines that are built. Get comfy on them."
Instagram: @georgiaastle Name: Hannah Bergemann
Age: 25
Hometown: Hood River, OR, USA
Current home: Bellingham, WA, USA
Formation experience: 2019, 2021
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "I'm hoping to achieve a full run from the top to the bottom that I'm really stoked on. It has elements that make me scared but that I know I can do, and then also some elements that I think are just going to be fun."
Instagram: @hannahbergemann Name: Harriet "Haz" Burbidge-Smith
Age: 25
Hometown: Canberra, Australia
Current home: "Nowhere. Everywhere. Still figuring that out."
Formation experience: Digger & alternate rider in 2021
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "Put together a fun line that's super sessionable and have fun, pretty much."
Instagram: @haznationbikes Name: Louise Ferguson
Age: 25
Hometown: Fort William, Scotland
Current home: Queenstown, New Zealand
Formation experience: Rookie
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "Just ride my line and get really comfy on it, and ride some of the other girls' lines. Some of them, I looked at before and they looked really gnarly, but now I can see how you would ride them."
Instagram: @louise_anna__ Name: Robin Goomes
Age: 25
Hometown: Chatham Islands, New Zealand
Current home: Queenstown, New Zealand
Formation experience: Digger & alternate rider in 2021
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "A bloody good time."
Instagram: @robin_riding_hood Name: Sam Soriano
Age: 21
Hometown: Littleton, CO, USA
Current home: La Verkin, UT, USA
Formation experience: 2021
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "Mostly just have fun, also to have a line that I'm proud of building as well as knowing that I rode to my highest potential."
Instagram: @samanthasorian0 Name: Vaea Verbeeck
Age: 31
Home province: Québec
Current home: Vernon, BC, Canada
Formation experience: 2019, 2021
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "I just spotted this one jump and was like, 'that looks really cool.' What I'm hoping to achieve is a top-to-bottom including that jump. That goal led into spicier goals lower down on that same line."
Instagram: @vaeaverbeeck Name: Vero Sandler
Age: 29
Hometown: Nelson, New Zealand
Current home: Wales
Formation experience: 2019
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "Mainly, I've picked a line down the hill that is going to be something different to what I'm used to riding. It's got some bits in it that are like some bits from home that I love to do, and some big drops and stuff like typical Utah riding."
Instagram: @veroniquesandler Name: Vinny Armstrong
Age: 23
Hometown: Queenstown, New Zealand
Formation experience: 2019, 2021
What do you hope to achieve this week at Formation? "Just get a full line done, have fun, and ride my bike."
Instagram: @vinnysarmstrong
web.archive.org/web/20220222190937/www.wfmbike.com/stories/2022/2/11/hf0t4s96s22u50yqwazx4g5ul73sbd?fbclid=IwAR1CSws147QaturNuVwaXzSAjkQ6-ml3CgCB3-tSbsoc85LKsN6Se50mOzg
And this:
dailyhive.com/vancouver/mountain-biking-diversity-marketing-blog-post
Are interesting reads
We're moving along ok I'd say. Give it time.
There are tons of races in BC with pro categories and no invites required- Canadian Enduro Series, Squamish Enduro, BC Cup, Crankworx Summer Series, etc. Go enter one of those and get a good result to get your name out there again.
Also there is always the option of going and building some stunts and having someone film. Since she has that many sponsors I am sure they would gladly pay for someone to go out and film for some exposure. It just requires actually going out there and doing some digging.
I do agree that there needs to be more diversity in biking - Let your riding do the talking.
Mountain biking needs more diversity for sure. Myself and other people are putting in work to help ensure that happens and that it gets out to people. My only point is that it doesn't make sense to call Anita out when she is clearly not trying to be a competitive free rider. Lots of companies have ambassadors who rock their gear and support the brand any chance they get. It's nothing new.
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