Pinkbike Awards 2015: Slopestyle-Freeride Event of the Year - Winner

Slopestyle-Freeride Event of the Year Winner

Cruz FEST

Choosing the premier slopestyle or freeride event of 2015 turned out to be as difficult a task as judging one would have been. The addition of Crankworx New Zeeland to Crankworx Les 2 Alps and Crankworx Whistler created an FMB' trifecta that set the FMB tour afire - and it appeared in the early running that a slopestyle victory was assured. Brandon Semenuk's mastery of the Joyride course propelled Whistler Crankworx into the hot seat. Then, there was the majestic Suzuki Nine Knights, stages in in Livigno, Italy, where Nicholi Rogatkin launched his massive Cashroll. In the final stretch, a dark horse out-sprinted the heavy hitters. Cruz Fest had it all: style, hugeness, camaraderie, and the vibe that forged slopestyle and freeride into a brotherhood of super-athletes.

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Cruz FEST

It wasn't the biggest FEST of the year. That would have been Nico Vink's massive Loose FEST. The invitational Cruz FEST contest was masterminded by Kyle Jameson, Ryan "R-Dog" Howard, and Jeff Herbertson, who obtained permission to craft a stunning series of lines through the oak trees on the Swan Family ranch near Santa Cruz, California. Sadly, no spectators were allowed, but the purpose of the FEST series is to give competitors an environment where they can push beyond their limits and compete with their peers without the weight of corporate suits and the pressure of make-it-happen media moguls. Riders went huge and were tricking everything. Seeing is believing. If the opening sequence of the following highlight video did not hook you, if you didn't want to get on your bike after the credits rolled, then you probably logged onto PB by mistake.

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Industry News Slopestyle