TREK GRAVITY GIRLS
2014 SEASON RECAP
Another year is in the books for Trek's four women team of lady-shredders; Steffi Marth, Katja Rupf, Kathi Kuypers and Birgit Braumann. The season kicked off in Europe with the Riva Bike Festival at Lago di Garda in Italy with the girls taking the chance and get out for a little photo shoot. There's always some breathtaking scenery to be found.
Enjoying the amazing views, riding bikes and eating gelato...all part of the dolce vita at Lago di Garda. What more do you want to start your season?
Bikes & Beats Festival, Saalbach Hinterglemm, Austria
Bikes & Beats Festival was the next stop for Kathi, Birigt and Katja. Time to hang out at the Trek Booth and put the laps in on the mobile pumptrack.
#QuiteGood- The Sella Ronda Experience
The girls had an excellent adventure together in beautiful
South Tyrol, the Dolomites.
KATJA RUPF
A look back with Katja: TGG's Swiss All-mountain Extraordinaire.
 | My first highlight this year was the trip to the Italian Dolomites together with Steffi and Kathi. The Dolomites are one of the most beautiful mountain ranges I've been to so far. Great scenery, awesome trails and Italian dolce vita thanks to the Bike Hotels South Tyrol who took care of us. The second one was my first race since I quit XC racing over 10 years ago. Together with my boyfriend, Rene Wildhaber I took part in the 6 day stage race Swiss Epic Flow.in the beautiful Valais part of Switzerland. Six days of racing and riding on some sweet singletracks in epic scenery - Katja Rupf - Trek Gravity Girls |
Swiss Epic Flow was the first race in years for Katja and more importantly a chance to holiday with her boyfriend, Rene Wildhaber. In Katja´s words "It’s true that we haven’t had much time together this year. And we do usually take a break together in September, so I suppose the event is kind of like our holiday for this year – in a different context, of course."
BIRGIT BRAUMANN
A look back with Birgit: TGG's Austrian Enduro Racer.
| For me, 2014 was an even more successful year than I was hoping for. The main focus when planning my race schedule in winter 2013 was riding the SSES - Specialized Sram Enduro Series, a well established series in the German speaking countries. Finishing consistently in the top 5 and aiming for a top 3 podium in the overall ranking, in the end I managed the 3rd place overall - Birgit Braumann - Trek Gravity Girls |
| At the beginning of 2014 another new Enduro series - the European Enduro Series EES, showed up in the race calendar with interesting stops in Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. Apart from the race in Flims, which collided with one I wanted to do in Saalbach I managed to take part in all the others. And with a little luck on my side and a win at the last stop of the series in Treuchtlingen I even took first in the overall ranking of the European Series. - Birgit |
| Aside from these two Enduro Series I was racing a handful of other events. First of all the (as for me by now almost legendary) Trek Bike Attack in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. After winning this race in the past two years, I could only finish in second place both in qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday. New game, new luck! - Birgit |
| Then there were the Austrian National Championships in Kirchberg, Tirol with a silver medal and the Bikes and Beats Festival in Saalbach with a second place in the Gang Battle - a mass start downhill and a third at the Dual Slalom the night before. I'm looking forward to the 2015 season with similar stops and similar plans, hopefully accomplishing similar results on my beloved Slash and the new Session! - Birgit |
KATHI KUYPERS
A look back with Kathi: TGG's German Dirt Specialist.
| After a chill season last year, the new year couldn't start any better for me. As a new member of the Fox Head family and on a Bontrager wheeled Trek bike, I'm ready to shred this season. Here is what I got up to in 2014. - Kathi Kuypers - Trek Gravity Girls |
| I started the season, as always, at La Poma Bikepark near Barcelona. The season had ended, there were bad weather conditions everywhere and well there I go again, heading towards Spain for another off season riding at One, without a doubt, the best dirt jumping spot in Europe. All different ages and levels of dirt jumpers encouraged by each other, amongst World class riders having a good time. And so did I, that's why I jumped on the plane three times! Some German dirt jump dudes came along with me as well as Oszkar Nagy. It was amazing to have them on board helping me to get confident on the jumps. - Kathi |
| Besides my life as a full time student in sport, event and media management, a Trek Gravity Girl and a guide at camps, I try to find some time to coach kids in mountain biking. Every Tuesday I go on a mountain bike tour with kids aged 6 to 13. They improve so much and I love shredding with them, because they are so motivated and they love being on their bikes. It's pure passion and that's what makes it so much fun and they are actually pretty successful at XC races as well! In the summer time I attended some Jam Contests in Germany. It usually takes a few tries to make me confident on new lines, but those events are so much fun! It feels like a nice jam session with friends but it's still a contest where in the end the best one wins - Kathi |
| I'm gonna continue that series, because my new favourites are tuck-no-handers and 360s - Kathi |
STEFFI MARTH
A look back with Steffi: TGG's German Downhill Racer and Freerider.
| For 2014 I wanted to give myself a go in the DH World Cup. A clean cut with my 4X career was followed by competing at six out of seven DH World Cups and just as I expected, it's a hell of a rough road to ride on; the stage of the World's best downhillers. To be picked for the German National Team at the DH World Champs in Hafjell, Norway, was of course a big honour for me as a newcomer both nationally and internationally. After BMX and 4X this was the third cycling discipline I've been able to compete in at the highest level - Steffi Marth - Trek Gravity Girls |
| Although I quit my 4X career, people convinced me last minute to give it another go for World Champs in Leogang. Downhill was my main focus so I wanted to do both, making it by far the most challenging weekend of the season. In the end I won bronze, my first World Champs medal and a big dream that came true - Steffi Marth - Trek Gravity Girls |
Steffi took a starring role in Pinkbike's big feature at the Dakine HQ in Hood River
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/inside-dakine-photo-epic-at-home-in-hood-river-2014.htmlSteffi also enjoyed an exploration of South Africa with fellow German Jasper Jauch and photographer Nathan Hughes - "SOUTH AFRICA CALLING"
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/south-africa-calling.htmlRiding out the year with the Adidas Eyewear Evil Eye Pro launch in Apt, South France, November 2014. | Last season had me satisfied but hungry for more! I did well at the German DH champs, but I want to get gold to be able to call myself German National Champion in the three disciplines BMX, 4X and Downhill. So 2015 is gonna be a very competitive year for me! - Steffi Marth - Trek Gravity Girls |
That's it for 2014 with the Trek Gravity Girls... See you on the trails in 2015!
Follow us through our seasonThanks for the pics Trek Bicyles, Christoph Breiner, Katja Rupf, Swiss Epic, Steffi Marth, Nathan Hughes, Adidas Eyewear, Markus Greber, IXS Sport Division, Ale Di Lullo, Birgit Braumann.
Last but not least a big thank you to our amazing team sponsors for making it possible - Trek Bicycle, IXS Sports Division, Bontrager and Adidas Eyewear
MENTIONS: @trekgravitygirl @iXSsports
@trek @natedh9
I'm not hating though, she is still a smoother jumper then I
They're still competitive, still pushing their personal limits and one day hopefully there will be no need to separate the riders anyway; though for now I don't see the harm in separate categories-- camaraderie counts for something and hate to say it, but many guys do not help in creating a welcoming atmosphere for women in any given activity, intentional or not. I say, leave women categories intact BUT also combine their scores into men's leaderboards. That way you're pushing for more progression and sparing women from the boy's club and their little goofy boy antics. I mean, come on, one documentary video I saw of a pro rider involved so much sexual innuendo (e.g. sucking on brake levers) it was ridiculous.
She was before with Trek World Racing (DH WC team).
And now that she is racing on EWS she has her own structure if I recall corretly the name is TMO Racing.
Trek Gravity Girls is about promoting women on bikes, and also about giving support to these 4 women into their passion.
Feminist comment argument beginning in 3....2....1....