DarkFest to Officially Include Women for the First Time in 2022

Mar 10, 2022
by Ed Spratt  
photo

Darkfest is back for 2022 and for the first time it includes female freeriders in the lineup.

Kicking off between the 11 and 17 of April the huge jumps of Darkfest return for another year with the event hopefully returning to normal after the covid-bubble event in 2021.

With the return to a full power event in 2022 Sam Reynolds has announced that Vero Sandler will be officially bringing women freeriders to the event for the first time as she is joined by Casey Brown, Hannah Bergemann, Chelsea Kendall and Robin Goomes.

While 2022 sees female freeriders on the invite list for the first time in previous years we have seen CJ Selig turn up at the event in South Africa to take a chance at hitting the huge jumps.

bigquotesThe DarkFest athlete line-up has always been very proudly unique and diverse. From the original days of PureDarkness to current day, the DarkFest course has been opened up to the world’s best Freeriders, established World Cup racers willing to risk it all, and even unknown wild cards.

2022 is now potentially the event’s biggest step in progression, as female athletes are officially coming to conquer the pinnacle of Big Air MTB! Xgames Real MTB finalist and woman’s MTB Freeride legend, Vero Sandler, is heading up this progression putting together a select crew to tackle these mammoth jumps.— Sam Reynolds

bigquotesMyself and the girls are so excited to be given the opportunity to attend Darkfest this year! I've personally always been a huge fan of the event, watching the footage from afar and getting inspired by what the guys do there through both their riding and digging. Having the crew of amazing lady shredders there in the mix amongst the male riders we've looked up to for years is going to be awesome... Good times ahead!— Vero Sandler

The riders confirmed for Darkfest so far are:

Sam Reynolds
Clemens Kaudela
Sam Hodgson
Kade Edwards
Kaos Seagrave
Ike Klaassen
Theo Erlangsen
Bienvenido Aguado
Nicholi Rogatkin
Szymon Godziek
Brendan Fairclough
Daniel Ruso
Elias Ruso
Tom Isted
Adolf Silva
Vincent Tupin
Ethan Nell
Matt MacDuff
Graham Agassiz
Vero Sandler
Casey Brown
Hannah Bergemann
Chelsea Kimball
Robin Goomes


Posted In:
Racing and Events Press Releases Casey Brown Chelsea Kimball Hannah Bergemann Robin Goomes Vero Sandler Darkfest


Author Info:
edspratt avatar

Member since Mar 16, 2017
3,050 articles
Report
Must Read This Week
Thank You For Everything, Pinkbike
75159 views
Pole Bicycles Has Filed for Bankruptcy
50144 views
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Mairiporã XC World Cup 2024
41831 views
First Ride: The Sub-$600 RockShox Domain and Psylo Forks
40959 views
Staff Ride: Matt Beer's NZ MTB Rally-Spec Ibis HD6
39919 views
Tree Root Pierces Harriet Harnden's Foot at Round 1 of the British National Downhill Series
37501 views
Review: Race Face's Era Chainring Uses Steel, Carbon, & Aluminum
27435 views
Industry Digest: Crowd Funding 36" eBikes, Canfield Bikes' Relocation, Recalls & More
26068 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup

80 Comments
  • 91 1
 The best (former) Fest stop just keeps getting better! Great work Sam and Vero, can't wait to see the footage and pictures!
  • 101 13
 Nothing that only dudes are into is ever cool. Rush, crypto, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, and the Fest series.
  • 14 0
 As a dude who stayed up until 3am last night watching videos of dirt bikes evading cops on youtube....your list is spot on. Gonna make a few more accounts just to vote up your comment. Perfect and unquestionable.
  • 2 22
flag HardtailHerold (Mar 10, 2022 at 13:37) (Below Threshold)
 Yo you missed YouTube. It's just older guys and parents that don't want to pay subscription fees that watch YouTube.
  • 7 19
flag gnarlysipes (Mar 10, 2022 at 16:20) (Below Threshold)
 @owl-X: I work in the crypto industry and there are plenty of ladies here. My best co-workers are women. AND they think crypto is cool. I’m not yet convinced. lol
  • 7 2
 Wait. Rush isn't cool? Ok...
  • 5 5
 WRONG on all counts.
  • 2 3
 Because most men start podcasts instead of going to therapy and dealing with their issues.
  • 1 3
 @TrailFeatures: You repeat the absolute worst politically correct takes. Every opinion you express belonging in a cringe compilation. I'm choosing to believe you're a talented satirist portraying an exceptionally dumb liberal, for my own sanity.

Therapy is utterly worthless, and completely dominated by women, especially if you look at the statistics for who is studying it. IIRC its like 80/20 female and trending more extreme.

www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2019/01/10/american-psychological-association-traditional-masculinity-harmful/2538520002
  • 24 0
 Aggy is the only Fest "Founder" on the list.

Proof that Aggy is friends to everyone
  • 1 0
 Going to be sick to see Aggy throwing those really late whips. I don't know how he does that.

It's still strange & disappointing to me to see Nico Vink not at Darkfest after 3 years (2018,2019,2020) in a row of being there. Especially since he played such a prominent role in the builds at Hellsend / Vuurberg.
  • 1 0
 @tbmaddux: I would be interested to know the individual Fest contributors viewpoints. There are so many Titans in that group, I just don't understand the direction they took the whole focus.

At least as a fan and consumer.
  • 13 1
 Can I come?
  • 9 0
 Nokandui
  • 7 0
 Sick. If ladies are going huge nowadays then that's all there is to it... And we've all been watching the girls go huge for a while now. Whoever throws the f*ck down gets into Darkfest!

And pumped for Darkfest all around. Rooting for Aggy Kamloops up in here
  • 16 8
 just goes to show the skill level these ladies have. Super inspirational

Everyone ignore @KK11 idiotic comment
  • 5 4
 I think we all know who gave you that single downvote…
  • 7 0
 Yeah, this is gonna be sick!
  • 8 1
 Can we have more Johny Salido invited
  • 2 0
 Yes!! Bring Johny Salido n Kurt Sorge too!!
  • 3 0
 Queue all the dudes who would sh*t their pants trying the same stuff freaking out because now there will even be more evidence that there are women can shred harder than them.
  • 7 1
 Yes Robin! Quite a step up from Arapuke!
  • 5 1
 Sick! So Rad to see the ladies ripping! Id love an old people invite someday!!!
  • 6 0
 About damn time.
  • 4 1
 A women riding pic would have been suited well for this post.
  • 2 0
 Yes. Best time of the year for bike life!
  • 3 1
 Psyched for the YouTube coverage.
  • 3 0
 Im psyched for all the ladies with frame sponsors
  • 2 1
 So awesome to see the ladies stepping up. Well deserved! Have a great time and staying your bikes everyone.
  • 1 1
 Great to hear and great dates. We should be getting some rain down here by then which means hero dirt and cooler temperatures.
  • 3 0
 MATT MACDUFF IS BACK
  • 3 0
 Vinny Armstrong????????
  • 1 0
 Clearly the fest beef is over, Aggy, Clemens, and Matt are back! Wish Vink would show face.
  • 3 1
 BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP
  • 2 1
 Shame Alma is not going/invited
  • 1 1
 gotta ask each time though: why is it called Darkfest?
  • 10 0
 Because it came about from Pure Darkness combining with/becoming a Fest Series stop.
If you've not seen any of the Pure Darkness videos, I highly recommend doing so, right now.
  • 2 0
 @TombPhoto: can i expect the best riding with the best crew though?
  • 1 1
 The karate kid is in too!
  • 2 1
 THANK FUCKING GODDDDDDD
  • 1 1
 Cannons
  • 1 2
 Soo.. what does this actually mean??
  • 1 3
 Can we have Lukas Schäfer invited, please!
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv42 0.036482
Mobile Version of Website