100 Women Took Over A-Line with Micayla Gatto - Crankworx Whistler 2017
During Crankworx 2017, A-Line was shut down to all but the ladies while Liv Giant hosted a women's only event down the world famous trail. Micayla Gatto takes to the trail to catch up with the ladies that were riding and cover this fantastic day.
MENTIONS: @giantbicycles
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
How to Watch the 2024 Mountain Bike World Cup [Update: Staylive Offering Access in New Zealand, South Africa & More]
59429 views
59429 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
10/10 to LIV for this ridiculously cool opportunity. I'll be back next year.
Personally, I'm usually someone who tell's (shouts at) whoever is in front of me NOT to pull over. And sometimes I may act like a cheerleader (regardless of the gender of the person in front of me). I like to be stoked, and I like other people to feel the same way.
I NEVER EVER had the feeling that my wife was intimidated by faster riders or was "constantly pushed to the side" or asked for "help and advice from female riders". Its all a lot of Bull****. It does not matter if you have balls or tits, we all enjoy the same sport. We dont have to gender everything.
Let's be real, you don't need to be a park rat to maintain proper flow on A-line, and anyone who is struggling is likely struggling because of confidence issues. If you don't have the skill necessary, gtfo.
Go learn to surf and you'll quickly realize that you are at the BOTTOM of the food chain in the line up and are treated as such.
Fact is, most scrubs out on the trails DO NOT pull over when they are being tailed. I'm seeing a lot of comments here from people who are frustrated that they constantly have to pull over...where are you when I'm on the track?
And the only time you feel you're at the bottom of the food chain, is when you let someone else make you feel that way. In it's simplest form, it's bullying, really.
I've encountered this stuff plenty in the last 20 years in skateboarding, biking, and climbing - all of which I do or have done at a pretty high competency level. I hate it - and most times, I'm apt enough to be able to handle myself with a sharp exchange of words. I've got a good buddy however, ex military, one very very nasty tour in Afghanistan, real bad PTSD. He hates it too, and I've watched him pummel people on trail, at the crag, and actually at the gym (yeah, we were thrown out) for giving him flack for being "not good enough" or a beginner. Needless to say, he doesn't to well with intimidation/bullying. He boulders double digits now, for reference and also surfs pretty well too but never too to biking. So I guess...sometimes your lip can get you in trouble - just a word of wisdom - don't think just because you're good at activity X just lets you be a trailside mouth piece, it may catch up to you.
Respect, common courtesy, and a little common sense, and I think we can all keep some flow.
Unfortunately, men have done themselves in with hundreds if not thousands of years of patriarchy, douchery, and debauchery. We've been the ones in privilege, dude. Things are not really equal, and I don't blame a single woman if they think men don't always play nice. If they want to close a single trail for a day to encourage women to come out and have a stronger presence - freaking have at it. YOU DESERVE IT. It's impossible to get my girl to come DH with me, but she'll go for a women's clinic or session - and to be that's huge. I see the value in it, and I support it. If you don't, that's fine I guess, but I hope to see more of it because it's positive imho.
And perhaps we don't need privilege...but we could use a little fairness, across all shades - and it seems like you get that? Despite what people seem to think, cycling is not some exclusive club, there aren't ranks. I agree that people should use judgement to ride trails within reason, and progress sensibly. Obviously no one should roll A-line at a creep, and roll every jump, but if you're going at a good pace and making an honest effort to clear jumps - you belong, period.
You nailed it on the head with one of your comments. The faster rider can always stop too, and give the slower rider some space. That's ace - thank you.
This is all about LIV trying to promote itself!
To date there has been no dialogue on mens rights - that is something that is coming and is something that both men and women need to wake up to.
Mountain biking is an inclusive sport. Its not a men only or women only sport its just biking and both sexes have equal rights!
I think these events are a good thing. You're welcome to your opinion.
Busted. Put your phone down, stop thinking about bikes, biking, all things bike...AND PAY ATTENTION TO ME!
All Sponsorship, in all sports, is about companies trying to promote themselves.
And thanks to sponsors we get lots of events, races, festivals, etc. to enjoy!
Are you f**ing kidding me? Now you are going to play the victim's card saying that men are losing rights and women are having more rights?
Events like this one are not only good for women but for the entire industry! But I guess you and that retard @goldfish3 are too worried about having A-line closed for a few hours while "silly girls are riding our trails stealing our rights as fast, macho riders"
If both of you are that much of super fast riders, then go and session Crab apple hits or D. Johnson or D1 for a couple of runs and when A-line opens again after the event you go back and show the rest of us how fast you are. I don't see you complaining about having A-line closed for the Air DH race. Or let me guess, did you race it with the pros?
There are so many trails in that mountain that you can take your insecurities and ride Garbo for a few hours and when you are done you are still going to be the same big man you are.
And you are telling me a woman shouldn't have the right to make the call on her own body if the pregnancy is a safety concern, or serious defects detected early on in the fetus? You are saying a woman doesn't have the right to make the choice then?
Not all situations are the same and not all end up having to make that choice because they were irrisponsible. But, it seems a large chunk of America wants to lump all woman in that category - and it's your narrow minded kind that will allow it to happen.
Regardless, I think it's an awesome event that brought a lot of lady-riders out for a fun day on the hill.
I do pull off line when I hear riders come up behind me and there is a section I can do so. Almost all give a polite thanks. Unfortunately, there are always rude and selfish people everywhere and I can see how that can discouraging.
I think in the end, we should try to figure out why women may feel indimidated and how to make the experience more welcoming. We are getting more young children and families into the sport and I am sure most guys would love to get more women riding. One though is to have an hour during the day that is designated on a run for slower riders that want to try it, practice, get better, move up. It could be rotated on different runs for different times during the day. Just my two cents, which with inflation is worth little.
Never loose the ability to get stocked no matter your level.
"IN GENERAL women are much better at waiting in between groups, giving each other space, taking breaks off the side to let other groups pass, and being extremely polite through all of it."
Statements like this are no different to the guys on here making sexist remarks and do the cause no favours. Some people are good and some people are shitty, regardless of gender.
How dare you? You sanctimonious, prejudiced asshat. You're so arrogant that you think you are only person that can make comparisons and judge others, but how dare someone return the favour. How dare a man talk about something like this, but I bet if I trawled your social media, even PB, you'd have opinions on things that, by your statement above, you're not qualified to comment.
YOU are the problem on the trails, YOU are the problem with inclusivity and equality. Your victim chip must be getting heavy now.
The exact same thing happens to male riders of lesser ability. Exactly the same thing. Performance sports are inherently clique, where those of the same ability group tend to stick together, unless their grouping has more in common than ability, like friendships for example. Humans are tribal animals, and unfortunately sometimes better ability creates an arrogance and insular attitude, it's not cool or right but it happens. But to judge all male riders like this, that is also the height of arrogance and downright as insulting as people insinuating or plainly saying women are shit riders.
I fear for the sport, the hobby I love as it very quickly becomes another gender battleground, instead of working together to improve attitudes and access for greater numbers of riders to participate, of all genders. Although this event is a good idea, what has it done to break down those barriers? Nothing, it has done nothing, the problem of attitude and respect on the trails hasn't been addressed.
Riding together promoting a culture of unity, founded on mutual respect and tolerance is what works. If this event had loads of wobblers of both genders, getting to know each other, encourage each other, forming friendships; that will break down those barriers and encourage more women to the trails.
The event was awesome to see, but in terms of encouraging more women to the trails, it's gutless, there's no substance to it. The issues of attitude and respect, or the lack of still exist, there are absolute tits on bikes of both genders, just like there is in any other hobby or walk of life.
The way to combat that is unity of action. Not this exclusivity pity party that it is becoming. That further entrenches positions.
If I was given the opportunity to go ride with Minnaar, Hill, Atherton or Brown, etc, I'm obviously garbage compared to them, but I know they'd treat me with respect, they'd be encouraging and it'd be a great experience, regardless of gender.
Dude, you are a jerk. The only pity part need is for the women in your life - I'm sorry for them.
As I said, the event is a good idea. But anyone who thinks it changes the issues that some of these ladies say they face in the trails, possibly deluded. It dead just a PR exercise that some ladies got a few hours riding together out of. That’s it.
You can say and what you think. It matters not to me, as for women, I treat my partner very well as she does to me. Just like how I test most people I meet. But when I come across asshats like you and her, well I don’t tear you badly, just accordingly.
And please identify one right women have lost in the Trump era... just one. I'm sure that shouldn't be hard since you seem to imagine they're losing rights daily.
As for women's rights, and Trump - scroll up. I've commented on that already.
www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/blog/trump-moves-to-restrict-access-to-reproductive-health-care-worldwide
The marxist brainrot has fully infiltrated the West... "rights" = free shit
Oh wait, I'm a white male who identifies as a white male, so I'm not entitled to shit, least of all typing this comment. Oh, the nerve! I'm so sorry everyone! No rights for me!
BTW thanks for the prosperity in wealth and freedoms. We'll take it from here (all the way down to hell)
No there shouldn't be equality amongst all on a-line!
If you're good enough for a-line.
Ride a-line.
Until then. Go learn how to ride somewhere else.
That's just how things work.
If not, keep at it.
Aline can be ridden by a child on a run bike. There is nothing to do on it unless you can keep your speed.
Dirt Merchant > A Line
Events like this do not help to improve the image of women riders - they rather confirm this f*cking stereotype that girls need some special treatment to catch up with boys. While they just need to stop being treated as mentally or physically retarded for mtb!
I don't think the whole idea of 'women's day' is wrong, but this ridiculous argumentation! "to give them the opportunity to catch the flow"! WTF?
What about slower men? And what about fast women - how should they feel about this?
Stop being salty and stop reading in-between the lines--just use some basic common sense. I didn't see a single sad face in the video--just a buncha girls happy to ride!!
I can't understand why anybody has anything negative to say about this..... ಠ_ಠ
Riding a certain trail just because is a "must", without having the basic skills is not fun for other users and definitely not fun for the challenged rider. People just wake up in the morning, buy a bike and wanna be up there with people have been training for years. However this is a bike park-only problem, never had this issue in real trails.
Step by step, earn your meals.
I really long to see a video with some nicely shredding girls entitled like this.
While I think the way they advertised the event was complete bs, it's awesome to see an event like this that encourages a large group of ladies to get out there and shred.
At the same time, women are demanding equal treatment all the while they receive special treatment.
Good on the girls who got out!
It's because of hypocrisy.
You have women demanding equal treatment and equal payout in races..
ALL THE WHILE THEY ALSO DEMAND special treatment and sexist, exclusive events.
I ride aline regularly, I can tell you right now that going the speed to clear the jumps, it can be downright dangerous coming up to a slow rider that doesnt know WHAT to do when someone behind them is faster. Not that they are slow, but the fact that they just freeze up can cause a lot of issues. Quite frankly, the squirrel catcher changes were a utter joke. And has put many riders in danger (on both ends of skill spectrum). Its just as dangerous for that beginner mtber to get on a high consequence trail like aline as it is for the faster rider to come hauling up to someone who doesnt have the acquired skills.
I think WBP made a downright DANGEROUS mistake making the squirrel catcher even slightly smaller. It would benefit everyone as a whole for whistler to come up with a solution to get in more progression and keep the absolute beginners of the trails such as Aline. I have come up to people who BLATANTLY shouldn't be on aline, it may sound pretentious and yes us as MTBers accept risks of collisions and such. But when someone who just starts out mtb decides "Aline" is the trail to head to because "Its AMAZING and WORLD CLASS" is only asking for trouble, and serious injuries to both parties.
For whatever reason people think that just because they paid for trail access they can get on any trail. I definitely dont think thats the case. If you care about your saftey AND the safety of others, there needs to be serious consideration into what trails are ridden at what point in your MTB riding career.
I found aline intimidating for ages, it took me a long time to work up to it and start clearing the jumps. Now that I can its absolutely awesome. But I think a more appropriate trail progression line needs to be defined to level out the risk curve.
Ive had so many close calls this year on aline, its very worrying actually. And quite frankly most of them could have been prevented and completely avoided with proper signage, rider education and rider ability progression.
Alines rad, everyone should ride it, but only when they are ready to be hitting jumps of that size (Slow speed, high speed whatever, there is a certain skill level required for jumps of that size no matter what).
FYI, I kind of feel like Crank it up is a joke of a progression trail. At least CMore (Butts!) is a wicked start to the line of progression.
Also women: We need our own days for shit because we can't handle being treated equally on normal days.
The irony is almost too good.
how bout a begginers day and an expert day?
And because you personally have not witnessed it, all the women who claim to deal with it on a regular basis are liars? If you want to understand why there is a need for women-only events, talk to some women about it.
Simply put: don't be a dick. Some men are, hence women want to avoid them. I personally despise dicks. With skill often comes perspective. You just don't talk down to a slower person when you know there are several skill levels above you. Only the really poor riders are so bad at what they do that they cannot see how bad they are. Kriger Dunning effect
Common sense DOES NOT exist. It is the modern version of Neitzches saying: God is dead. People by average actually are stupid. Those who aren't are so occupied with not being stupid that they get little done. Which is stupid.
It's good man. The worst part is always idealizing sht, believing in coming back to the Garden of Eden. It lowers the quality of your life significantly
It's because of hypocrisy.
You have women demanding equal treatment and equal payout in races..
ALL THE WHILE THEY ALSO DEMAND special treatment and sexist, exclusive events.
It's because of hypocrisy.
You have women demanding equal treatment and equal payout in races..
ALL THE WHILE THEY ALSO DEMAND special treatment and sexist, exclusive events.
Equal treatment or Treatment based on Merit. Pick one
Good on the park and organizers for doing this. More women riding = good things for the bike industry!
Saying women are slower than men in general is not sexist because it is based on facts/reality.
Having a "Women Only Event" is sexist because it literally discriminates based on one's sex and sex only.