Event Recap: 2019 Fireride - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Things went from 0 - 100 pretty quickly! Like something catching fire id say!

Earlier this year there was a huge event in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It was an urban downhill race through the streets attracting the world's best riders such as Tomas Slavik, Antonie Bizet and Ethan Nell. After the event, Altius (the event organisers) kindly passed on the ramps from the event to a person called Gabriel. Gabriel was a local with a piece of land with the goals to build a small bike park for himself and his friends and that's where I came in. After the event, Gabriel approached me and asked me to help him design a bike park and help him with some digging and so I did. Over the next few months, Gabriel sent me pictures over WhatsApp and I was surprised with how much progress he had made! I began to see pictures pop up on Instagram of the locals riding the spot.


A few months later I was on a trip to America to watch Red Bull Rampage and decided to take a detour on my way back home and stop in Mexico and Puerto Vallarta. Mainly for the day of the dead parties!! I decided to message Gabriel saying, I will be in the area and lets put on a small bike jam. Gabriel quickly got back to me and said ok! The next day he created a poster for it and then posted it on Facebook. I could see it had a lot of interest. The event quickly turned into an event as we made the Facebook group and a local teenager printed off posters to post up in local bike shops. The message was spread, the aim of the event was to promote cycling, inspire and have fun! I was only in Puerto Vallarta for one full day (5th November, Guy Fawkes day, an event in the UK) so I decided to call the event Fireride.




People started to get see the posters and then got in touch with us including the local government saying something like "We like what you are doing, how can we help?!" - They provided us with portable toilets, barriers, and medals to give out. And then the local ambulance service wanted to support us so they spent the full day there. A local DJ came down with a music system and decks and an MC who was getting the riders and crowd hyped up. A Chef to cook tacos for everyone and not to mention all the other volunteers who came down to help with organisation, starting and finishing the race, timing registration and a videographer!


We decided to put on a beginner race, dual slalom, best trick and finish off with best whip which had mixed age participants and mixed gender. Not to mention mixed bikes from Downhill bikes, Enduro, XC, dirt jump and even brakeless BMX bikes!

The event was finished with a podium presentation and free tacos for everyone!








See you next year!