Red Bull Rampage
Invitation-only big-mountain freeride mountain-bike contest (est. 2001, Zion Park area Utah) — riders build their own lines down 300-500m sandstone ridges featuring 20-30m drops, canyon gaps, airtime tricks. Scored on line difficulty, technique, and style. Kurt Sorge 3× winner.
What is Red Bull Rampage?
Red Bull Rampage is the invitation-only big-mountain freeride mountain-bike contest held annually in Virgin, Utah near Zion National Park — established 2001 as the most extreme freeride MTB event on Earth. 18-24 invited pros + their 2-4 person dig teams build custom lines down 300-500m sandstone ridges over 6-9 days of 'dig week' — no pre-built course; each rider designs unique line featuring 20-30m drops, canyon gaps, sandstone spines, and airtime tricks. Competition day: each rider gets 2 runs, best score counts. 5-judge panel (former Rampage riders + freeride veterans) scores 0-100 on line difficulty, style, amplitude, technique, control. Kurt Sorge (Canada) is the most decorated with 3 wins (2012, 2015, 2017). Cam Zink's 78-ft backflip (2014) + Szymon Godziek's first double-backflip on natural terrain (2013) are milestone tricks. Inaugural Women's Rampage held 2024, won by Robin Goomes (New Zealand). No fatalities as of 2024 despite career-altering injuries (Paul Basagoitia paralysis 2015, Kelly McGarry death 2016 offsite).
Quick facts
Category
Adventure & Extreme Sports
Type
Individual
Players
1–1
Duration
~1 min
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
Founded 2001 by Red Bull; women's event debuted 2024
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Ride custom-built line down sandstone ridge scoring highest 5-judge panel score.
Match structure
18-24 invited riders + 3-4 dig teams build lines over 6-9 days; competition day = each rider gets 2 runs, best score counts.
Rules
Basic rules
Invite-only field
18-24 top freeride athletes selected by Red Bull based on prior results.
Dig-your-own-line
Each rider works with 2-4 dig-team members to shape unique line down mountain.
2 runs, best counts
Competition day each rider gets 2 timed runs; higher score wins.
Advanced rules
Line inspection walk-down
Riders inspect via binoculars + walk-off before dropping.
Tow-in permitted for large drops
Truck-tow allowed for gaining speed on major features.
Medevac helicopter on-site
Full medical + rescue team on standby throughout event.
Scoring
5-judge panel scores 0-100 on line difficulty, style, amplitude, technique, control. Best of 2 runs counts.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Line difficulty | Weighted highest — unique lines score more |
| Style + amplitude | Bigger air + cleaner style = more points |
| Trick added on drop | Backflip/no-hander on 15m+ drop = bonus |
Win condition · Highest averaged score after 5-judge panel evaluation.
Equipment
Custom freeride bike (170-180mm travel)
Modified freeride bike (Rocky Mountain Slayer, Norco Range, Yeti SB165) — 27.5" wheels with reinforced frame + coil shock.
Full-face helmet + neck brace
Certified helmet (Fox Proframe, Fasthouse) + neck brace (Leatt, Alpinestars) for cliff-drop landings.
Body armour (spine + chest + shoulder)
Full torso protection (Leatt 6.5, Alpinestars Bionic).
Digging tools
Shovels, rakes, water tanks — riders + dig teams build features by hand during dig week.
Positions & roles
Rider
×1Freeride athlete + dig-team leader; solo competitive run.
Officiating
5 judges score independently; drop high/low, average middle 3; video review for close scores.
- 5-judge panel (former Rampage riders + freeride veterans)
- Chief judge
- Medical + rescue team
- Video review
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
Uncontrolled crash
Run scored zero if rider crashes before completing line.
Ejected or dropped bike
Run halted; rider walks bike down; scored zero.
Excessive foot down / pedal
Multiple foot-touches penalty; ideal is zero touches.
Strategies
Line differentiation
Judges reward unique line choice — a line no other athlete uses scores higher on difficulty.
Signature drop + trick combo
Adding signature trick off mandatory drop scores higher than clean landings.
Line pacing + run flow
Continuous fluid line with 5-8 major features scores higher than 2-3 huge features + long stalls.
Terminology
- Dig week
- 6-9 pre-comp days shaping personal line by hand
- Line
- Chosen route down the mountain
- Canyon gap
- Jump across a canyon or cleft in ridge
- Cash roll
- Specific frontflip variation named after Rogatkin's move
Major competitions
Red Bull Rampage (Men)
annual · Virgin, Utah, USA · since 2001
Red Bull Rampage (Women — new 2024)
annual · Virgin, Utah, USA · since 2024
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Red Bull (event organiser)
Founded 1987 · Fuschl am See, Austria
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Kurt Sorge (Canada) — 3× Rampage winner (2012, 2015, 2017) + 2019
- Cam Zink (USA) — 78-ft backflip (2014); multiple podiums
- Szymon Godziek (Poland) — first double-backflip on natural terrain (2013)
- Robin Goomes (New Zealand) — inaugural Women's Rampage winner (2024)
- Paul Basagoitia (USA) — paralysed in 2015 crash but returned to advocacy
Records
Most Rampage wins
Kurt Sorge (Canada) — 3-time Rampage winner (2012, 2015, 2017) plus 2019 (2019)
Iconic trick highlights
Various — Ethan Nell 360 canyon gap; Cam Zink 78-ft backflip (2014); Szymon Godziek first double backflip on natural terrain (2013) (2023)
First women's edition
Red Bull — Inaugural Women's Rampage at Virgin, Utah — won by Robin Goomes (New Zealand) (2024)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Freeride MTB baseline
Bike park progression, drops (5-10m), berms, air awareness.
intermediate
- 1
Big-mountain + Rampage-style
Backflips, canyon gaps, ridge lines, no-hander/tuck-no-hander on 15m+ drops.
advanced
- 1
Invited pro
Line-building, custom feature construction, mental preparation for cliff drops, injury recovery.
Frequently asked
How are riders selected?+
Invite-only — Red Bull invites ~18-24 top freeride athletes based on prior Rampage performances, Slopestyle results, and video parts. No qualifiers or open entries.
Are there fatalities?+
As of 2024 no fatalities, but multiple career-altering injuries (Paul Basagoitia paralysis 2015, Kelly McGarry death 2016 offsite, various concussions). Event uses spotters, tow-in permitted, and helicopter medevac on-site.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Red Bull Rampage— Wikipedia