Photo Epic: History is Made at a Smoky Red Bull Joyride at Crankworx Whistler
Nicholi Rogatkin was the final athlete to drop in for the Red Bull Joyride and ended up taking the top spot. Plus, he is the first to win the Crankworx Triple Crown of slopestyle.
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Nicholi Rogatkin throwing down a winning Red Bull Joyride run. All photos by Matt Miller.
Nicholi Rogatkin won Red Bull Joyride on August 18, 2018 at Crankworx Whistler and took the first ever Triple Crown of slopestyle.
To get the Triple Crown an athlete must win three out of four Crankworx competitions in a single year. Brandon Semenuk is the only other slopestyle athlete to win three events, but not in the same year.
Brandon Semenuk announced on Instagram that he would not be competing at this year’s Red Bull Joyride after a dozen straight years of riding in the competition. He didn’t say exactly why, but that he wants to focus on other things. Semenuk said he still plans to compete at Red Bull Rampage.
This year’s Red Bull Joyride turned into a battle between Canadian Brett Rheeder and the American, Rogatkin.
It appeared that Rheeder may had an edge on Rogatkin in their first runs, but, Rogatkin, the very last athlete on the mountain dropped in, giving it his all, and he took the win. The final person to drop in at Red Bull Joyride has also never won the event before tonight.
Singletracks was on the ground for the event. Here are the photo highlights.
Always look before you drop in.
Thomas Genon spinning in practice.
Brett Rheeder hiking it to the top of the course.
Matt Jones with a no-handed backflip.
The first feature of the course had two choices. One was a ramped take off, the other was a flat drop off to banked landing. Both were huge.
Get in laps, or watch the competition…decisions, decisions.
A tuck no-hander on to the whale tale.
Most people know Ryan Nyquist as a BMX X-Games competitor from the 1990s and 2000s. He’s made the transition to slopestyle mountain biking and is still as good as ever.
Ryan Nyquist spots his landing on the whale tale.
The Whistler area was incredibly smoky from multiple fires burning in B.C.
Tomas Lamoine coming into the landing zone hot.
Crankworx organizers said about 35,000 people around the mountain gathered to watch the competition. This made it an excellent time for people not interested in the show to get some laps in without the lift lines.
Brett Rheeder going 100% and getting sideways in the process.
Brett Rheeder on his first run.
Bar spin backflips might be what Nyquist does best.
There are some pretty hardcore fans that come out for Joyride.
Matt Jones flipping without hands again.
It makes sense that landing off of 25-foot drops is a little hard on some of these jumps.
Thomas Genon on his final run.
Emil Johansson going big for the mountain.
The free ride community never forgets ‘McGazza.’ Kelly McGarry’s legacy is emblazoned across Red Bull events.
Eric Fedko on his last run.
Erik Fedko took third place with a solid run.
Rogatkin throwing down his winning run.
The fans are stoked for Rogatkin.
More excitement for the Triple Crown winner.
It was an emotional, but exciting win for Rogatkin.
Rogatkin’s total prize money for the event was $25,000. Not too bad.
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