The 2016 Red Bull Rampage is going to look and feel a whole lot different than in year’s past. In an effort to shake things up and make the competition more fair, Red Bull announced new changes that will affect the course, the riders, and the way the competition is judged. Below is a break-down of the new “back to basics” changes you can expect to see this fall in Virgin.
Venue Change
The original Rampage venues, with all the sculpted mountainsides and elaborate wood features and jumps, will be scrapped altogether. The event is moving across the valley to a different set of mountains that will allow riders to explore all-new terrain. According to organizers, this new venue will have 100 more feet of elevation, and riders will be able to show more creativity with line selection.
Terrain Change
With the new venue, comes new terrain – but don’t think that means riders and their shovel crews will get to go hog wild on the dirt to sculpt the perfect line. Rampage is going “all natural” this year. That means no machinery or power tools will be permitted for course building, and only “very minimal” man-made features will be allowed.
Time Change
Riders are going to have more time – more time to dig, more time to practice, and more time to rest before the big competition. Athletes will now have 4 days to build with a 2-member dig team. After that will be a mandatory rest day before a 4-day stretch of practice before the big event. In addition, there will be a 2-day weather window built in for finals.
Qualifier Change
The qualifying round is gone. Kaput. Finished. Instead, competitors will consist of the top 12 Rampage finishers from the year before, plus 9 wild cards to be chosen by a committee. That means there will only be 21 riders (compared to 42 in 2015) for a more intimate event. The finalized athlete roster will be announced on August 1st.
Judging Change
For the first time ever, former Rampage athletes will fill the entire judging panel. Rampage organizers say this will “ensure better accuracy in the results.”
Prize Change
The prize purse will be a lot bigger this year, with a total of $150,000 up for grabs. In addition, each rider will receive $4,000 to use toward digging, their team, and travel expenses.
To keep appraised of what’s new this year leading up to the big event, check the Red Bull Rampage official site often.