The Claw’s Law: Darren Berrecloth explains Red Bull Rampage judging

Canadian freeride pioneer Darren Berrecloth is one of part of the judging team that takes on the difficult task of scoring the wild runs of Red Bull Rampage. Berrecloth is very qualified for the task. Not only is he a multiple-time Red Bull Rampage competitor himself. He also has a podium finish from back in 2010.

This year, as in most years, the judge’s scores proved contentious with the fans and armchair quarterbacks at home. Many were upset that Brendan Fairclough and Bienvenido Aguado among others didn’t score higher. Both finished off the podium after greasing near-impossible competition runs.

To address the controversy, The Claw took to YouTube to lay down the law. And give a bit more insight into how exactly the judges assess and score each rider’s run.

If you’re confused by this year’s Rampage results, take a few minutes to listen to Berrecloth’s explanation. Maybe it makes the final scores a little clearer.

Darren Berrecloth: 2023 Red Bull Rampage Judging Insight

A few words from The Claw.

For those of you amazing fans who are curious about how my fellow 2023 Red Bull Rampage judges & I determined results, here is some quick insight on our approach.

In addition to having been a competitor myself from 2002 until 2017 and knowing exactly what it’s like to hit many of these features, we judges actually spent the whole week up on the mountain with these riders. We hiked around, scaled cliffs, looked at everyone’s line, every in-run, every landing, and literally had our measuring tape out to help gauge how each particular feature stacks up against the next. Until you’ve stood on the top of this mountain, it’s impossible to have a true appreciation for just how steep and gnarly it is, and I want to help you understand that those who take chances up top, drop in straight off the peak on to the gnarliest, most exposed / high-consequence lines, and then trick them, to boot— those guys will get rewarded.

Ahead of competition day, we are aware of who is going where, and we have established a cohesive/ collaborative understanding of the degree of difficulty each athlete is taking on based on our very real, very relevant boots-on-the-ground research we’ve done as a team.

I can understand why it’s confusing sometimes as a spectator watching it on a 2-dimensional screen, so want to take the opportunity to clarify a few things for you here.

Keep in mind, this is not a best trick competition or a slopestyle event — this is a BIG MOUNTAIN FREERIDE COMPETITION!

Feel free to ask me more questions in the comments below and I will do my best to engage.