Three Canadians are headed to Red Bull Formation in 2022
Women's freeride progression session brings 12 riders to Utah this summer
Photo by:
Re Wikstrom / Red Bull Content Pool
The official rider list is out for 2022 Red Bull Formation, including three Canadians. Casey Brown and Vaea Verbeeck return to Utah. They’ll be joined by Georgia Astle, who will be on her bike at Formation this year after participating as part of dig crews in previous years.
Red Bull Formation is expanding to 12 riders this year, bringing the top freeriders from around the world to Utah. The event will run from May 8-15 at the location outside Virgin. That includes eight returning riders and four first-time athletes.
As in past years, the format remains a “progression session” instead of a strict competition format. Formation’s goal is to elevate the level of women’s freeride, promoting female participation at all levels of the event. Katie Holden, the event’s co-founder, continues to bring in female dig crews, photographers and videographers to mix with established riders and mentors in the sport.
Red Bull Formation announcement:
Red Bull is excited to announce the roster of 12 mountain bike athletes who will participate in this year’s Red Bull Formation, the premier all-women’s freeride progression session. The expanded rider field represents the top freeride athletes in the world who will take part in the third edition of the event from May 8th-15th in the desert of Southwest Utah, one of the most iconic locations in the sport.
The twelve athletes were hand-picked by a selection committee made up of four professional female athletes, members of the media and industry veterans. Invites were based on several factors such as experience, big bike handling skills and control, air awareness, overall style, mental strength, and potential in the sport. In 2021, the athlete roster consisted of eight athletes and two alternates. This year, the event will welcome twelve participating athletes, with four new faces joining for the first time.
“I’m excited to welcome the world’s top freeride athletes in the women’s field to Red Bull Formation,” said event co-founder Katie Holden. “This segment of the sport is rapidly evolving, and we’re excited to see the blend of veterans and Formation first-timers push the sport to new limits this year.”
Among the returning athletes is Red Bull professional mountain biker Hannah Bergemann. Bergemann was awarded the athlete-voted Evolution in Action Award last year, presented by event sponsor Arc’teryx to the participant that best represents the values of the event.
“I’m so stoked to get back to Utah for the third year of Red Bull Formation,” said Red Bull athlete Hannah Bergemann. “This event really kickstarted a movement in women’s freeride and helped open doors for women in the sport. Now there are more events with female riders, more women pushing the sport and more opportunities for women to pursue freeride.”
Dubbed a progression session, the week-long event will be held from May 8th-15th, and will give participants the tools, resources, mentorship and visibility to help propel the women’s field of the sport forward. Riders will scout the mountain, sculpt their lines and shred top-to-bottom runs on one of the most challenging, yet iconic freeride venues in the world.
“I’ve followed Red Bull Formation since the beginning and it’s a dream to be one of the 12 athletes invited to this year’s event,” said first-time participant Robin Goomes. Goomes was an alternate for the 2021 event. “I love the creativity of freeride. There are no rules or boundaries in this discipline, and I’m excited to express my style of riding at this venue.”
2022 Invited Athlete List
- Cami Nogueria
- Casey Brown
- Chelsea Kimball
- Georgia Astle
- Hannah Bergemann
- Harriet Burbidge-Smith
- Louise Ferguson
- Robin Goomes
- Sam Soriano
- Vaea Verbeeck
- Vero Sandler
- Vinny Armstrong
