Gee Atherton returning to Red Bull Rampage after a decade away

Red Bull Rampage is back for another year of freeride competition in Utah but two of Canada’s past winners will sit out. Both Brett Rheeder and Brandon Semenuk, perennial Rampage favourites, are absent from the rider list for 2023.

In their place are three Canadians, including the first three-time Rampage winner, Kurt Sorge. 2023 will also mark the return of none other than Gee Atherton to the Utah desert.

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Atherton is twice runner-up, in 2010 and 2004. That makes it remarkable that the iconic racer and freerider is returning to Utah at all, after a decade away and a harrowing injury.  Only Kyle Strait has a longer history with the event, appearing in the first edition in 2001 and still going strong in 2023. Cam Zink, like Atherton, first appeared in 2004 and is back for 2023.

Three Canadians look to carry on winning tradition

When Red Bull Rampage returns to the classic Virgin, Utah venue on October 13, there will be three Canadians on the start list. Kurt Sorge will be the only returning winner. Tom van Steenbergen is still hunting for his first win after several podiums, Best Trick wins and a remarkable comeback in 2022 from a potentially career-ending injury.

Two other past Canadian winners, Brett Rheeder (2022, 2018) and Brandon Semenuk (2021, 2019, 2016) will both be absent. Rheeder retired from competition following his victory last year. Semenuk, after winning the American Rally Championships series and competing at Rampage in a single week in 2022, will sit out this year.

Interview: Why Brett Rheeder retired after three-year road back to Rampage

The last time someone other than Rheeder or Semenuk won was way back in 2017, when Nelson, B.C.’s Kurt Sorge earned his historic third victory. In fact, to find the last non-Canadian winner, you have to go all the way back to 2014 when Andreu Lacondeguy claimed victory.

Red Bull Rampage 2023 will be streaming free on Red Bull TV in Canada on Oct. 13. In the U.S.A., it will play on ESPN+.

2023 Red Bull Rampage rider list

Pre-Qualified Athletes:

Szymon Godziek (POL)
Reed Boggs (USA)
Thomas Genon (BEL)
Carson Storch (USA)

RELATED: Inside the absolutely incredible recovery of Tom van Steenbergen

Wildcard Invites:

Adolf Silva (SPA)
Alex Volokhov (CAN)
Bienvenido Aguado Alba (SPA)
Brendan Fairclough (GBR)
Cam Zink (USA)
Clemens Kaudela (AUT)
DJ Brandt (USA)
Emil Johansson (SWE)
Jaxson Riddle (USA)
Kurt Sorge (CAN)
Kyle Strait (USA)
Talus Turk (USA)
Tom Van Steenbergen (CAN)
Gee Atherton (UK)