Robin Goomes competes during Red Bull Rampage in Virgin, Utah, USA. Photo / Red Bull
Robin Goomes competes during Red Bull Rampage in Virgin, Utah, USA. Photo / Red Bull
Kiwi mountain biker Robin Goomes has made history after claiming victory for a second straight time at Red Bull Rampage on the cliffs of southwest Utah.
The mountain biking event asks athletes to face raw sandstone ridgelines and near-vertical chutes, challenging riders to build and ride their own lines downsome of the world’s most rugged desert terrain.
2024 was the first time women were included in the Red Bull Rampage. Now 29-year-old Goomes, raised in the Chatham Islands, has triumphantly emerged as the very first back-to-back champion.
Goomes delivered a standout run, featuring two backflips on a highly exposed line, securing her place in freeride history alongside the world’s top female mountain bikers.
Goomes added two suicide no-handers off drops, a crankflip and two backflips during her opening run to score 89.50 points from the judges – a score that none of her rivals could beat.
“I was really proud of my first run. The main goal is to ride your run well,” Goomes said.
“Obviously, I wanted to win, but all you can do is ride your best, and if you can do that, you have a good chance.”
At the 2024 competition, Goomes wowed the judges with two big backflips, accruing 85 points while also earning the Utah Sports Commission Best Trick Award.
Robin Goomes alongside Hannah Bergemann and Georgia Astle at Red Bull Rampage. Photo / Red Bull
Each competitor and their two-person dig team spent several days sculpting creative, technical lines using only hand tools.
When finals day arrived, riders faced exposed ridgelines, massive step-downs, and sheer chutes in runs.
Riders are scored by judges on difficulty, execution, flow, amplitude, and tricks.
Goomes was first discovered at the 2021 Future Ground event by Mons Royale, where her talent quickly caught the attention of the mountain biking community.
Free-rider Robin Goomes is moving to Queenstown. Photo / Supplied
She has since been a rising star on the Crankworx circuit, amassing several wins.
Red Bull Rampage is the world’s premier big mountain freeride competition and was first held in 2001 in Virgin, Utah.
