Mountain biking has witnessed a remarkable evolution for women, breaking down barriers and fostering inclusivity. The gender pay gap is narrowing, and prestigious events like Crankworx celebrate athletes irrespective of gender. Seeing groups of women shredding trails is becoming increasingly common. However, within this progressive landscape, women’s slopestyle mountain biking still lags, facing unique challenges in gaining recognition and support.
This disparity hasn’t deterred determined female riders. Trailblazers like Stephanie Nychka, Louise Hatton, Kat Sweet, and Cortney Knudson have risen to the occasion, demonstrating unwavering tenacity. Instead of waiting for industry shifts, they proactively carved out their own space, initiating grassroots events such as Slope Sistair, the Sugar Showdown, and the Little Big Festival. Recognizing the amplified impact of collective action, they joined forces with the Freestyle Mountain Bike Tour (FMB) to launch the groundbreaking Women’s Slopestyle Tour. This pivotal tour debuted with the Sugar Showdown in Seattle, continued to the Big White Invitational in Kelowna, BC, and culminates at the Little Big Festival at Truckee Bike Park in California. These events have garnered significant success, attracting elite athletes like Casey Brown and Kaylee Gibb, and marking a turning point for women’s freestyle riding. The tour also incorporates Crankworx, introducing women’s Speed & Style and a Best Trick competition for the first time, further amplifying the momentum.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Women’s Slopestyle Tour (@womensslopestyletour) on
The overarching ambition of the Women’s Slopestyle Tour is to deliver a resounding message to the mountain biking industry: women’s freestyle riding is vibrant, thriving, and demanding attention. To delve deeper into the tour’s inception and the driving forces behind it, we spoke with Cortney Knudson, a key organizer, co-founder of Truckee Bike Park, and a passionate advocate for women in mountain biking. Her insights shed light on the tour’s origins and the future of women’s slopestyle.
The Rise of Women’s Slopestyle and the Need for a Tour
For years, women’s slopestyle has existed in the shadows, struggling for acknowledgment, primarily due to a lack of sponsorship and funding. Cortney Knudson elaborates, “For so long Women’s slopestyle has struggled to be recognized because it’s not sponsored. When it comes down to marketing and having money to run an event, it’s expensive at the end of a day. It’s expensive to have trail builders, coaches, lodging, and food for the participants. If you really break it down to do a proper event, it’s about $20,000.” This financial hurdle has been a significant impediment to the growth and visibility of women’s slopestyle events.
Despite the financial constraints, the passion and dedication within the women’s mountain biking community have been unwavering. Grassroots events, born from the initiative of women riders themselves, have played a vital role in nurturing talent and fostering a sense of community. Events like Slope Sistair, the Sugar Showdown, and the Little Big Festival, though independently organized, laid the groundwork for a more unified and impactful movement. These events demonstrated the demand and potential for women’s slopestyle, proving that with opportunity and support, women riders could excel and push the boundaries of the sport.
The realization that collective effort could amplify their impact led to the pivotal partnership with the Freestyle Mountain Bike Tour (FMB). This collaboration marked a turning point, providing a structured platform for women’s slopestyle to gain wider recognition and legitimacy within the industry. The Women’s Slopestyle Tour was born, uniting previously disparate events under a common banner and creating a cohesive series that would travel across different locations, showcasing the breadth of talent and the growing momentum of women’s freestyle riding.
The inaugural Women’s Slopestyle Tour kicked off with the Sugar Showdown in Seattle, followed by the Big White Invitational in Kelowna, BC. These initial events were met with resounding success, exceeding expectations in terms of rider participation, audience engagement, and overall impact. The tour not only attracted established elite athletes but also provided a crucial platform for up-and-coming riders to compete and gain valuable experience. The positive reception and palpable energy at these events underscored the readiness of the women’s slopestyle scene for a more structured and prominent presence in the mountain biking world.
View this post on Instagram
Meet Kat Sweet. Kat is the organizer of Sugar Showdown, the first event of our WST series! This year will be the 8th year of Sugar, an incredibly fun event that continues to grow each year. “Sugar Showdown was inspired by Slope Sistair and Womensworx, and eventually born out of @hellodarcy See Jane Jump in 2010. We wanted to find a way to hold ladies jump contests while paying for all the badass coaches to be there. I wanted to cater to higher level riders and women who love to jump!” – @sweetlines This is a picture of Kat jumping over her Sweetlines team, junior riders under her guidance dedicated to mountain biking and progressing as racers and jumpers, many of whom have shown great promise as Slopestyle athletes. This jump on Flying Squirrel is one of those on the women’s bronze FMB course, and the link to register is in our bio!
A post shared by Women’s Slopestyle Tour (@womensslopestyletour) on
Truckee Bike Park: A Foundation for Women’s Progression
A cornerstone of the Women’s Slopestyle Tour and a testament to the dedication to women’s mountain biking is Truckee Bike Park. Co-founded by Cortney Knudson, Truckee Bike Park embodies the spirit of inclusivity and progression that is driving the women’s slopestyle movement forward. Knudson’s extensive background in coaching downhill and XC clinics, coupled with her passion for creating accessible riding opportunities, has shaped Truckee Bike Park into a vital hub for riders of all levels, particularly women seeking to advance their freestyle skills.
Describing her journey, Knudson shares, “I’ve been coaching downhill and XC clinics for awhile. I started coaching at the Santa Cruz mountain bike festival by teaching girls how to jump. A lot of my work went into trying to create smaller lines next to the big line because a lot of girls were nervous to start on the big jumps—especially when they’re learning.” This experience highlighted the crucial need for progressive jump lines that cater to different skill levels, allowing riders to build confidence and gradually progress their abilities. This philosophy is central to the design and ethos of Truckee Bike Park.
Truckee Bike Park, now in its seventh year, stands as a remarkable achievement, having raised $750,000 for park improvements. This investment reflects the park’s commitment to providing top-notch facilities and continuously enhancing the riding experience for its community. Knudson and her partner Brooks’ dedication to creating a welcoming and progressive environment is evident in every aspect of the park, from trail design to community engagement.
A key feature of Truckee Bike Park that directly addresses the needs of progressing women riders is the development of a dedicated medium jump line. Knudson explains, “Yeah, with building at our own bike park we’ve had the capability to create a medium line— which we did three summers ago. It started with four jumps and progressed to 12 jumps, and it’s the most ridden line in the bike park.” This medium line serves as a crucial stepping stone, bridging the gap between beginner and advanced jump lines and providing a less intimidating yet challenging space for riders to hone their skills before tackling larger, more technical features. The popularity of this line underscores the demand for progressive infrastructure and the effectiveness of Truckee Bike Park‘s approach to trail design.
View this post on Instagram
As the only female to have participated in many dirt jump events dominated by men, @kathikuypers is used to the physical and mental challenges of riding in a league of her own. Her experiences include the Crankworx Speed and Style, multiple FMB events, and freestyle courses such as this one at the Solothurn @bike_days #mtb #slopestyle #backflip #mtblife #girlswhoshred #mtbdaily #ridemtb #ridemoremtb #bmxtomtb #women_on_bikes #leagueofherown #mtbslopestyle #lovemtb #mtbgirls #dirtjumps #mountainbiking #mountainbiker #djgirl #womensbikeparty #mtb4life #rideeveryday #downhillplanet #slopestylegirl #livetomtb
A post shared by Women’s Slopestyle Tour (@womensslopestyletour) on
Overcoming Obstacles and Building a Sustainable Future
While the Women’s Slopestyle Tour and initiatives like Truckee Bike Park represent significant strides, challenges remain in achieving true equity and sustainability for women’s freestyle mountain biking. One of the primary obstacles is the historical lack of a clear progression pathway for women in slopestyle, compared to their male counterparts. Knudson points out, “For men, they’ve had a natural progression into the slopestyle events you see today. If you look at the guys like Cam McCaul or R-Dog, they’ve been jumping since they were kids. Many of the elite athletes you see, for example, learned out at the post office jumps in Santa Cruz, California which got bigger as their skills progressed. When I look at the Women’s world, it’s expanding into dirt jumping and aerials, but it doesn’t have the same breadth of experience as the guys.” This difference in developmental pathways highlights the need for more accessible and progressive training grounds for women, similar to the medium line at Truckee Bike Park.
To bridge this gap, Knudson suggests, “It’s not realistic to expect that most women could ride the slopestyle course at Crankworx. There are definitely female athletes that are capable, but it’d worth having a secondary course so it’s less intimidating for upcoming riders to try.” Creating less intimidating courses at major events, alongside continued development of progressive bike parks like Truckee Bike Park, can encourage more women to enter and progress within slopestyle competition.
Industry support and sponsorship are crucial for the long-term viability and growth of women’s slopestyle. Knudson emphasizes, “Having this structure is important because it allows for sponsors to get on board, which would bring the nutrition to it. We need sponsors for this to thrive. We need to take the women a step further. It’s happened with every sport, and we’re going to make it happen if the industry doesn’t get on board.” Increased sponsorship would not only provide financial resources for events and athletes but also elevate the visibility and perceived value of women’s slopestyle within the broader mountain biking industry and among fans.
View this post on Instagram
Legend @casey__brown__ with her signature one footed table, came in 7th place at the @bikebigwhite bronze @fmbworldtour event last weekend! It was incredible to see women from all over, of all ages, and all walks of life, getting to represent women in Slopestyle on a level recognized among the men’s. The future is bright!
A post shared by Women’s Slopestyle Tour (@womensslopestyletour) on
The Women’s Slopestyle Tour’s diverse event format, encompassing different freestyle disciplines and age ranges, is another strength. The inclusion of younger riders, with FMB now allowing 11-17 year-olds to participate, is particularly significant for building a sustainable future for the sport. Knudson notes, “For the first time ever FMB is allowing 11-17 year-olds. For us, that’s our biggest category and we’re allowing both boys and girls. The FMB needs these young athletes and with the points system, it creates a career ladder in this discipline.” This focus on youth development, combined with a points system that incentivizes participation and progression, mirrors successful models in other action sports and promises to cultivate the next generation of women’s slopestyle stars.
The culmination of the inaugural Women’s Slopestyle Tour at the Little Big Festival at Truckee Bike Park is particularly fitting. Truckee Bike Park, with its progressive jump lines and commitment to inclusivity, serves as an ideal venue to celebrate the achievements of the tour and to look ahead to the future of women’s slopestyle. As the final stop on the tour, Truckee Bike Park will not only showcase top-tier competition but also highlight the vital role that bike parks and grassroots initiatives play in nurturing talent and driving the sport forward.
View this post on Instagram
Our blue Slopestyle line is now open! Riding the goods @brooksmcmullin @cortneyknudson Vid by @drew_loring Thank you to our builders for absolutely killing it @randyspangler @gregwatts1987 annnd FUCCI ! Thank you to @ismaelmendez4772 for our railings. Thank you to all of the people who helped get this line done in our crazy weather. @mtbkyle @wilkyway124 @lukewhitlock_ @dillybibbs & Josh Moreno #slopestyle #truckeebikepark #mtbtrails
A post shared by Truckee Bike Park (@truckeebikepark) on
In conclusion, the Women’s Slopestyle Tour marks a watershed moment for women’s freestyle mountain biking. Driven by the passion and perseverance of riders like Cortney Knudson and supported by forward-thinking venues like Truckee Bike Park, the tour is creating unprecedented opportunities and visibility for women in the sport. While challenges persist, the momentum is undeniable. With continued industry support, the growth of progressive riding facilities, and the unwavering dedication of the women’s mountain biking community, the future of women’s slopestyle is bright, promising a more inclusive and exhilarating landscape for all riders.
