Red Bull Hardline BC 2026: Asa Vermette and Gracey Hemstreet Claim Victory

Asa Vermette claimed victory at the inaugural Red Bull Hardline BC finals on Cypress Mountain, setting a time that held through the remainder of the field. The event marked the first time the extreme downhill competition took place on Canadian soil, featuring a technical two-kilometer course.

Race Results and Leaderboard

Asa Vermette secured the win with a decisive performance, finishing 2.62 seconds ahead of Lachlan Stevens-McNab. Stevens-McNab had previously set a fast pace, beating the top seeding time by 14 seconds. Ronan Dunne finished over 24 seconds behind Stevens-McNab following a mistake on the course. In the women’s category, Gracey Hemstreet earned her fourth Hardline victory with a time of 5:32.027. Other notable finishers included Brendan Fairclough, who took sixth place, and Felipe Agurto, who finished fourth. Earlier in the day, Finn Iles recovered from a crash in the third split to finish with a time of 4:16.140, while Hugo Frixtalon briefly led the field with a time of 3:47.858 after recovering from a moment where his feet were blown off his pedals. Theo Erlangsen finished 38.662 seconds behind the leader in fifth, and Bas Van Steenbergen placed seventh.

Dan Atherton Describes Technical Cypress Mountain Course

The Cypress Mountain course combined natural terrain with man-made features, including vertical drops of up to 10 meters and a final kicker launching riders 30 meters. Co-founder Dan Atherton described the event as the most technical in the world. Atherton, who first rode Mount Seymour trails almost 25 years ago, noted that the North Shore is a “huge mountain bike mecca” and that “Mountain biking on the North Shore is pretty legit.” The construction of the track required extensive coordination with BC Parks to ensure compliance with environmental management plans. Cypress Mountain president Matt Davies noted that the resort has entered a three-year agreement to host the event, with expectations to continue hosting beyond that period. Davies called the Red Bull interest “a bit of serendipity” as the resort prepares to open a new downhill park in 2027. He added, “We’ll do it forever if it’s up to us.”

Athlete Safety and Medical Protocols

The extreme nature of the course resulted in significant physical challenges for competitors. Steve Vanderhoek was sidelined from the finals after sustaining a broken nose and a concussion during practice on Wednesday. Atherton noted, “He’s a tough lad. He got back up,” adding, “He’ll be here and he’ll be rooting for everyone.”

Weather Forecasts Move Finals to Friday

Organizers moved the finals from Saturday to Friday due to unfavorable weather forecasts, a decision that impacted the event schedule. Despite the shift, the competition successfully utilized the resort’s infrastructure, including the Sky Quad chairlift, with riders hitting speeds exceeding 70 kilometers per hour. With a three-year commitment in place, Cypress Mountain is expected to remain a central hub for this event through 2028, offering another chance to those who missed the inaugural competition due to the date change.