20 YEARS AGO: KYLE STRAIT WINS THE 2004 RED BULL RAMPAGE
A look back at the fourth running of the Red Bull Rampage, held 20 years ago
THE RED BULL RAMPAGE GOES OUT WITH A BIG BANG |
| Big-Drop Freeriding’s most famous party is four years old R. Cunningham Photos By John Ker November 10, 2004  Virgin, Utah, is tucked into the red-rock canyons near the famous Zion National Park. Once a year, Red Bull (the world’s second most most popular stimulant drink), invites freeriders and two-wheeled daredevils to leap off of the neighboring cliffs in an effort to gain international recognition and win a few bucks. Reportedly, this is the fourth and last Red Bull Rampage to be held in Virgin. It will be missed.  Matty Hunter The Rampage is a no-wimps affair, where thirty-foot drops are passé unless the rider can throw down a few moves on the way down. The rules are simple: choose any route down the sandstone tables and cliffs, then go out and dig up a few kickers to earn some style points, and then dive off the edge in a manner that will impress Red Bull’s judges. Last year, Cedric Gracia landed the winning move. This year the French downhill superstar crashed his brains out, and it was 17-year-old Kyle Strait who wowed the photographers in attendance.  Kyle Strait Kyle’s monster 70-foot flight from the rim of the canyon gapped over to a doubtful transition and that alone was probably enough to win, but the fact that he pulled off a No-Hander on the way was the stuff that legends are made of. Josh Bender held true to his name. The most courageous big-drop freerider on the planet went huge and missed almost every landing. His topper was a botched fifty-foot gap and subsequent inverted landing that Josh walked away from–talk about Gumby! Cameron Zink did the same trick without his bike. Zink also walked away from the ultimate “spider man.” Englishman Gee Atherton took second-place honors by pulling off some impressive lines, while keeping his air time within the realm of the possible. Atherton’s consistency kept him out of reach of the risk takers. The guys who were willing to go huge and ignore physics invariably were treated to a free lesson in cause and effect. The Red Bull Rampage, however is all about the agony of defeat. However unspoken, the prospect of watching a relatively good bike handler take a precipitous fall is the reason that two thirds of the fans in attendance were photographers.
The Rampage paid fifteen grand in prize money to the top finishers on this list. Are you listening NORBA? Freeriding is more fun and, evidently, it pays better.
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