Red Bull Hardline has never been a downhill mountain biking event for the faint-hearted. Its latest chapter, staged at Cypress Mountain in British Columbia, Canada, brought that reputation to a new continent, with American rider Asa Vermette and Canadian favourite Gracey Hemstreet emerging as the headline winners of the event’s inaugural Canadian edition.
The course demanded more than raw speed. Riders had to balance commitment with precision across steep terrain, technical sections and massive freeride features, including a signature 30-metre gap. By the time the dust settled, Vermette had completed a remarkable sweep of all three Red Bull Hardline locations, while Hemstreet celebrated a milestone victory in front of a home crowd.
Cypress Mountain Delivers a New Kind of Hardline Challenge
Canada became the third destination to host Red Bull Hardline, joining Wales and Tasmania on a calendar known for pushing downhill mountain biking towards its limits.
The choice of Cypress Mountain was significant. Located on Vancouver’s North Shore, the region is widely recognised as one of the birthplaces of freeride mountain biking, making it a natural setting for an event built around technical difficulty and spectacular features.
Designed by Red Bull Hardline founders Gee and Dan Atherton, with head builder Justin Wyper and his crew leading construction, the course dropped 543 metres over approximately two kilometres. Local riders, including Jackson Goldstone, also helped scout the site.
One of the defining obstacles was the lily pad, featuring a 30-metre gap into the final third of the track. Features of this scale leave little room for hesitation. Riders must manage speed, choose their lines carefully and commit to their trajectory, all while maintaining enough control to handle the technical terrain that follows.
Twenty-eight riders took on the challenge, with the Canadian debut extending Hardline’s reach into one of mountain biking’s most established communities.
Asa Vermette Completes the Ultimate Hardline Sweep
Vermette delivered the decisive run of the men’s competition, stopping the clock at 3:30.061 to secure victory by 2.620 seconds over New Zealand‘s Lachlan Stevens-McNab, who finished in 3:32.681. Fellow New Zealander Oli Clark claimed third in 3:32.801, just 0.120 seconds behind his compatriot.
The result put Vermette in a category of his own. Following victories in Wales in 2025 and Tasmania in 2026, the American became the first rider to win at all three Red Bull Hardline locations.
For someone who grew up watching the event, the achievement carried a significance beyond the stopwatch.
“I grew up watching it, as a kid I watched every single one, and now winning all three is just crazy,” .
Vermette said, reflecting on his historic result
He also described the victory as a fitting end to the season, highlighting the remarkable run of success behind his third Hardline win.
The result underlined his ability to adapt to different courses while delivering when the stakes are highest. Winning once at Hardline is an achievement. Conquering three distinct venues takes a different level of consistency, technical confidence and commitment.
Gracey Hemstreet Makes Home Soil Count
Hemstreet delivered another landmark moment, becoming the first woman to win at two different Red Bull Hardline locations.
Her British Columbia triumph added to three victories in Tasmania, taking her total to four Hardline wins. Wales remains the only location where she has yet to claim victory.
The Canadian’s success also gave the inaugural event a powerful homegrown storyline, with the local crowd adding to the atmosphere.
“It’s so special winning here; the crowd is amazing, so cool to be close to home,” .
Hemstreet said
Her achievement reinforces her position as one of the standout competitors in women’s downhill and freeride racing. Winning at home, on a demanding new course, added another layer to an already impressive record.
Jackson Goldstone’s Podium Charge Ends in a Crash
Local favourite Jackson Goldstone looked capable of challenging for the podium after recording the fastest seeding time. Starting last, the Canadian had built a 1.7-second advantage at the second split before a minor crash derailed his run.
He eventually crossed the line in 4:56.921, finishing 15th in the listed men’s standings.
It was a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change at Hardline. A rider can build a commanding advantage through the opening sections, but one mistake can erase the work completed across the rest of the course.
South Africa’s Theo Erlangsen Finishes Inside the Top 10
South African downhill fans also had a result to follow, with Theo Erlangsen finishing 10th in the men’s standings in 4:08.723, 38.662 seconds behind Vermette.
The result placed the South African inside a competitive top 10 at an event where simply navigating the course cleanly was a significant challenge.
For South Africa‘s action sports community, Erlangsen’s performance offers a local connection to a global event that continues to test the boundaries of downhill racing.
Red Bull Hardline British Columbia has now established a new chapter in the series’ history. Vermette leaves Canada with a historic three-location sweep, Hemstreet adds another milestone to her record, and Cypress Mountain has introduced a fresh challenge to one of mountain biking’s most demanding competitions.
The message is clear: at Hardline, speed matters, but precision, commitment and the ability to stay composed under pressure can make the difference between a historic win and a run-ending mistake.
