2025 Red Bull Rampage

Just listened to the Ride Companion podcast with guest Tom Isted. Was a good round up from the perspective of a 'rookie' in terms of the whole week build up, managing lines etc. 

He did mention that he spoke to the judges about how to improve his score for the next time. The answer: bigger drop. Why? Because the consequences are higher. I found this interesting and frustrating at the same time. He talked about how other riders were super impressed about him tricking off a flat drop, instead of 'the big drop'. So despite something being technically more difficult and impressive to his peers, it's not rewarded because the consequences aren't as high as hitting a big drop. 

For me that highlights just how far gone the judging criteria (let's be honest it's the collective opinion of the judges, not criteria) has become.

Georgia Astle looking back at this year's Rampage:

Harriet also has a good look back:

is it sheer coincidence they both posted rampage edits at the same time and both have black and white head shot profile pictures? err

Emil Johansson just shared a heavy update regarding his recovery from his terrifying Rampage crash 4 months ago. A dislocated hip has turned into a far bigger ordeal, as a torn iliopsoas muscle has complicated things significantly. An attempt was made to reattach the torn muscle (which is the primary hip flexor), but it was ultimately unsuccessful. To make matters worse, there is nerve damage which has led to loss of function in the quads. 10 weeks post surgery, Emil says he is now at a point where he can "walk around without crutches on flat ground relatively OK", but that it has "stopped being about trying to repair what's broken...and become about protecting my ability to live and move long term & play the cards I'm dealt."

Another sobering reminder of the risks involved with an event like Rampage. We wish Emil nothing but the best as he continues his recovery. If anybody can bounce back from dire circumstances, it's this resilient Swede, as he has already proven when he came back from a debilitating autoimmune disease in 2018 to go on to rule the slopestyle world and become the winningest rider in the history of that discipline.

Broke my hip 2nd Nov 2025 - Back on the bike now but definitely not at full tilt. The recovery from a full hip replacement like mine probably quicker, as everything is new. The fine motor skills, balance on uneven surfaces and thiose "oh shit" momeents when you need to drop a foot are my barriers for now. Heal up Emil

Not going to lie, my heart dropped a bit reading that yesterday. Fingers crossed these last steps of reattachment take and he can make as full of a recovery as possible. 

It's easy to take for granted that surgeons can magically make things better, until they suddenly can't. It's crazy to think Emil might have gone from the top of the athletic heap to not being able to walk unassisted. Completely sucks. I hope everything in his hip and leg is able to reconnect and heal itself back to a working state. If there's anyone who can put in the time and think about this process systematically, it's Emil the trick machine. Wishing him the best.

Even with all these issues he’s blessed to have not rolled 10 feet further.

It’s hard not to like Emil.  If he handles this setback with half the class he handled being the top dog he’ll still be an asset to the sport in my eyes.  Wish him the best.