NW Cup 2025 Round 4: Whitefish, MT

Patrik Zuest, photographer for the NW Cup, shares his stories and images from a great weekend of #USDH racing.

After an exciting weekend of racing in Tamarack, Idaho, the NW Cup caravan rolled north and landed in Whitefish, Montana, where racers were greeted with open arms, a race-specific lift line, and a DH course that delivered in every way. From start to finish, the weekend brought fantastic weather, dialed trails, and that unmistakable NW Cup community energy.

Whitefish Mountain Resort pulled out all the stops, with fresh trail work that riders couldn’t stop talking about—new berms, updated turns, playful jumps, and that signature blend of technical and fast. Add to that a perfectly timed mix of moisture and mild temps, and conditions were about as good as they get. The trails were running fast, the dirt held its line, and even the photographers were happy with the lack of dust.

Throughout the weekend, the vibe in the pits was strong. Riders, families, and crews came together to enjoy not just the racing, but the setting—big views, friendly locals, and a mountain that knows how to host a race.

When Sunday’s finals rolled around, it was Taylor Ostgaard who stood on top of the Pro Women’s podium with another strong performance, while Tor Weiland laid down a fast, composed run to take the win in Pro Men.

With two weekends down and momentum building, this year’s NW Cup summer tour is shaping up to be one for the books. Next stop: on the road again, chasing more great racing and good times.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-1112 — Ethan Eskelin pulling for the new rock section that replaced the old wooden bridge.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-1693 — Teren Gerber with a solid 7th place in pro men.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-1764 — That moisture bringing some amazing dirt.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-2180 — Alexander Blanar floating his way to 3rd in Pro Men on the new fresh cut loam section.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-2473 — Elliott Klein also loving the fresh loam onto a solid 3rd in Cat 2 13-14.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-2714 — Orion Lund with a little style off the wooden drops.

randr-photo-16124173.jpg?VersionId=0dWwtEuEMgWBQCeGmKmkWFHkxuTi — Tor Weiland taking the win in Pro Men.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-4874 — Madailein Doyle taking the win in Cat 3 11-14.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-3864 — Jarek Zecher hovering through the rough stuff on his way to winning Cat 2 19-29.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-4983.jpg?VersionId=OXczrQkongPsjjWqGZeg5 — Iron Mayo getting some coaching by the infamous Kat Sweet and checking race lines.

NWCup4-SAT-62825-Zuest-0345 — Millicent Zimmerman working hard at dropping her dad while winning Cat 3 10U.

NWCup4-SAT-62825-Zuest-0985 — Parker Grill second in Cat 3 8-10.

NWCup4-SAT-62825-Zuest-1391 — Ruhaan Chawla sending the stump gap in the lower roots section.

NWCup4-SAT-62825-Zuest-0819 — Elon Gromyko and Kaiden Silva rocking the Grom train scoping each other lines on their way to 1st and 2nd in Cat 3 7U.

NWCup4-SAT-62825-Zuest-2826 — Wyatt Beers with the style.

NWCup4-SAT-62825-Zuest-4666 — Teo Gray nosing it into the rock berm for a solid 3rd in Cat 1 16U.

NWCup4-SUN-62925-Zuest-3661.jpg?VersionId=mnmhb — Ivan Van Kriedt eyes forward floating the roots and stumps.

NWCup4-SAT-62825-Zuest-4507.jpg?VersionId=e4lLxyWsEhaXKSZWyz9STIr6kx7lZ — Wyatt Parson perfectly setup for the rock berm.

NWCup4-SUN-62925-Zuest-2346.jpg?VersionId=TF5Lvrykz — Miles Dowling loving the new rock garden. 1st in Cat 2 13-14.

NWCup4-SUN-62925-Zuest-3273 — Brad Delzer narrowly missing the pads with that tucked elbow. Taking the win in Cat 1 50+

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-1251 — Porsha Stockton taking her enduro bike to 5th in Pro Women.

NWCup4-Fri-62725-Zuest-4692 — Dylan Raynak loving the track. 4th in Cat 2 12U.

A huge thank you to our DHaRCO Race Rangers for helping keep things safe and running smoothly out on the course. This new program, introduced this year, adds extra eyes on the trail to help manage the schedule, keep riders moving safely, and be a helpful resource for any racer questions. Big thanks to DHaRCO for partnering with us and outfitting the crew in standout uniforms!