Crankworx Whistler 2014 | Joyride Course Preview
A chilled run from Semenuk down the Joyride course
The Freeride Mountain Bike World Tour is the official international circuit of professional freeride competitions in the Dirt Jump, Big Air, Slopestyle and Big Mountain disciplines. It sanctions events in four different categories – Diamond, Gold, Silver and Bronze – with Diamond events making up the FMB Diamond Series, the results of which determine the FMB World Champion.
The World Tour was first contested in 2010, when the series visited events including Vienna Air King, 26TRIX, Claymore Challenge and Crankworx Colorado. Following a win at the year-ending Red Bull Rampage, American Cameron Zink moved ahead of Brandon Semenuk in the overall standings and was named the first-ever FMB World Tour champion.
Zink performed well again the following year, with a victory at Chatel Mountain and a runner-up spot at Joyride, but was unable to stop Semenuk taking the title. Semenuk defended his title in 2012, with wins at Crankworx Les 2 Alpes and the Bearclaw Invitational, among others. In 2013, Brit Sam Pilgrim become the first European athlete to win the tour, showing supreme professionalism and consistency all year.
In 2014, the Diamond Series was established, comprised of the five biggest events of the year – Crankworx Les 2 Alpes, Red Bull Joyride at Crankworx Whistler, Bearclaw Invitational, Red Bull District Ride, and Red Bull Rampage. Organisers also announced that good performances at Gold and Silver events would secure riders an invitation to the Diamond Series, while Bronze events would continue to be the main competition ground for the FMB Amateur Cup.
