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Asa Vermette and Gracey Hemstreet rule Red Bull Hardline British Columbia
Cypress Mountain hosted the first-ever Red Bull Hardline British Columbia, where Asa Vermette and Gracey Hemstreet stole the show with landmark wins.
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Red Bull Hardline landed in Canada for the first time ever on October 16, 2026, as 31 of the world's best downhill mountain bike riders came together on Cypress Mountain to compete on one of the toughest courses in the sport.
As more than 10,000 spectators watched on, athletes from nine countries tackled massive jumps, technical rock features and steep descents. In the men's category, American Asa Vermette stormed to his third Red Bull Hardline win in a row with a time of 3m 30.061s, becoming the first rider ever to win at each venue: Wales, Tasmania, and now British Columbia.
On the women’s side, BC native Gracey Hemstreet made history of her own, becoming the first-ever women’s winner of Red Bull Hardline British Columbia with a time of 5m 32.027s, adding to the three Hardline victories she already has from Tasmania.
Three in a row – Asa Vermette celebrates his historic win
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
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History in the making at Red Bull Hardline British Columbia 2026
After days of preparation and practice sessions, riders faced the ultimate challenge as race day arrived in British Columbia a day earlier than expected. With inclement weather in the forecast, the decision was made to move the event forward by a day to take place on Friday, October 16 instead of the originally scheduled Saturday.
Beautiful conditions, relentless terrain and no room for error, every section of the course demanded complete commitment from start to finish and delivered its fair share of drama, rewarding clean runs while reminding competitors just how difficult Red Bull Hardline can be.
Over 10,000 fans turned out to watch the action
© Tyler Ravelle/Red Bull Content Pool
The fans were so crazy all day, even with the schedule change they all made it out. Canada always delivers
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How Asa Vermette conquered British Columbia
Dropping in sixth of 23 riders, Vermette laid down a blistering run of 3m 30.061s that nobody could beat. Early leader Lachlan Stevens-McNab had set the pace with a time of 3m 32.681s, but Vermette raised the bar with a near-flawless display of speed and precision on the demanding Cypress Mountain course.
Asa Vermette charges down the Cypress Mountain course
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
The drama continued right to the end. Bernard Kerr was on course for a podium finish before stumbling near the bottom, while local hero and world champion Jackson Goldstone was the last rider to drop. Fastest in seeding, Goldstone was flying through the upper sections and ahead of Vermette's splits before crashing in a technical section, sealing the American's historic victory.
"It's a physical, long track and I was so happy to put down a good run after my crash yesterday. To put one down, it felt nice, so I'm stoked," said Vermette.
Stevens-McNab finished second, just 2.620 seconds behind Vermette, with fellow New Zealander Oli Clark completing the podium in 3m 32.801s, just 0.120 seconds further back.
Other notable performances came from up-and-coming Canadian talents hailing from the sea to sky region, with Pemberton’s Tegan Cruz taking fourth (3m 34.596s), Vancouver’s Michael Delesalle in fifth (3m 36.422s), and Squamish’s Dane Jewett in sixth (3m 37.987s).
To round out the celebratory moments, South African rider Theo Erlangsen took home the Rider of the Week Award.
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Gracey Hemstreet seals another Hardline victory on home soil
The women’s competition delivered one of the defining stories of the weekend as Gracey Hemstreet claimed victory on home soil, earning a landmark win in front of family, friends and Canadian fans in her home province of British Columbia.
Already established as one of the sport’s brightest talents, Hemstreet rose to the occasion with a composed, confident performance on one of mountain biking’s toughest stages.
Gracey Hemstreet added another Hardline title to her growing collection
© Tyler Ravelle/Red Bull Content Pool
This was the gnarliest course I've ever ridden
Navigating the course’s biggest features and most technical sections with trademark speed and precision, Hemstreet secured the top step of the podium while adding another historic achievement to her growing resume.
"This was the gnarliest course I’ve ridden and I was very out of my comfort zone on it, which is a cool feeling because I never get that," Hemstreet said after the race.
The victory marked her fourth Red Bull Hardline win overall, with three Tasmania victories, making her the first woman to win two different Red Bull Hardline events and further cementing her place among the sport’s most accomplished riders. For a rider who grew up in British Columbia and has become one of Canadian mountain biking's leading figures, the result carried extra significance.
Celebrated by a passionate home crowd, Hemstreet's victory was not only a personal milestone but also a fitting moment for a week that highlighted the continued progression of women's mountain biking on one of the sport's biggest stages.
Champagne celebrations for the BC winners
© Bartek Wolinski/Red Bull Content Pool
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The British Columbia course that tested the world's best
Cypress Mountain provided the ultimate downhill challenge
© Tyler Ravelle/Red Bull Content Pool
The brand-new course on Cypress Mountain was designed by Gee Atherton and Dan Atherton, the creators of Red Bull Hardline, and brought to life by head builder Justin Wyper and his crew. Local riders, Jackson Goldstone among them, helped scout the site and one of its signature features was the lily pad, which leads into the final third and involves a 30m gap. Overall, the course dropped 543m across roughly two kilometres.
Watch the Red Bull Hardline British Columbia replay
Missed the action from Red Bull Hardline British Columbia? Relive all the drama, incredible runs and historic victories from Cypress Mountain on Red Bull TV.
Red Bull Hardline British Columbia 2026 livestream
The world’s toughest MTB race pushes riders to their absolute limits on the most extreme, unforgiving terrain.
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