Crankworx 2025: Garbanzo DH

Crankworx Whistler’s 20th anniversary continued under blazing sunshine, with high-octane racing bringing together youth, amateur, adaptive, and elite athletes.

Across multiple disciplines, today’s schedule showcased the breadth of the mountain bike community that Crankworx continues to nurture. 

Garbanzo DH: The Vertical Marathon 
The legendary Garbanzo DH took centre stage, drawing 200 athletes eager to take on one of the most gruelling tests in mountain biking. Known as a “vertical marathon”, the Garbanzo DH sends riders on a 7km descent with a punishing 3,400 feet of vertical drop, demanding stamina, smoothness, and precise strategy. The course weaves through some of Whistler Mountain Bike Park’s most aggressive terrain, making it a true leg-busting tour de force. 

A Golden Debut for Aletha Ostgaard 
In the women’s elite race, American rider Aletha Ostgaard stormed to gold in her first-ever Crankworx Elite race, clocking a winning time of 14:05.149. Three-time champion Georgia Astle claimed silver by a hair’s breadth, while fellow BC rider Emmy Lan took bronze - finishing less than a second behind Astle after over 14 minutes of racing. 

Women’s Podium 
1. Aletha OSTGAARD (USA) – 14:05.149 
2. Georgia ASTLE (CAN) – 14:18.117 
3. Emmy LAN (CAN) – 14:40.434 

Richie Rude Does It Again 
On the men’s side, defending champion Richie Rude proved unstoppable once again, securing the fastest run of the day with a 12:08.870. His Yeti teammate and reigning King of Crankworx, Ryan Gilchrist, followed 13.863 seconds back in silver despite still recovering from a wrist injury sustained at Crankworx Cairns earlier this season. Luke Meier-Smith, fresh off his OG CDN OPN DH victory, rounded out the podium in third place, less than two seconds behind Gilchrist. 

Men’s Podium 
1. Richie RUDE (USA) – 12:08.870 
2. Ryan GILCHRIST (AUS) – 12:22.733 
3. Luke MEIER-SMITH (AUS) – 12:24.283 
 

Future Stars and Adaptive Highlights 
A breakout performance came from 14-year-old Mack Manietta in the U15 category, whose 13:19.857 would have earned a top-20 position among the elite men. 

Adaptive riders also had their moment to shine in the aMTB Tech DH, which joined the Garbanzo course partway down, demonstrating the progression and inclusion of adaptive mountain biking at the festival. Many of these athletes also competed in the Specialized Dual Slalom today, wrapping up this year’s competitive adaptive program. 

What’s Next at Crankworx Whistler 
Tomorrow, attention turns to Air DH on Whistler’s world-famous A-Line - the third of four Downhill races in the festival - before shifting gears for the first cultural highlight of the week: the Deep Summer Photo Challenge at Whistler Olympic Plaza.