Slope Sistair Video

Well, here I am slacking again. I didn't get the WC Final DH results up yet, and I'm in Vegas for Interbike. In case you haven't already read it, Tracy Moseley won the race, but Sabrina Jonnier took the series title. I'll post full results when there's a bit of downtime. In the meantime, check out this Slope Sistair III video courtesy of Katie Hayes and 406 Productions!

Slope Sistair 2009 from 406 Productions on Vimeo.

Slope Sistair Rules The Ranch

If I was updating Freeride Foundation's Facebook status this weekend, the progression would have looked a bit like this:

Freeride Foundation is trying to avoid accidentally finding the peach pit (and possible piece of gum) that Gale failed to throw out of the passenger side window of her car last week.

Freeride Foundation is eating pizza at Pablo's in Grand Junction with the women of Slope Sistair.

Freeride Foundation is freaking out that I may have lost my phone in City Market...but I don't remember taking it into the store....why can't I hear it ring?

Freeride Foundation is at The Ranch! It's a freerider's paradise!

Freeride Foundation found my phone next to a dried out peach pit underneath an atlas, underneath the passenger seat. Ew and hooray!

Freeride Foundation is puckered up riding Pucker Up for the first time on my Trance. Hmmm, perhaps I need a 7in freeride bike after all.

Freeride Foundation is having dinner with the ladies of Slope Sistair and James from Grassroots. Lucky James!

Ok, you get the picture.

To fill in the gaps, The Ranch is quite literally a freerider's paradise located about 9 miles outside of Grand Junction, CO. It's a network of trails, jumps, man-made stunts, and a huge slopestyle course, all within a short push from a fairly civilized cabin (ie, running water, a 6-burner stove, huge fridge, and electricity).

Want to ride some of GJ's finest trails? A short jaunt down a dirt road will get you to The Ribbon, and a short shuttle ride puts you within access of Free Lunch, Pucker Up, Holy Cross, and more. Run by Grassroots Cyclery in Grand Junction, The Ranch was the site of the third installment of Slope Sistair.

Stephanie Nychka (left) founded Slope Sistair as a way to get as many ripping slopestyle girls together as possible for a weekend of riding, progressing, and inspiring. The weekend started with trail rides on The Ribbon and Pucker Up on Friday. On Saturday, pros like Tammy Donahugh and Gale Dahlager coached riders looking to improve their confidence on the dual slalom track and on jumps. There was plenty of time for everyone to session the slopestyle course, wall rides, and other jumps around The Ranch.

Sunday's slopestyle session started with a best trick contest off of a step-up that's separate from the slopestyle course. The slopestyle session was rider-judged, and it was no easy task, as Tammy and Darcy Turenne (below) put on a show that included tricks like no-handers and foot-buzzing x-ups.
After a lengthy jump session and a lunch break, everyone moved over to the slopestyle course. the course starts with a bridge to wood-ramp jump or two sets of doubles. Darcy got creative and tranferred fromt the bridge to the backside of the first double, while Tammy and Katie Hayes dropped the bridge to the wood ramp. After a few runs, those two were able to link up the bridge to the wall ride below. Tammy (below) took it even further by hitting doubles all the way down the course--and absolutely maching!

When it was all said and done, Tammy took home wins in both contests, and walked away with a new frame. She was so inspiring to watch, as she rode with the most confidence and style throughout the weekend. And Katie (right) is definitely one to watch. She couldn't get enough of the fire pit jump in front of the cabin, and she was the only other girl to hit the doubles on the slopestyle course. She has a calculated but aggressive style and a good eye for picking lines and judging her landings. We'll be seeing a lot of her in the future!

Best Trick
1. Tammy Donahugh
2. Darcy Turenne
3. Katie Hayes












Best Trick podium. How we do it at The Ranch.

Slopestyle
1. Tammy Donahugh
2. Katie Hayes
3. Darcy Turenne














Tammy slayed slopestyle.











Gale Dahlager has been to all 3 Slope Sistairs (along with Darcy and SS founder Stephanie).











Neven Steinmetz extends her World Cup 4X skills and busts a move on the wall ride.









Nadia Steinbrecher ramps it up.

Slope Sistair Is Next Weekend!

In less than a week, Grand Junction, CO will play host to the women's freeride festival known as Slope Sistair. This is a 3-day weekend of trail rides, clinics, slalom duals, and a slopestyle contest.

There's super-cheap camping on site, and some of the world's most talented female freeriders will be in attendance (read Darcy Turenne, Stephanie Nycka--who's also Slope Sistair's founder and organizer, Nadia Steinbrecher, Gale Dahlager, Tammy Donahugh and more!).
For more information about the event, visit Slope Sistair's website.

Slope Sistair 2009

It's on! Visit Slopesistair.wordpress.com for more details!

June's Featured Rider: Stephanie Nychka

Stephanie Nychka is one of those riders who’s simply inspiring. She’ll hit jumps and stunts with the same confidence and aggression as the pro guys, and she bounces back from setbacks and injuries a stronger rider than ever. She created and produced the two SlopeSistair women’s slopestyle events in 2005 and 2006, and is in the midst of preparations for the 3rd SlopeSistair, which will be held at The Ranch in Grand Junction, CO on August 28-30, 2009.--FF

Name: Christina Stephanie Danya Nychka
Hometown: Beaverlodge, Alberta
Current Residence: Seattle, WA
Age: 29
Favorite type of riding: Slopestyle, A-Line-ish trails
Why you ride: The progression in this sport is unlike any other I've ever experienced, and being good can happen as easily as you allow it. And it feels good to be good at the sports you love! My development as a rider has been proportional to my love for riding. It makes me smile big.
Sponsors: Transition, Dakine, Five Ten, Skull Candy, Smith Optics, OGIO
Website: StephanieNychka.wordpress.com

I went to university to play volleyball, but ended up living with roommates who rode bikes, which is how I was introduced to riding. I met my fiancé, Joel, while riding during that time. After we were engaged, he began chiropractic school and I moved to Europe to play volleyball professionally. While I was there, he passed away suddenly and I was completely uprooted. The only thing I knew to do was finish what we began together, so I transferred to the chiropractic college he had attended in Minneapolis. There was nowhere to ride though--bikes or boards--and I needed that release. I moved to Whistler and took 8 months off of school to ride bikes and to organize SlopeSistair.

It was during that break that I knew I wanted to be a chiropractor for the right reasons—for myself, and because I love being able to give back to sports and athletes. Since I graduated, I’ve become involved events around Seattle, and have been traveling a lot to work with athletes—and firefighters, policemen, and other professionals. I love my job!

I raced bikes for a couple of years starting in 2000. I rode for PinkBike.com, and even though I didn't like the intensity and pressure very much, I did fairly well, finishing 2nd overall in the 2002 Canada Cup series. I wasn't a smooth rider, but I wasn't scared of much. Prioritizing my skills has definitely changed a bit since!

I gravitated towards slopestyle because it was a combination of so many other disciplines: speed control, fluidity, style, yet it was unique for its absence of a clock. I love the challenge and adrenaline and risk that goes into hitting big jumps and drops. I prefer Boneyard-style jumps and drops—the one-hit, choose-your-own-adventure trails. Your personality and riding style are mirrored in your flow and feature preferences, no two riders ever look the same.

I think the most important riding skill is so basic—and something I didn’t learn how to do until two years ago. One of my favorite people to ride with taught me how to work the trail, how to pump the terrain and use the bike’s suspension. It looked sexy when he did it, and it made me feel sexy once I learned how to do it! I still have a ways to go and its something I probably should have learned first, but better now than never, right?

I’m a more confident rider now, and I know it’s a skill that will transfer to every aspect of riding whether it be dirt jumping, xc, slopestyle or downhill. Whistler`s Crank It Up trail is a fantastic place to practice. Bottom line: Go back to the basics--BMX & pumptracks are the best places to learn how to handle a bike.

Ranchstyle Results

The Grassroots Cycles Ranchstyle contests were held at The Ranch in Grand Junction on April 25-26. There were clinics, rides, a dual slalom race, and a slopestyle contest. Jackie Harmony won the dual slalom, and we have insider information that tells us that Tammy Donahugh slayed the slopestyle course.

Dual Slalom
1. Jackie Harmony
2. Tammy Donahugh
3. Bobbi Kae Watt
4. Nadia Steinbrecher
5. Erin Borg
6. Marissa Doss
7. Sara Landis
8. Katy Monger

For more information, visit Grassroots-Cycles.com.