Words: Brian Park
Photos: Jack Tennyson & Tom Richards
Of all the things we did in 2022, the 4000+ stories we published and countless events we attended, the thing I’m most proud of is Pinkbike Racing.
Going racing is brutally expensive, and the upper echelons of our sport have become inaccessible to all but the most privileged racers. There’s still little support for juniors and lower ranked riders, and racing a full season requires enormous resources.
But, thanks to Outside’s significant investment and the support of several key sponsors (thank you!) we launched Pinkbike Racing last year as a talent incubator for young riders based on their race pace and work ethic, rather than how deep their (parents’) pockets are. We don’t want only the most affluent to compete in World Cup racing, so we set out to help juniors and riders on the bubble that need support to break through and build a foundation for sustainable racing careers.
We also took the opportunity to go behind the curtain of World Cup racing with a video series, to share the struggles and successes as they race at the sport’s highest level, and to break through in the public eye. If you haven’t seen how Season 1 went, I won’t spoil it for you but go and get caught up here!
Today I’m proud to announce that we are back for Season 2 from the 2023 UCI World Cup downhill season. We’re again providing the team with wages, full race support, top quality race bikes, and covering their World Cup racing expenses so they can focus on what happens between the tape.
So, without any further ado, let’s meet the team.
Age: 35
Hometown: Pitlochry, Scotland
Instagram: @ben_cathro
Ben ‘Team Dad’ Cathro should need no introduction. He’ll continue in his role as the team’s leader and performance coach, and will be using his technical knowledge and World Cup experience to help the rest of the team achieve their goals.
Alongside that, he’ll be producing his usual mix of content for Pinkbike. And after his stellar form last year that included a 26th place at Fort William, he’ll be racing a few World Cups himself to show the kids how it’s done.
Age: 17
Hometown: Inverness, Scotland
Instagram: @aimi__kenyon
Returning for 2023, Aimi is in her final year of Juniors this year. She had impressive results in 2022, taking 3rd in Fort William and 2nd in Snowshoe, and in 2023 she’s looking to build on those results.
That said, she’s recovering from a concussion, and will have to regroup before she gets back to working towards the top step.
Age: 25
Hometown: Clermont Ferrand, France
Instagram: @tibolaly
A last-minute addition in 2022, Thibault quickly proved himself with solid results, and capped off his season with a wild run at Red Bull Hardline. He also led by example and became a critical part of the younger riders’ support systems.
This year he’ll be increasing the leadership side of his role within the team, but he’s still got his sights set on an Elite Top 20 result.
Age: 16
Hometown: North Vancouver, BC
Instagram: @wyatt._.harrington
Wyatt Harrington is the newest member of the team. Hailing from North Vancouver, BC, he’s the 2022 U17 Canada Cup and BC Cup Overall Champion.
Ben sifted through hundreds of young racers’ results, and many many interviews, and came away impressed with both Wyatt’s attitude and his pace. He’s got a lot of raw potential, and we’re excited to see him tackle the big show.
Extended Family
Pinkbike Racing is about lifting up as many young racers as we can. You’ll see us supporting a young Santa-Cruz affiliated team from France as well this season. And although Jackson Connelly isn’t officially on the team for 2023, he’s still part of the PBR family and we’ll be doing what we can to help him in his 2023 campaign.
Pinkbike Racing Season 2 will be a five episode series made by the same talented team that did Season 1, releasing once a week for five weeks after the end of the season. We’ll also be doing regular video diaries during the season to keep everyone up to speed.
The entire series will be available for free on Pinkbike via Outside Watch and YouTube.
And while I’m announcing things, the third season of How To Bike is in production now and features the Pinkbike Racing Team, so stay tuned for that.
We were incredibly fortunate last year to have strong supporters who believed in the team’s mission from the start. A team that isn’t focused only on getting the most results for the least money is a rare thing in this sport, and we couldn’t have made this project work without partners who get it.
I’m happy to announce that for 2023 almost all of our partners have returned, in addition to some new ones. We’re incredibly grateful to these sponsors who have embraced this project and the goal of the team. Pinkbike Racing’s 2023 partners are:
Santa Cruz – Frames
Five Ten – Shoes
Shimano – Drivetrain & brakes
DHaRCO – Custom kits
iXS – Helmets, protection, & goggles
Deity – Cockpit & saddle
Reserve – Wheels
Manitou – Suspension
Cushcore – Tire inserts
Stan’s NoTubes – Sealant
Outside – Support
Most teams understandably want to maximize results and minimize cost, so they want to keep their younger riders as long as possible to reap the benefits of their investments. Because of how Pinkbike Racing is set up, we can approach sports marketing differently—we need to set Wyatt up for success going into his second year in Juniors, we need to see how Thibault’s career evolves in a team leadership position, and we want to find Aimi the right factory team for 2024.
My personal goals for this season are for the experience to set each rider up for stronger careers in the sport, and that the global mountain bike community can come along for the ride.
Last year we massively appreciated all the support from the fans and audience. You bought a ton of team replica race kits, and lots of you have reached out to ask how you can help. There are still some women’s kits available, and we’ll look at doing another run of clothes (and maybe t-shirts?) this year, with proceeds going to the team again. I can’t thank you all enough!