Scroll through Darkfest coverage this week and you might think it’s all brakeless BMX sends, footage of the Falcon jump and that massive 110-footer.
But somewhere between the algorithm and a cluster of YouTubers chasing clips, another story has been harder to find.
The women. They’re sending it.
Quiet progression on the biggest stage
At the Hellsend Dirt Compound at Vuurberg Wine Farm, the 10-year anniversary edition of Darkfest has once again drawn the world’s best freeriders to one of the most intimidating courses ever built.
The jumps are as big as ever. The consequences haven’t changed. And neither has the progression.
Femal riders like Vero Sandler, Chelsea Kimball, Cami Nogueira, Robin Goomes and Natasha Bradley have been steadily checking off features. And Canadians like Lucy Vaneesteren and Vaea Verbeeck have been building on the momentum first seen here in 2022, when women began properly stepping into the biggest lines ever.
A different kind of spotlight
The men’s side of the event is, at times, a content machine. Riders like Sam Reynolds and Matt Jones are not just athletes, they are full-time creators. Cameras are everywhere. Edits are inevitable.
Is there such a thing as too much exposure?
Maybe. Because while the feeds are saturated with clips, the women’s side of Darkfest feels understated by comparison. Less documented. Less amplified.
But not less significant.
Last day, live and unfiltered
Darkfest runs from March 14 to 21, with riders sessioning the course all week. Learning one feature after another hoping for clean tob-to-bottom runs.
Today is the only public access day, when fans can see the scale of the course in person.
The edits are coming
In the days and weeks ahead, the internet will catch up.
The YouTube edits will drop. The slow-motion replays will circulate. The biggest hits will get their moment.
And hopefully, so will the full picture.
Because beyond the viral clips and headline tricks, Darkfest is still about progression.
And right now, that progression includes a group of women redefining what’s possible on some of the biggest jumps in the world.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…