Hard MTB League Women’s Qualifier Recap
Words by Mia de Paula
I still remember the phone call I got from Braydon in August of 2024, when he first told me about Hard MTB League. I didn’t even hesitate for a second because I was all in. Not just because it was Braydon Bringhurst, someone I admire deeply as both a friend and an athlete, but because of what he was building. A new kind of mountain bike competition. One that recognized the full spectrum of what it means to be a complete rider: to climb, descend, corner, jump and think under pressure. A league designed with the athletes’ best interests in mind. Providing them with the best resources for mindset, nutrition, and coaching.
More importantly, it’s a space that included women from the very beginning. Where women weren’t an afterthought, or a side category, but an equal part of the vision. A place where progression, equity, and opportunity weren’t buzzwords but the foundation. It’s a league where women would have the same stages, the same spotlight, the same opportunity to progress.
From that moment, I knew I wanted to be part of this. I wanted to show up, to support, to ride, and to help build something that could change the landscape for women in competitive mountain biking.
If you’ve been following this journey with Hard MTB League, you might’ve read the earlier pieces I wrote about the format and what it means for women in the sport — I’ll link those here for anyone who wants the full backstory.
Stepping Into a Week That Felt Bigger Than Riding
The women had already been on the course since Monday, but I didn’t roll in until Tuesday evening. Even arriving late, I could feel the energy the moment I stepped out of the car. It was a mix of nerves, focus, and quiet determination that comes when women are given real space to train.
For two full days, the course belonged to them. No guys yet. Just twelve women learning the lines, figuring out timing, and getting comfortable with the four Hard MTB League stages: Technical Rhythm, Raw Slalom, Downhill Gnar, and Technical Climb. Short, intense, sub‑30‑second efforts that demand precision.
Walking up to the course and seeing only women riding — some seasoned, some as young as 14 — hit me in a way I didn’t expect. It felt exciting and important. It felt like the sport was finally catching up to what women have been capable of all along.
Most of the riders were on trail bikes and a few on enduro setups. While the bike choice mattered, (since they can only use 1 bike for all stages) the mindset mattered more.
Through all of it, Braydon was there as a mentor in the truest sense. He spent time with each rider, helping them understand timing, line choice, body position, and how to progress in each stage. It’s clear how much he cares about their progression, not just for the competition ahead but for their long‑term growth as riders.
This was a week of progression, mentorship, and women showing exactly what happens when we give the space and the belief to rise.
The Women Who Showed Up
What struck me most this week was the women themselves. Twelve riders, all showing up with different backgrounds, strengths, and reasons for being here. Some were seasoned, confident, methodical national champions. Others were teenagers stepping into Hard MTB League for the first time, riding with that mix of fearlessness and curiosity that only comes with being 14, 15, and 19.
What tied everyone together was the same thing: they showed up ready to work. The willingness to do something ten times just to understand one corner. The way everyone stayed focused even when they were tired or frustrated.
These riders showed up without ego or posturing. No one trying to be the loudest voice or the toughest rider. Just riders who genuinely wanted to learn, progress, and support each other. You could feel it in the way they sessioned lines together, the way they asked questions, the way they celebrated each other’s breakthroughs. It was honest, and grounded.
The talent level from day one was unreal! Every single woman brought something different: power, finesse, timing, grit, creativity, calm under pressure. Watching them ride made it clear that the future of this league isn’t just strong…..it is already here.
Meet the 12 riders:
- Kailey Skelton- is a top‑level American downhill racer known for her power, consistency, calm under pressure, and multiple national‑level wins. @kailey_skelton
- Maddie Lloyd, a driven young Aussie rider whose progression earned her the Ignite x Caroline Buchanan scholarship, and she showed up this week with grit, focus, heart, and speed. @mads.lloyd
- Ffion Pickstock, from Wales, a fearless, playful riding style that blends skill with creativity, making her one of the most exciting emerging riders to watch. @mtb_ffi
- Taylor Ostgaard, a junior world champion who rides with a calm, composed intensity, pairing smooth technique with a quiet determination that shows up when it matters most. @taylorostgaard
- Sophie Allen, strong, consistent rider whose steady progression and clean lines reflect both discipline and a deep love for the sport. @sophhieeallen
- Olivia Silva, young rider with standout bike handling and a natural feel for speed, already showing the kind of potential that turns heads. Another fearless rider who can jump, and whip! @oliviasilva08
- Mayumi Wakefield, brings a mix of power and precision to every run, riding with a confidence that comes from both skill and serious work ethic. And the whip off chamption! @mayumi.wakefield
- April Zastrow, a former WMX pro turned MTB rider and designer whose experience and creativity continue to shape women’s riding culture. @aprilzastrow11
- Jordy Scott, the queen of Crankworx is a powerhouse multi‑discipline athlete whose BMX, pumptrack, and freeride background shows up in her explosive speed, precision, and total control on the bike. @jamminjordy
- Alyana Van Horn, a rising downhill racer with raw speed and a fierce competitive drive, already making her mark on the national scene. Fearless on the jumps and whip offs. @aly.mtb
- Amy Shenton, a freeride rider known for her style, mentorship, and incredible progression @amyshent0n
- Mckenna Merten a national champion who is powerful, technically skilled rider whose smooth style and steady confidence make her a standout every time she drops in. @mckenna_merten
"I'm pumped and ready to go- This track is challenging, and it's been a great week, but now that seeding is over, the giters are gone, and i'm ready for the qualifiers"
The Injuries — The Hard Part of Hard MTB
One thing about Hard MTB League that becomes obvious fast: the margin for error is small. The stages demanded precision, and when you are pushing to find speed, things happen fast.
The injuries started to stack up — not because anyone was being reckless, but because the riding is genuinely hard. Technical Rhythm and Downhill Gnar especially required exact timing, and when you miss by an inch, the consequences show up quickly.
Even with the crashes, the riders met each one with this quiet mix of frustration and determination. This course is brutal, and no one was immune (man or woman) to how much it tested you physically and mentally. Some riders called it for the day. Some tried again the next morning even though they were clearly hurting.
It was a reminder to all of us that progression is not clean, or predictable.
It also showed something else: how they checked in on each other, shared lines, and kept the energy steady.
By the 3rd day, a few riders were resting so they could come back for seeding on Friday. Jordy took a couple hard slams, Mckenna took a fall on the DH, April, Mayumi, and Fi succumbed to the uneven logs on the raw slalom. Most, if not all, slid out on the kitty litter.
By design, Hard MTB League asks a lot of you. This was the part of the week that showed exactly how much.
The Final Qualifier Runs — The Top Three of the Weekend
Saturday’s qualifying day had a different energy. The nerves were loud, but the focus was sharp. With Hard MTB League you are doing it all on one bike. No downhill rig for the gnar, no lightweight setup for the climb. Just you, your bike, and whatever you can make happen in that moment. Riders can choose either an e‑bike or analog, but whichever one they pick, they’re committed to it for every stage.
As the riders line up for their first runs you could see the work from the week settling in. The athletes were focused on their timing, visualization of the lines, the tiny suspension adjustments, body positioning. All the small things that only come from five days of repetition. Some riders looked calm. Some looked determined. But all of them looked ready.
The final runs were not the championship, but they were the last chance to secure a spot in the October finals.
Every rider showed what she was capable of. Maddie, at just 14 ripping, the DH and coming in hot behind national champ Kailey Skelton, to Alyana, Olivia, and Mayumi reaching heights of over 20 feet in the whip off competition. Fi, overcoming training on a different bike for the first few days, to Jordy getting injured early on and pushing thru.
In the end, it was the defending champ, Kailey Skelton, who placed 1st on all 4 categories and took home the 1st place of the qualifiers.
If there is one thing this weekend made clear, it is that every woman here earned her place.The ones who qualified, the ones who crashed, the ones who had to sit out. They showed up, put in the work, and left their mark on this course. Each and every one of them.
Watching their riding sharpen on the final qualifier day was incredible. It was more intentional. The same sections that felt chaotic earlier in the week suddenly had rhythm. The same features that caused hesitation now looked like opportunities. It was progression in real time. The kind that only shows up after a week of trying, adjusting, and finally trusting yourself enough to commit.
By the end of day, the top three had earned their spots with riding that was clean, confident, and fully committed.
Final standings:
#1 Kailey Skelton, #2 Maddie Lloyd, #3 Ffion Pickstock, #4 Taylor Ostgaard, #5 Sophie Allen, #6 Olivia Silva, #7 Mayumi Wakefield, #8 April Zastrow.
"I gave myself the time to settle down if I needed to, not over do it, most importantly, if im' having fun i'm going to be in it, and this event is a blast pushing us to our maximum"
The Aftermath
When the last run wrapped and the pressure lifted, the whole vibe shifted. The intensity of the day melted into relief, pride, and that quiet “holy s***, we actually did that” energy.
What stood out most was how everyone stayed connected, even the riders who could not race because of injuries. They were not on the sidelines, they were right there, cheering, supporting, celebrating. Their presence mattered. Their riding earlier in the week mattered. The work they put in before their bodies said “not today” mattered. They proved their riding mattered just as much as anyone who made it through.
There were hugs, long conversations, shared snacks, swapped stories, and that kind of tired laughter that only comes after a week of pushing yourself past what you thought you could do. It was a group of women who stayed connected, even when the week got hard.
This qualifier is not the end, it is the beginning of something bigger, something that is going to follow all of them into October and beyond. And I’m excited to see who will make it via the wild card spots.
Why This Matters for Women
All week, I kept coming back to the same thought: women belong in this space. Not in a symbolic way, not because someone made room for them — but because they showed up and proved it. Every woman here earned her place.
Watching them push through fear, frustration, breakthroughs, and pure grit, I felt a deep pride. I was genuinely in awe of how they carried themselves, how they supported each other, how they rode with intention even when their bodies were tired and their confidence was shaky. They claimed space, not just filled a roster. And they did it with so much heart.
What Hard MTB League is building matters. It gives women a place to ride hard, to fail safely, to progress publicly, to be seen fully and to get paid equally. It gives them a format that demands skill, strength, and strategy. They’re meeting that demand with everything they have.
Watching them this week made it clear: Women are not waiting for permission to be here. They already are.
They are already progressing and proving it, run after run.
And I’m so incredibly proud of them.
How to Apply for next year
If you are reading this and thinking, I want to try this, you should. Hard MTB League is not looking for perfection, rather, they’re looking for riders who want to learn, progress, and push themselves in a supportive environment.
Applications for the next qualifier open later this year. Head over to www.Hardmtbleague.com to apply. The process is straightforward: fill out the form, share a bit about your riding background, and explain why you want to be part of the league. They’re not judging you on podiums or race resumes, they’re looking for commitment, curiosity, and the willingness to show up for yourself and the community.
This week made it clear there is room here for more women. And if you feel that pull in your chest reading this — that little spark of maybe I could do this — listen to it. That is where it starts.
October is going to be big.
And I can’t wait to see where these women take it next.
