The 2020 edition of Onewheel’s Race for the Rail is complete, and it was a wild event. In case you haven’t heard of it, it consists of some of the best Onewheel riders on the planet throwing themselves down a handful of courses that are challenging, to say the least. Think boardercross racing on ski slopes, but without the snow.
This year, things were a little different. Race organizers chose nine of the best riders from last year’s event, then left three wild card spots open to the general public. Wild card hopefuls posted clips on Instagram of their best Onewheel performances along with a short pitch explaining why they should be invited. One of the competitors who won a wild card was Brenden Schurmeier, a Onewheel rider from Los Angeles.
The riders were split into two teams that competed head-to-head in three team challenges. Each challenge was worth $3,000. Team Skyline consisted of Amanda Thompson, Bodhi Harrison, Orie Rush, Angel Cooper, Wren Weichman, and Dave Stewart while Team Delerium had Raquel McCosker, Jeff McCosker, Dom Williams, Zoe Thomas, Brenden Suremeyer, and Jamie Jucther.
Snow Basin, Utah, was chosen as the host site, which likely made competitors slightly nervous — the course is steep, fast, and littered with obstacles. The race was simple: the fastest rider wins.
Last year’s winner, Dom Williams, was a heavy favorite going into the event, but in the first heat, he battled hard against Brenden Schurmeier. It was telling of the final result, because Schurmeier, the wild card, would go on to win the whole thing.
The final came down to Schurmeier vs. Dave Stewart, and it wasn’t an easy race. Dave Stewart started out in the lead on the first stretch, but Schurmeier didn’t let up on the gas for a second. In one of the hairiest sections of the track, Schurmeier managed to fly by Stewart and hold onto the lead through the finish line. He walked away with $5,000 for his efforts and the title of best Onewheel rider in the world.
See more at Onewheel.com
