CRANKWORX WHISTLER ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL CRABAPPLE HITS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Iconic jump line – once home of the Whip-Off World Championships – returns to the Crankworx spotlight as host of an all-new, rider-judged jam on Sunday, August 2, 2026.
WHISTLER, BC, April 29, 2026 — Crankworx Whistler announced the launch of the Crabapple Hits World Championships, an all-new Freeride event that will close out the 2026 festival on Sunday, August 2, in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park.
For more than a decade, Crabapple Hits served as the home of the Whip-Off World Championships, helping cement Whistler’s place in mountain bike history and turning sideways style into a global movement. While the Whip-Off has since moved to its new home at the Boneyard, the legacy of Crabapple Hits has remained one of the most iconic jump lines in the sport. The Crabapple Hits World Championships writes the next chapter on the same dirt where so much of that history was made.
“This jump has a lot of history on it,” said Vinny Armstrong, one of the riders confirmed for the event. “I won my first world championship Whip-Off title there, which probably helped me get sponsored and noticed on the world scene.”
“It’s the most iconic big jump line in the entire world,” added Janelle Soukup. “It’s honestly unreal to be able to hit it and just have the best vibes on it.”
For Freerider Talus Turk, the format speaks to what makes the line special. “They’re Whistler’s infamous big air jumps, open to the public. It’s so rad there is a line like this for riders to push themselves and get a feel for jumps this big. I’m glad to hear this line is being tailored towards a freeride progressive event.”
A NEW FORMAT BUILT FOR THE LINE
Unlike a traditional trick-based contest, the Crabapple Hits World Championships will run as a two-hour rider jam with no brackets and no judging panel. Every feature on the line is in play, and the riders themselves will decide the winners – a true winner-takes-all, rider-judged format designed to reward creativity, progression, and the kind of moments that make Crabapple, Crabapple.
$5,000 will be awarded to the best male rider, and $5,000 to the best female rider.
CONFIRMED RIDERS
The first wave of athletes confirmed for the inaugural Crabapple Hits World Championships includes:
•Reed Boggs
•DJ Brandt
•Jaxson Riddle
•Johny Salido
•Jon Simek
•Kirsten Van Horne
•Janelle Soukup
•Georgia Astle
•Graham Agassiz
•Kurt Sorge
•Matt Begg
•Reece Wallace
•Cameron Zink
•Talus Turk
•Vinny Armstrong
•Alessio Tonoli
•Vaea Verbeeck
Additional riders will be announced in the lead-up to the event.
Event details
•Event: Crabapple Hits World Championships
•Date: Sunday, August 2, 2026
•Location: Crabapple Hits, Whistler Mountain Bike Park
•Format: Two-hour rider jam, rider-judged, every feature in play
•Prize purse: $5,000 best male / $5,000 best female
The Crabapple Hits World Championships will serve as the closing act of Crankworx Whistler 2026, running July 24 – August 2, 2026.
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About the Crankworx World Tour
Crankworx is the ultimate experience in mountain biking. Born in Whistler, B.C. in 2004, Crankworx has evolved into a multi-stop international festival series. The Crankworx World Tour brings together the best mountain bike athletes to compete in elite-level competitions in a variety of disciplines. Crankworx World Tour festivals also host races for amateurs, CWNEXT categories for next gen athletes, Kidsworx contests for young riders, participatory events and celebrations of mountain bike culture, all while showcasing amazing destinations. For additional information, visit crankworx.com.