Meet an Athlete: Casey Brown

MOUNTAIN BIKER

Home Base / Revelstoke, BC

Activities / Mountain Biking, SUP, Snowboarding

Why Casey:

Born in New Zealand, Casey spent the first six years of her life living off the grid in Barn Bay, on the west coast of the South Island. The family foraged for and grew their food and used a windmill to generate power. Twice a year, they would trek eight hours to the closest town for supplies. In 1999, Casey’s Canadian father moved to Revelstoke, bringing her sister Jennifer and her brother Sam with him. In 2002, Casey joined them. Sam blossomed into one of the best freeride mountain bikers in the world, and Casey developed her skills by chasing him around.

He was always my hero, and I wanted to be like him,” she says. “From him, I learned that mountain biking is a creative outlet, and you can take the sport wherever you want.”

Photo of Casey Brown posing with her mountain bike. Light leaks overlay a black and white checkered shirt, and her face is covered with a heavy CLIF branded helmet and goggles.

Casey Brown behind the full face helmet where she makes her living. Photo: Moritz Ablinger Courtesy Casey Brown

By 2012, Casey was establishing herself as one of the best female mountain bikers in the world. You might have seen her launch her bike off Jackson Hole’s Corbet’s Couloir in 2018. That same year she began leading the charge to have women included in the sport’s preeminent freeride event, The Red Bull Rampage. Her efforts have finally paid off: This year, the Rampage will feature women riders for the first time. “It feels surreal to have a women’s category,” she says. “It’s been a long journey and I’m so stoked for every woman rider.”

Casey is the godmother of freeride mountain biking,” says Lucy Van Eestern, a pro mountain biker from Squamish, BC. “She’s done so much for the sport I can’t even put it into words. She’s so well connected and experienced that if I have any questions, I call her. Any advice about sponsorships or filming, or a video proposal, or to vouch for me for an event, I call Casey. Life advice, too. If you’re at a crossroads, you call Casey.

Lucy Van Eestern Pro Mountain Biker

Specialized Skill:

“My biggest strength is my adaptability” says Casey. “It’s always been my goal to get women’s freeride mountain biking noticed. When I started riding with Trek, they told me that if I wanted to do freeride I’d also need to ride enduro for them. I don’t really like enduro, but I was willing to do it if it meant progressing freeride for women.”

Action shot of Casey Brown mountain biking

Casey’s pedigree in freeride helped her make the case to include women in the Red Bull Rampage. Photo: Syo Van Vilet Courtesy Casey Brown

What's Next:

Casey is building out her yard in Revelstoke, creating freeride mountain biking features, so that it can be used as a training compound for female riders. “I’d also like to someday hold some women’s events there,” she says.