Rebecca Rusch

Adventure racing calls for a deep well of skills: paddling, rock climbing, biking, navigating, skiing, and more. Since turning pro in 2001, Rebecca Rusch has proven to the world she has what it takes to execute any of the above even after going beyond her limits in far flung places like Kyrgyzstan and Tibet. After winning adventure races became routine, she added 24 Hour Solo Mountain Bike racing to her résumé and proceeded to dominate the sport in 2006, 2007, and is currently two time World Champion.

Rusch moved to California from the stark plains of Illinois after college to pursue rock climbing. She soon racked up ascents of big walls from Yosemite to Zion. Paddling was next as she rose through local competitive ranks to race with the world-famous Offshore Canoe Club’s women’s outrigger team in the brutal Molokai crossing. Adventure Racing was the next challenge. The first race she entered was a qualifier for the Australian Eco-challenge. “We ended up winning the race. The rest is history!”

So what do you do if you win the first major race you’ve ever entered? Quit your job, move into your Ford Bronco, and set your sights on becoming the best. After several years on the road, she landed in Ketchum, Idaho which is currently her home base. In the nine years since that first adventure race, Rusch became one of the strongest female captains in the sport and garnered an incredibly deep résumé.

In 2006, Rebecca successfully turned her talents toward endurance solo mountain bike races while continuing to compete in the toughest adventure races. In 2006, she won the Solo Mountain Biking Nationals, and took second in Worlds. In 2007, she became the 24 Hour Solo Mountain Biking World Champion. In 2008, Rebecca remained in the top seat by once again dominating the World Championships.

After a great birthday week.....

August 31, 2009

After a great birthday week I thought it was time to post a blog. Today is the 24 hrs of Targhee. I guess it’s our semi-local 24 hr race, and I’ve raced there once before and the course is fun and the prize money is really good too. There is about 800 feet of climbing for each 7.3 mile lap, so it will by no means be easy. There are 5 guys from Ketchum alone who are going to race solo over there. I’m undecided about racing solo or on a duo team. The deciding factor will be how many entries there are in each category. If there are not at least 5 in a category, the prize money drops. So basically, I’m going over there for a great training day and hopefully a decent pay day, but it all depends on who shows up! Either way, it’ll be a great road trip, camping and some good riding.

The week of my birthday was incredible, and was a great start to the year. So many friends came out of the woodwork to play mini-golf at the Sun Valley resort. The best part is that it was $5 and hours in entertaining fun. I am a horrible golf player and will not be trying to reinvent myself anytime soon to dominate that sport.

Stats for Rebecca Rusch are coming soon.