Rachel Atherton Qualifies (Despite Dislocating Shoulder At Fort Bill)

by 18

Update 1pm 4th August:

Flippin heck, Rachel is nails! She’s put down a qualifying run, which is enough to get her through to finals tomorrow.

Both Rachel and Nina Hoffman were protected riders, meaning that as long as they put a run in for qualifiers, they’d get to race finals. In fact, because there are fewer than 40 women riding all those that completed a qualifying run get through to finals.

We’re hoping Nina and Rachel were both putting in a ‘tick the box’ run, ignoring the time, to give them maximum time to recover. It would be great to see them both on the start ramp for finals.

Vali Holl was fastest in qualification, with Tahnee Seagrave in second. Hot tip for a surprise win, Harriet Harnden, is in sixth. It’s all hotting up for a great final.

Update 7.30pm 3rd Aug, at the end of the article

It’s still only practice, but it looks like Fort William has already claimed some favourites. We’re hearing that Rachel Atherton dislocated her shoulder on the motorway section and has since been spotted in a sling and dodging interviewers.

It wouldn’t be the first time Fort William claimed Rachel’s shoulder – back in 2017 it popped out in a crash and she put it back in on the trail. Gulp. She’s said before that her shoulders are weak, having had them dislocated on more than one occasion, so it’s got to be one of the injuries she knows she’s at risk of getting again.

Sad times, we hope our sources are wrong, but we wouldn’t be publishing this if we didn’t trust that it was true!

Nina Hoffman is also thought to have had a crash and be in doubt for race day.

More if/when we hear it. Live timing action can be followed here, handy for bits that aren’t on TV.

Update:

Rachel has taken to Instagram to confirm the news:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rachel Atherton (@rachybox)

😣 I dislocated my shoulder in my first run this morning 😫😳 I came short on one of the middle jumps at the bottom: I cleared the first few, even cleared the big one and thought “oh sweet” so I just tucked and didn’t pedal and cased the next one, I love a good pencil 😬 and as my front wheel slapped down the force just must’ve gone to my dodgy shoulder wrong & it popped out the bottom,

I didn’t even crash I just felt the pain & rolled the next jump thinking OH MY GOD my shoulder ,
then jumped off my bike swearing & trying to get it back in, my fingers went into the socket so I knew It was out

exactly same as last time here in 2017, I thought NOT AGAIN as I stood on my hand and pulled like fuck to try to relocate it, i felt it move back but it still felt awful so I didn’t know if it was in or not,
Pissed off I didn’t have my @gopro on yet to film it again 😮‍💨
😂

then @nina.hoff96 was there and she helped pull, but we think it was back in place by then 😣😣😣
Thanks so much Nina ❤️love ya.hope your head is ok
😳

Gutted doesn’t come close. So Devastated.
So Pissed off.

It’s Too painful to really consider trying to ride but maybe there will be a miracle overnight 🥷😮‍💨 @gee_atherton thinks I’ll be fine!!!!

I walked down with the medics & saw my brothers who’d come to find me, I hadn’t even seen them yet at this race & I was already injured 😣sorry bros ❤️

After many many tears of frustration I can smile again.

This sport is so addictive but the injuries make you question everything. Your whole life choices come into question!

I can’t seem to find a peaceful way thru this life, the things i love also seem to bring the most pain & suffering but without them I feel lost.
Who knows.

Got my new T shirts tho & I love em, hope you like them & want to wear them! I’ll show you tomorrow 🥰

As Rachel mentions there, and we’d heard in rumours, Nina Hoffman hit her head in practice. She’s waiting it out to see if she’s fit to ride tomorrow:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nina Hoffmann (@nina.hoff96)

Obviously not what I want to share after a few sweet runs this morning… Ended my last practice run head down on the floor. Heavy crash on the back of my head and I‘m not sure if I‘m gonna ride tomorrow. The doc gave green lights today but we‘re deciding what we gonna do after a night of sleep. Fingers crossed no concussion symptoms develop – I‘m fine for now!

Oof. Hope to see everyone else safely across the finish line tomorrow.

While you’re here…

https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/mtb-dh-world-champs-when-how-to-watch/
https://singletrackworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/issue-142-petes-pros-rachel-atherton/

Innsbruck | MTB Resort Guide

Whistler: A Singletrack Destination Guide

Nevis Range Mountain Resort, Scotland

Crans Montana MTB Destination Guide

Singletrack Weekly Word

Sports Newsletter of the Year finalist at the Publisher Newsletter Awards 2024. Find out why our newsletter is different and give it a go.

Author Profile Picture
Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

More posts from Hannah

Home Forums Rachel Atherton Qualifies (Despite Dislocating Shoulder At Fort Bill)

Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)
  • Rachel Atherton Qualifies (Despite Dislocating Shoulder At Fort Bill)
  • milko9000
    Free Member

    ouch. Been there, putting it back myself and enduring the time off the bike afterwards, more times than I care to remember. Ultimately got some surgery (and a rehab regime) that, touch wood, has meant I haven’t had the problem since! Was really hoping Rach could win again this week too.

    Phil_H
    Full Member

    Again!

    She did it in the woods a few years back and asked someone track side to pull it back in!

    somafunk
    Full Member

    Argh no, I hope it’s not a serious dislocation and she can get it back in, tape it up and go win

    ocrider
    Full Member

    I was hoping for her to make headlines differently. Now I’m not feeling very optimistic about her weekend being as stripey and golden as I wanted.

    honourablegeorge
    Full Member

    Ah, crap. The comeback had been incredible, after so long out to be not just competitive, but to win races. Be a shame if she couldn’t finish the season

    dirkpitt74
    Full Member

    Wide-open mag suggesting that it wasn’t a crash and that Rach’s shoulder popped out on landing down the motorway ☹️

    1
    milko9000
    Free Member

    somehow she’s done a quali time?!

    3
    stwhannah
    Full Member

    Blimey! Nails. And here’s me struggling to type.

    honourablegeorge
    Full Member

    dirkpitt74

    Wide-open mag suggesting that it wasn’t a crash and that Rach’s shoulder popped out on landing down the motorway ☹️

    Rachel herself reporting it wasn’;t a crash, she just cased a jump and it popped on impact

    Qualified more than a minute behind, she must have trundled down (by her standards)…. hoping to be OK tomorrow I guess

    BoardinBob
    Full Member

    How come she’s still got protected status (although not needed at worlds)? Is it because it was pregnancy that took her away for a few years?

    ceept
    Full Member

    All the women who started today will qualify, so I guess just rolling down (by their standards) means the finals are still an option tomorrow. Nina Hoffman did the same after a big crash in practice.

    Tanhee Seagrave is hopefully still good medal prospect, she qualified 2nd despite a big crash just before the finish line. She was about in the paddock afterwards, so hopefully still ok for tomorrow.

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    Blimey! Nails. And here’s me struggling to type.

    If it makes you feel a bit less awed, it goes back* easier and hurts less each time.

    *just back, honest, nothing to see here.

    dirkpitt74
    Full Member

    @BoardinBob

    How come she’s still got protected status (although not needed at worlds)? Is it because it was pregnancy that took her away for a few years?

    It’s to do with her current points score from the 2 rounds she’s done – still in the top 5 despite only racing 2 rounds.

    BoardinBob
    Full Member

    Aaah. I thought protected status was based on the previous seasons performance

    reluctantjumper
    Full Member

    If it makes you feel a bit less awed, it goes back* easier and hurts less each time.

    This is true, I know from personal experience of a shoulder that likes to pop out randomly from time to time. Damaged it in a big OTB back in 2010 and basically blew the socket up of my right shoulder enough that it’s only the muscles holding things in (but not enough to warrant surgery apparently…) and if I don’t keep up with my exercises it likes to ‘remind’ me to do so every now and then. Used to hurt for a few days each time but now it’s just two solid clicks (similar to a torque wrench) and it only hurts for 30 mins or so.

    Still doesn’t take away from what Rachel does, normal life and racing down one of the toughest DH tracks are two completely different things!

    Jeeble
    Full Member

    Tahnee was nails too, crashing down the barriers and across the finish line whilst qualifying second…

    chvck
    Free Member

    Tahnee was nails too, crashing down the barriers and across the finish line whilst qualifying second…

    That looked pretty bad, on the videos I’ve watched she seemed pretty unsure she’ll race today. Sure can’t see her contending the top spot, never say never though eh.

    On the subjct of injury, anyone know what happened to Ryan Pinkerton? He was a DNS yesterday.

    noeffsgiven
    Free Member

    Nina Hoffman’s crash was a weird one, was that initially German or gibberish she was speaking.

Viewing 18 posts - 1 through 18 (of 18 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.