The “Queen of Gnar”: Patricia Druwen Is Gearing Up for Crankworx Innsbruck 

With just three weeks to go until the Crankworx World Tour descends upon Innsbruck, the world’s elite mountain bike athletes are gearing up for the highly anticipated multi-discipline festival running from June 12-16. Among the local heroes is Germany’s Patricia Druwen, who, at only 17, has taken the world of Slopestyle Mountain Biking by storm. 

Druwen’s journey began as an 11-year-old discovering her passion for dirt bikes. Fast-forward a few years, by the age of 13, she was competing professionally, and at 15, she made her Crankworx debut in 2022 in the U19 category. A year later, she was competing in the Women’s Pro category at the Crankworx Speed & Style event.

Now, Patricia is a force to be reckoned with in the Slopestyle scene. In 2023, she was named “FMBA Red Bull Rookie of the Year” and awarded the prestigious Red Bull helmet at Crankworx Whistler. Dubbed the “Queen of Gnar” for her creative and intense tricks, Druwen’s rapid rise to the pinnacle of the sport has transformed her life.“I was actually just a normal student, but suddenly everything happened very quickly” she explains. “I rode in bigger and bigger competitions and traveled a lot more, then more sponsors approached me, and I soon realised that I would become a professional athlete.” 

Since her 2022 Crankworx debut, Patricia Druwen’s riding skills and strategic approach have evolved. “I’ve traveled the world, seen and ridden beautiful new training spots, and made lots of new friends who are all supportive”, she reflects. Although she is the youngest competitor in the Crankworx Slopestyle World Championships, Druwen feels right at home in the sport: “I feel like I’m part of a big family where I’ve been warmly welcomed, and all the riders always help me – even when I get stuck.” 

Confidence, pressure, and fear can be challenging for all professional athletes, especially young ones. At just 17, Patricia Druwen combats these obstacles by returning to the basics: “The most important thing is to simply not lose the fun and to always keep going even when things aren’t going well.” Her creativity, freedom, and expression on the bike define her style, and her ability to pull of women’s world-first tricks, like backflip double bar spins, makes her a role model for young riders. Despite her talent and rapid success, she looks up to role models herself, including Tomas Lemoine and fellow German rider Erik Fedko. “The most important thing for me is to ride a lot and to keep training…looking at my role models, learning everything from them, and of course to always have fun in what you do”, Patricia says.

At such a young age, Druwen is breaking boundaries and inspiring young girls catching bike fever. As she continues to expand limits, staying focused on what’s in front of her as well as inspiring her peers is essential. “Looking to the future is not so easy, but I will always try to keep going and get even better. It would be nice if many more young riders come [to the competitions]…Of course the beginning will be difficult, but if you don’t start, everything stays the same. Young riders should find the courage to enter a contest, it’s really fun!” 

With Crankworx Innsbruck just around the corner, it will be a significant one for Patricia, holding many ‘firsts’. This is the inaugural year of women to compete in the Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship (SWC) – a huge first in the sport. And of course, a first for her on the big stage competing in front of a home crowd in the Slopestyle event. “My whole family will be there, and also a lot of friends who support me, so that means more pressure but also a nice feeling when you have so many people you know there to support you.” Her cool and collected attitude will be on display from June 12-16 at Crankworx Innsbruck. While the season kick-off did not go according to plan and she could not compete at the Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza at Crankworx Rotorua earlier this year due to health reasons, she is ready to take on the world’s best Slopestyle athletes at Crankworx Cairns later this week before making her way to Europe. 

As preparations for the only European stop on the Crankworx World Tour ramp up, the eighth edition in Innsbruck is set to be a special one, with a newly designed freeride area, more side events, and lots of parties. 

Patricia Druwen is eagerly anticipating the event: “Innsbruck is just super cool, it’s a really big course with lots of airtime, and the atmosphere there is just amazing.” What makes it even more special is being surrounded by her biggest fans.

Excited to cheer on Patricia and her fellow male and female Slopestyle athletes at Crankworx Innsbruck? Get your festival pass now at a discounted Early Bird price – offer only valid until June 2!