The Patagonia Ambassador and former Downhill World Champion will be among the speakers of the IMBA Europe Summit, to be held in Val di Sole from June 1st to 4th. Carpenter will talk about her mission and vision for the future of Mountain Bike
Great sports personalities have the ability to leave a mark either when they are at the top of their career or when they embark into new challenges after the end of it. Former Downhill World Champion Manon Carpenter is a good example of that: after stopping with competitions in 2016, the British embraced a new mission in the Mountain Bike world, with a different goal: sustainability.
Today, Manon Carpenter is an ambassador for Patagonia, a brand whose approach to sustainability and environmental issues has become a benchmark for many, and the 29-year-old Brit will be among the speakers of the 2022 IMBA Europe Summit, the most important European think-tank on MTB, to be held in Folgarida (Val di Sole, Trentino, Northern Italy) from June 1st to 4th.
"After retiring, I have been staying in the MTB scene to raise awareness on topics which I care about, such as access to trails, and our connection to the environments we rely on for our sport. I wanted to understand how communities are organized to care for their trails", explained Manon Carpenter.
“Reframing my identity. World Champion DH racer to champion of the environment” is the title of Carpenter’s speech at the IMBA Europe Summit. After the opening day of Wednesday, June 1st, dedicated to the registrations and welcoming of the participants, on Thursday, June 2nd, the program will be opened by the speech of the former British rider, making her return to Val di Sole after ending third on the Black Snake in her final appearance in Italy, at the 2015 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup stage.
"I was very much brought into the sport by my father, who ran a downhill race series when I was younger and supported me until I reached elite. I’ve always enjoyed outdoor sports, a combination of being outside, and having a bit of a challenge with adrenaline mixed in. I think the bike industry, the companies who say they want to make MTB more inclusive, should be consulting experienced people in this field to better understand how to help. In the same way, we should consult environmental experts to understand how to coexist with the environments we ride in”, continued Carpenter.
Manon Carpenter recognizes the importance of the IMBA Europe Summit to gather top experts of the MTB and its strategic sectors.
“I think the IMBA Europe Summit is a way to bring together experience from all sides of the MTB community, to explore what direction we can go, and how to do it. It is a great way to share inspiration, ideas, and understanding - and strengthen bonds between like-minded people and organizations for the future”.
In addition to Carpenter, IMBA USA’s CEO Kent McNeill, Trash Free Trails’ Jo Shwe, USA Single Track's Greg Mazu will take the floor on day 1, Thursday, June 2nd: McNeill will focus his speech on equitable access to trails, whilst Shwe will talk about her association’s mission of safeguarding trails and areas still untouched from human contamination.
In the afternoon, round tables will take the center stage, featuring industry experts and representatives, followed by an outdoor activity on the Trail La Preda and dinner in an Alpine hut.
