He’s not even 18 yet, but Brandon Semenuk has proved to the world he’s got what it takes to beat the world’s best freeriders in the newly reinstated Red Bull Rampage, edging out fellow Canadians Kurt Sorge and veteran Thomas Vanderham and taking home a majority share in the $25,000 prize purse.

Held but a stones throw from the original course in Virgin, UT, it’s the epitome of ‘big mountain’ style freeride; competitors are expected to sculpt their own death-defying lines in the dirt shortly before throwing themselves down them with scant regard for their personal safety.

We’ll have a day-by-day report of the proceedings later this week, but for now here’s a couple of images to whet your appetite…