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Kelly McGarry (17 April 1982 – 1 February 2016) was a professional New Zealand freeride mountain biker and X-Games Athlete. He was known for his best trick award in the 2013 Red Bull Rampage when he backflipped a 72-foot canyon gap. The video of the flip went viral on YouTube, getting over 200 million views. McGarry was one of the most prolific and recognised participants in the sport of freeride mountain biking. His participation in Crankworx events made him a recognisable figure in the sport, and in 2015, McGarry held the record for most consecutive appearances at the event.

Early life and career

McGarry was born in Wakefield, a small settlement near Nelson. McGarry started off BMX biking and later in his career in 2006 racing in four-cross. He later moved on to freeride mountain biking. McGarry had a reputation for sending some of the biggest features and attempting some of the most daring stunts in mountain biking. His most famous and most watched feat was his massive 72-foot backflip over a canyon gap during Red Bull Rampage in 2013. With over 220 million views to date on YouTube, the trick earned McGarry the silver medal at that year’s Rampage, as well as Peoples Choice award gaining the admiration of mountain bikers and extreme sport athletes around the world. McGarry was also known to participate in daring events that pushed the sport of freeride in events like Red Bull Sky Gate. He took a heavy crash in Sky Gate that took him out for a couple of months. Many that knew McGarry knew him to be "one of the nicest and funniest guys to ever meet."

Death

He was biking on the Fernhill Loop Track in Central Otago when he suffered a cardiac arrest at 4:14 pm on 1 February 2016. Two paramedics from Queenstown were taken by air to the remote part of the track, approximately 45 minutes walk from the top of the Skyline Gondola, after reports of a mountain biker suffering a "medical event". St. John Central Lakes territory manager Kelvin Perriman said that "it is understood McGarry died at the scene".

References

1. "Kiwi Kelly McGarry's back-flip over 72 foot canyon gap at Red Bull Rampage 2013". Newshub. MediaWorks TV. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
2. "Mountain biker films backflip over 72ft canyon". Telegraph. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
3. Jaquin, Dave. "DirtTV Beyond The Bike | Ep6 Kelly McGarry". Dirt Mountainbike. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
4. Rollo, Phillip (2 February 2016). "The Red Bull video that made freerider Kelly McGarry an internet sensation". Stuff. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
5. "Tragic news: Kelly McGarry has passed away". Dirt Mountainbike. 1 February 2016. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
6. "Kiwi mountain biker Kelly McGarry dies after collapsing on Queenstown bike trail video". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax New Zealand Limited. 2 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.

External links

• Rollo, P. "Hanging with slope-style ace", Nelson Mail, 11 February 2015; retrieved 2 February 2016.

• 1982 births
• 2016 deaths
• Freeride mountain bikers
• New Zealand mountain bikers
• People from Wakefield, New Zealand
• Cycling road incident deaths
• Sport deaths in New Zealand
• Redbull Rampage people