Wheel Scorcher at Fire Mountain
Wheel Scorcher 2022 was a downhill Onewheel race in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. The race followed a multi-run Enduro format and was a sanctioned Onewheel Racing League (ORL) event to be included in ORL national rankings. The nearby Cherokee Skate Park provided a perfect venue for streetstyle competition, too!
Wheel Scorcher 2022 took place June 17-19 and was the final ORL-sanctioned Onewheel race of the season before regional qualifiers. Competitors were allowed to participate using any Onewheel model and any aftermarket mods or accessories they wished. No separate prizes were awarded based on the type of board competitors chose to ride.
Enjoy our gallery of Wheel Scorcher 2022 photos, courtesy of Michael De Dominick. Thank you!
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Wheel Scorcher Race Course Insights
From a rider’s perspective, Fire Mountain offered some of the most intense and challenging terrain we saw all season. The trails featured berms, quick hits of elevation, tables, rock gardens, blinds, single-track and wider areas, smooth flow sections and challenging tech.
The ascent to the trailhead was long and steep, no matter your ride of choice. XR riders struggled with insufficient power and torque, while GT riders climbed easily but faced the threat of overheating motors. Either way, the ascent took serious finesse and was not for the faint of heart.
Nor were the steep and rocky descents featured in the race itself! Switchback berms combined with long segments made this event a real leg-burner. The steep sections demanded full commitment to avoid tail-dragging, while the technical areas and stream crossings required a similar full-send mentality: If riders didn’t choose their lines wisely and hit them at speed, it was certain they would be losing time to pick up their board and carry it across.
Difficult as it was, no Onewheeler could ride Fire Mountain without seriously leveling up. Kudos to all who braved the tricky terrain, and shoutout to winners Austen Silva and Racheal Cecil!
See how riders stacked up in our race results gallery. Or, see how it all turned out at Race for the Rail 2022 (warning: spoilers ahead!)