The journey of a downhill racer — shaped by change and determination — on her way to the World Championships in Chile.
After almost 28 years as a professional downhill racer, I find myself at a turning point. I no longer feel at home in the Elite category and start questioning where my place in the sport really is. Then, unexpectedly, a comment I made on an Instagram giveaway changes everything. The idea of travelling to Chile and competing at the Masters World Championships is born.
VERTO tells my story of finding a new direction, dealing with ageing in competitive sport, and my constant drive to improve even when things don’t always go as planned. It is about embracing new challenges, even when they are far from easy.
The journey reaches its climax in March 2026, when I line up at the Masters World Championships in Chile, ready to find out what is still possible.
Who is Helene?
I grew up just outside Vienna, Austria, and discovered mountain biking by accident at 15. While walking my dog, I passed a small dual slalom track watching riders carve and fly sparked something in me. I saved up for my first hardtail, mowing lawns and walking dogs, and spent countless hours training alone, determined to master every jump and corner.
Without a racing background or heavy family support, I learned to rely on hard work and persistence. What started as curiosity became a lifelong passion and a dream of becoming World Champion.
Over the past 27 years, I’ve raced more than 420 times, earning two 4X World Cup Overall titles, multiple 4X World Cup wins, top-15 Downhill World Cup finishes, 5th at the DH European Champs, DH European Cup wins, a 4X World Championship bronze, a Crankworx bronze, and countless podiums.
Now, at 43, my dream came true and I’m still racing and still completely in love with this sport.
Master downhill World and European Champ 2026
The Giveaway from Unlimited Colors
Helene spotted Rosa Zierl’s stunning custom World Champs bike on Instagram and thought, “Wow, this bike is amazing!” Days later, the Dutch paint brand Unlimited Colors hit 100K followers and ran a giveaway picking winners based on comments. Helene’s stood out, earning her a custom World Champs bike of her dreams. The next day, she signed up for Worlds in Chile and her journey began.
The Race venue
This is the bikepark: https://www.nevadosdechillan.com/bike-park
Nevados de Chillán is a volcanic mountain range and ski area located in the Ñuble Region of central Chile, about 80 km southeast of the city of Chillán and about 6 hours by car away from Santiago de Chile. Sitting at around 3,200 meters above sea level, it’s part of the Andes and known for its active volcanoes, geothermal hot springs, and dramatic alpine terrain. With a unique combination of volcanic landscapes, native forests, and world-class trails, it has hosted prestigious events such as the Enduro World Series (EWS), the Open Shimano, and multiple National Championships of Chile, as well as international MTB cups.
This version is privat preview. We also have a short version and we are open to adapt.
Project Type: Documentary / 40′ 15” / English
Director
Alex Chapignac (FRA)
Alex is a photographer, filmmaker, and MTB athlete from the French Alps, living in Austria. His passion for nature, action sports, and visual storytelling has shaped his career, and he enjoys capturing the energy and emotion of the outdoors through his lens. With a focus on authentic and dynamic content, Alex works closely with athletes and brands to create compelling stories that resonate with audiences. He is especially excited to document Helene Fruhwirth’s journey at the upcoming Master World Championships in Chile, capturing every moment of her preparation, travel, and racing on one of the world’s most challenging downhill cours
As the filmmaker, I had the unique opportunity to follow Helene closely through every stage of this journey, from the first idea and the doubts that came with it, through the preparation and challenges, all the way to Chile and the World Championships.
What makes VERTO special is that it isn’t simply a film about downhill racing. It is an intimate look at what it takes to keep pushing yourself, to redefine your goals, and to step into the unknown, especially when you are no longer at the beginning of your career.
Being there with the camera allowed me to capture not only the racing, but also the moments in between: the doubts, hard work, setbacks, excitement and determination that are usually invisible to the audience.
It was a unique experience to follow Helene this closely on her road towards one very personal definition of success and to see where that journey would ultimately lead.
ac@cranksetter.com // +33609330163
HF@cranksetter.com // +436508381111
