Inspiring Women in Sport: Ariel Karabinus

In honor of National Women's History Month (March) and International Women's Day (March 8), we are kicking off a three-part blog series – Inspiring Women in Sport. For this second installment, Concept2 employee Ariel Karabinus of the Marketing Team shares her inspiring athletic journey that took her from running in college to playing and competing in Vermont’s green mountains. 

Tell us about yourself, what you do in sport, and a few accolades you are most proud of. 
My name is Ariel Karabinus, I am 33 years old, and I am a member of the marketing team here at Concept2, Inc., in Morrisville, Vermont. I moved to Vermont after college and fell in love with the mountains and the recreation that came with it. I quickly learned how to downhill ski and mountain bike to meet others in the community and stay active. I enjoy organizing and participating in women specific mountain bike ride meet ups, as well as women uphill skin and ski events. Most recently I have started dabbling more in downhill and freeride mountain biking as well as in longer backcountry and ski mountaineering events. In 2023, I cracked into the top 10 women at White Mountain Ski Co’s Infamous Last Skier Standing event, after skinning uphill and skiing back down for 17 hours, covering just over 50 miles and 20,000 vertical feet climbed. In 2023 I also did my first Enduro mountain bike race at the Fox US Open, where I placed first in the amateur division. I hope to do more competitions this summer! 

How did you first get into your sport and what initially drew you to competing? 
My first introduction to organized sport was using soccer as an outlet as a hyperactive 4th grader with ADD. I saw the US Women’s National Soccer Team win medals at the Olympics and World Cup and I thought to myself, “I want to do that!”. I quickly learned my strongest asset to my team was my ability to just keep running. I started running middle and long distances competitively in Middle and High School and eventually earned a scholarship to run for the University of Virginia. While competition, races, and championships were inherently a large part of running, I ultimately just enjoyed pushing myself to be the best version of myself. I loved the process of training and just enjoyed moving my body, being outside with friends, and exploring new places to train. I had terrible nerves and anxiety when I first started racing and honestly had to learn to enjoy the competitive part of running.  

Can you tell us about a time you were proud or cherished being a part of an all-female accomplishment or team? 
My all-time favorite memories from running and competing were always from all-female relays. My senior year competing at Penn Relays in the 4x800 was the most memorable. There is something so special about competing for something greater than yourself. I always was able to dig deeper for my team and it was such a great feeling celebrating together after the race. More recently, I had the opportunity to spectate at the 2024 Red Bull Rampage – a freeride mountain bike competition in the desert outside of Virgin, Utah. 2024 was the first year that they allowed women to compete with the men since its inception in 2001. Being able to be there to watch women compete on the most extreme mountain biking stage for the first time ever still gives me goose bumps. It was truly inspiring to be there with so many other women who traveled from all over the world to support the monumental event.  

How do you use Concept2 ergs to train for your sport? 
I love using Concept2 ergs for their cardiovascular benefit, without the pounding on my body. After many stress fractures, bulging disks, and a slew of ligament, tendon, and soft tissue injuries, I just am not able to run the same volume as I once did. I primarily use the BikeErg and SkiErg to build volume and base and the RowErg for harder sprints and intervals. This winter I have made a point to aim for 50 miles on the BikeErg each week. On top of that, I have been playing on the ski slopes most days and squeezing in a strength training session or two. The versatility of Concept2 ergs make it easy for me to stay motivated even during the coldest winter days and rainiest of Vermont summers with the Concept2 Online Logbook, Ergdata, and with fun challenges every month.  

 What does it mean to you to be strong and a woman in your sport? 
Being strong and having strength as a woman in skiing, mountain biking, and running is something I am passionate about. Firstly, being physically strong not only makes you a better athlete, but it also makes it less likely for you to get injured from muscle imbalances and overuse injuries. Having more muscle mass supports stronger bones and better bone density, it also protects you when crashes and falls happen while skiing and riding. I train to be strong and better at my sport, but also so I can get up and walk away when I might take a slam. Secondly, women have historically faced barriers to participating in sports and building physical strength like men. It is even more important, then, for women to assert their autonomy and claim those opportunities for themselves. As female athletes, when we commit ourselves to strength, we empower ourselves to be more capable in our daily lives. We also challenge centuries of sexist and racist standards that have long celebrated the idea of women being meek, small, and taking up less space. Whenever we get a chance to be strong, fast, assertive, and push boundaries, we should take the opportunity to do so, not just for us, but for others as well. 

Can you tell us about a time you were intimidated or were anxious/nervous to compete or practice but you showed up anyways and you were glad you did? 
I have a lot of vivid memories of being nervous and scared when I first began learning how to do drops and jumps on my mountain bike. The most impactful time was probably when I did my first real “drop.” A drop is any feature where you go down, or drop, but also go forward and out on your bike with speed. It is a physics experiment of needing a specific speed to carry you off the drop, into free fall, and into the landing in the descending branch of a parabola, and technically have both wheels touch the ground at almost the same time to avoid crashing. The drop was about 5 feet up and 6 feet out. My mind was racing with all kinds of reasons why I should not do it, that little voice of self-preservation trying to talk me out of it. I was towed into it by a very trusted friend and riding partner with the right speed and nailed it! I am forever grateful I did that first drop, despite the nerves, because it has led to so many thrilling and exhilarating rides since. Facing things that challenge and intimidate you in life, and still choosing to do them anyway, is incredibly important for personal growth - both mentally and physically. 

 What is your favorite part about being a woman in your sport? 
My favorite part about being a woman in skiing and biking is fostering relationships with other women in these sports, helping other women find partners to ski and ride with, as well as pushing other women to expand their skills, explore new terrain, and break down their own personal barriers. Skiing and mountain biking are primarily male dominated sports, and can be intimidating at times, especially if you are new to them. As a female athlete, having other women as mentors is incredibly important to me, both in sports and in life. I greatly value the mentorship I have received from my friends in skiing and mountain biking. Additionally, the dichotomy of an inherently masculine sport and doing it with a feminine flair is also fun! 

 Where do you see yourself in your sport in 5-10 years from now and how does it differ from today? 
In 5-10 years, I hope to be doing the same things I do today- riding my bike, skiing, and moving through the outdoors most days. I would love to continue to expand more into the freeride mountain bike realm of learning how to do bigger jumps, drops, and incorporating more style and tricks. I would also like to do more gravel biking, running, and skiing endurance events. In the coming years, I aim to increase the visibility of women's freeride mountain biking, particularly through regional video and film projects. Currently, most festival and event submissions are heavily dominated by male filmmakers and riders. My goal is to create a short film edit featuring 100% female riders showcasing their skills.