After a year of being in touch, and with a string of second and third places to her name, Kialani Hines (USA) sealed the deal tonight. Lining up in the Big Final at the same start gate where was thrust into the spotlight last year, coming in second behind Jill Kintner, Hines went two for two, winning both rounds against Shania Rawson (NZL). The win in the RockShox Rotorua Pump Track Challenge is her first in Crankworx competition. It’s really exciting. It really hasn’t been that long because it was just last year really, but being in second so many times, it…
Author: Tomas
“I was crapping my pants, to be honest,” said a breathless Tracey Hannah (AUS) from the finish corral of the Crankworx Rotorua Downhill presented by The Professionals, the kickoff to international downhill season. It’s the first race of 2019. You don’t know what to expect. I’ve been training completely on my own with my coach. I haven’t been riding with anyone. You just don’t know. You just know that you’ve done the work. You don’t know on paper what it’s going to look like. I’m really happy.- Tracey Hannah It was a feeling echoed by the winner of the Pro Elite…
The rider he beat in the final called it a “fairytale story,” and the thousands of cheering locals who watched it all go down would likely agree. Bill Meaclem (NZL), relatively unknown compared to the roster of riders he was up against, took the win today in the Mons Royale Dual Speed & Style at Crankworx Rotorua. Sweetening the deal for the Christchurch rider was accomplishing the feat, broadcast around the world on Red Bull TV and crankworx.com, on home soil. It’s crazy. So many people here supporting me. I’m blown away.- Bill Meaclem Adding to his shock, the fact his win came at…
The 2019 mountain bike season is about to officially kick off on Red Bull TV with the live broadcast of the Mons Royal Dual Speed & Style at Crankworx Rotorua in New Zealand. The unique Dual Speed & Style discipline combines high-speed race action with spectacular tricks in an intense head-to-head format and will be broadcast live and on-demand by Red Bull TV from all three Crankworx World Tour stops for the first time in 2019. With a line-up made up of the who-is-who of Freeride, Downhill and Slopestyle, the outcome of the Mons Royal Dual Speed & Style at…
Vaea Verbeeck (CAN) has started her season in commanding fashion. Day two of Crankworx Rotorua brought her second victory in as many days, this time in the Rotorua Air DH presented by Bosch. I’m over the moon. I definitely couldn’t ask for more than two for two. I was going for today, somehow won yesterday, and then was just focused on making sure that I made today happen. So now my goals are achieved I can just keep going.- Vaea Verbeeck Verbeeck’s winning time of 2:25.15 put over 2 seconds between her and second place finisher Anneke Beerten (NED), who crossed…
It’s been a long winter, but the Enduro World Series is back, and the 2019 season kicks off this weekend with the Giant Toa Enduro presented by CamelBak in Rotorua, New Zealand. First Round – Rotorua Taking place in the famous Whakarewarewa Forest, competitors will be taking on five stages in this one day race that will test riders over a variety of terrain from steep and technical to fast and physical. It’s the third time the series has visited Rotorua alongside Crankworx and this classic venue always delivers incredible racing, and this Sunday is stacking up to be another…
A deafening cheer ushered the first winner of Crankworx Rotorua 2019 across the dusty finish line tonight. Local rider Keegan Wright (NZL) blasted his way past legends and seasoned slalom masters, taking the win against Bas van Steenbergen (CAN) in the 100% Dual Slalom Rotorua. “It’s awesome to back it up from the 2017 Pump Track,” said Wright, who first stormed onto the international scene two years ago, winning the Rotorua Pump Track Challenge presented by RockShox. As Wright was still fighting to catch his breath, Vaea Verbeeck (CAN) charged her way across the line, taking the Pro Women’s win on…
The time for imagining, training and perfecting is over. The 14 best Slopestyle athletes in the world have left their training grounds and touched down in the land of the long white cloud, ready to show the world, and each other, what they’ve been working on. Five days from now, 2019 Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship(SWC) season launches from New Zealand as the Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza goes live to the world on Red Bull TV and crankworx.com. Saturday March 23rd 3:00 p.m. NZDTFriday March 22nd 7:00 p.m. PDTSaturday March 23rd 3:00 a.m. CET Who’s Coming The top six riders from the 2018 SWC…
A lot has been happening ahead of the UCI Downhill Mountain Bike World Championships 2020 in the Bike Mecca of Saalfelden Leogang. The region is investing over one million Euros into its mountain bike infrastructure. The result of that investment is four new trails and a 5,000m² pump track including a jump and dirt jump line. The 2019 season also sees an additional gondola – the Steinbergbahn – transporting mountain bikers and hikers to the top of the Asitz mountain. With so many changes happening, it is also time to rebrand the bikepark. Consequently, the Austrian bikepark will open its…
One week from now, international mountain bike competition season kicks off for 2019 as Crankworx Rotorua launches from the Southern Hemisphere, March 19-24. The festival will bring together the best in the world in speed, style, endurance, grit, skill, and all-round radness. With the return of the Enduro World Series, the action is set to be next-level in 2019. Here’s a list of who to watch for as another season of the ultimate experience in mountain biking gets rolling, along with the campaigns to be named King and Queen of the Crankworx World Tour and the battles for individual discipline supremacy. Masters of…
Probably the most beautiful Nation in the Alps is already in the right mood for the 2019 mountain biking season. The ultimate BIKE REPUBLIC SÖLDEN inaugurates its longest line, pampers all citizens and celebrates a unique comeback. The legendary TRAILMASTER CHALLENGE – one of the most exciting multi stage races of the biking scene – will find its new home in Sölden. The world’s international States may do what they want – Sölden probably has founded the funniest and most welcoming Republic in the World. Anyone who enjoys biking and respects nature and all fellow citizens is warmly welcome to…
An exciting new addition to Leatt’s growing range of products, the Velocity goggles were developed with WideVision anti-glare, anti-fog tech and 2.7mm military spec lenses. The range consists of three types of goggles, namely the 6.5 Iriz, the 6.5 and the 6.5 Roll-Off goggles. Designed to work in all conditions, they fit well, and the lenses of the goggles are bulletproof tested and certified to: ANSI Z87.1-2015, CE EN 1938 :2010 and Military ballistic standard ((MIL-DTL-43511D), making them super durable. They are all equipped with a 170° WideVision Anti-Fog, easy clip-in/out lens and a self-draining frame/lens design. Feature Summary: Anti-glare,…
While the name Wibmer may well be associated with action-packed YouTube videos, there is another Wibmer who plans to make a name for himself in the world of mountain biking. Gabriel Wibmer, cousin of YouTube phenom Fabio Wibmer, is chasing a professional racing career and will take a step closer to the Downhill Elite this year. Admittedly, he still has a long way to go but the youngster has the skills and the drive to make it happen. Together with the help of the sports marketing agency rasoulution that also manages Fabio Wibmer, Danny MacAskill and many other international world-class…
Looking back on a very successful 2018 season, Erik Fedko seeks for more progression in 2019. Thanks to his super smooth riding style and deep bag of banger tricks, the young German Slopestyle star has skyrocketed over the past 18 months. After reaching his first ever podium at Crankworx Les Gets and repeating at Red Bull Joyride at Crankworx Whistler last year, which secured him a Top 3 finish in the Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship, he finds himself amongst the Slopestyle elite and in contention for the big prize: the 2019 SWC Title. He will be hitting the circuit…