![\"Crankworx](\"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/03\/crankworx-rotorua-2018-giant-toa-enduro-casey-brown.jpg\" "\\"Crankworx")
\nCasey Brown<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n
But while decisive, over two minutes faster than second place finisher Ronja Hill-Wright (AUS), the win was no easy feat. Brown rode Stage Five (aptly named Te Ahi Manawa, which translates to \u201cFire Heart\u201d) blind, then finished her day with some added spice on the final stage.<\/p>\n
Casey Brown:<\/h5>\n\nI love racing without really knowing what\u2019s coming up. It was exciting, to say the least. Then I had a pretty wild Stage Six. Me and Vaea [Verbeeck] had a pileup. That was exciting. These tracks are so great around here and the weather has been so good compared to last year. Beautiful cool breeze and overcast. Couldn\u2019t ask for a better day. Super stoked.<\/P><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
![\"Crankworx](\"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/03\/crankworx-rotorua-2018-giant-toa-enduro-ronja-hill-wright.jpg\" "\\"Crankworx")
\nRonja Hill-Wright<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nDespite the crash, Verbeeck (CAN) finished strong in third after Hill-Wright.<\/p>\n
![\"Crankworx](\"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/03\/crankworx-rotorua-2018-giant-toa-enduro-keegan-wright.jpg\" "\\"Crankworx")
\nKeegan Wright<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nOn the Pro Men\u2019s side, the Kiwi riders swept the podium for the second year in a row. The top two traded stage wins all day, with Keegan Wright (NZL) eventually emerging from the forest physically behind Sam Blenkinsop (NZL), but 4.8 seconds ahead.<\/p>\n
Keegan Wright:<\/h5>\n\nMe and Blenki are always really close. He was right before me so I was always trying to chase him down. I always got to the end and thought \u2018Far out, he must have smoked me. I didn\u2019t even catch him.\u2019 But obviously we were just back and forth with each other which is cool.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Rounding out the Pro Men\u2019s podium was Matt Walker (NZL).<\/p>\n
![\"Crankworx](\"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/03\/crankworx-rotorua-2018-giant-toa-enduro-sam-blenkinsop.jpg\" "\\"Crankworx")
\nSam Blenkinsop<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nOverall, conditions in the Whakarewarewa Forest were prime. Rain fell earlier in the week, followed by a few days of late-summer sun, paving the way for some signature New Zealand dirt gold on the forest floor.<\/p>\n
Keegan Wright:<\/h5>\n\nI think it\u2019s the first time Rotorua\u2019s had an enduro where it\u2019s not rained. It was cool just riding out on the dusty trails. Came into a few corners where it was blown out, but it keeps you on your toes. All the tracks were really good.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
![\"Crankworx](\"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/03\/crankworx-rotorua-2018-giant-toa-enduro-vaea-veerbeck.jpg\" "\\"Crankworx")
\nVaea Veerbeck<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nThe wins for Wright and Brown put them in a strong position as the battle for King and Queen of Crankworx kicks off for another year. Each walks away with 225 points, the most awarded for a win in any Crankworx event (comparatively, a win in a Crankworx Downhill event bags a rider 150 points). Brown is on deck to battle for more points over the next eight days of Crankworx competition, currently registered in every single event open to female competitors.<\/p>\n
![\"Crankworx](\"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/03\/crankworx-rotorua-2018-giant-toa-enduro-matt-walker.jpg\" "\\"Crankworx")
\nMatt Walker<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nWright on the other hand will take his points with him to Chile, missing Crankworx competition from Monday onward in order to compete in the first round of the Enduro World Series in South America. But he says this taste of victory ought to satisfy him until the Crankworx World Tour hits Europe in June.<\/p>\n
Keegan Wright:<\/h5>\n\nI\u2019m doing the other three stops. Going to bring my jump bike and my slalom bike and give it a good nudge for sure. Can\u2019t let the frenchies take it all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
![\"Crankworx](\"https:\/\/43ride.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/03\/crankworx-rotorua-2018-giant-toa-enduro-podium.jpg\" "\\"Crankworx")
\nCrankworx Rotorua 2018: Giant Toa Enduro presented by CamelBak podium<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nUp next, a stacked field of downhill racers, including reigning Queen Jill Kintner (USA) and downhill powerhouse Brook Macdonald, will return to the site of today\u2019s Enduro for the all-new Redwoods Downhill.<\/p>\n
I love racing without really knowing what\u2019s coming up. It was exciting, to say the least. Then I had a pretty wild Stage Six. Me and Vaea [Verbeeck] had a pileup. That was exciting. These tracks are so great around here and the weather has been so good compared to last year. Beautiful cool breeze and overcast. Couldn\u2019t ask for a better day. Super stoked.<\/P><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nRonja Hill-Wright<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n
Despite the crash, Verbeeck (CAN) finished strong in third after Hill-Wright.<\/p>\n
\nKeegan Wright<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n
On the Pro Men\u2019s side, the Kiwi riders swept the podium for the second year in a row. The top two traded stage wins all day, with Keegan Wright (NZL) eventually emerging from the forest physically behind Sam Blenkinsop (NZL), but 4.8 seconds ahead.<\/p>\n
Keegan Wright:<\/h5>\n\nMe and Blenki are always really close. He was right before me so I was always trying to chase him down. I always got to the end and thought \u2018Far out, he must have smoked me. I didn\u2019t even catch him.\u2019 But obviously we were just back and forth with each other which is cool.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Rounding out the Pro Men\u2019s podium was Matt Walker (NZL).<\/p>\n
\nSam Blenkinsop<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nOverall, conditions in the Whakarewarewa Forest were prime. Rain fell earlier in the week, followed by a few days of late-summer sun, paving the way for some signature New Zealand dirt gold on the forest floor.<\/p>\n
Keegan Wright:<\/h5>\n\nI think it\u2019s the first time Rotorua\u2019s had an enduro where it\u2019s not rained. It was cool just riding out on the dusty trails. Came into a few corners where it was blown out, but it keeps you on your toes. All the tracks were really good.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nVaea Veerbeck<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nThe wins for Wright and Brown put them in a strong position as the battle for King and Queen of Crankworx kicks off for another year. Each walks away with 225 points, the most awarded for a win in any Crankworx event (comparatively, a win in a Crankworx Downhill event bags a rider 150 points). Brown is on deck to battle for more points over the next eight days of Crankworx competition, currently registered in every single event open to female competitors.<\/p>\n
\nMatt Walker<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nWright on the other hand will take his points with him to Chile, missing Crankworx competition from Monday onward in order to compete in the first round of the Enduro World Series in South America. But he says this taste of victory ought to satisfy him until the Crankworx World Tour hits Europe in June.<\/p>\n
Keegan Wright:<\/h5>\n\nI\u2019m doing the other three stops. Going to bring my jump bike and my slalom bike and give it a good nudge for sure. Can\u2019t let the frenchies take it all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nCrankworx Rotorua 2018: Giant Toa Enduro presented by CamelBak podium<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nUp next, a stacked field of downhill racers, including reigning Queen Jill Kintner (USA) and downhill powerhouse Brook Macdonald, will return to the site of today\u2019s Enduro for the all-new Redwoods Downhill.<\/p>\n
Me and Blenki are always really close. He was right before me so I was always trying to chase him down. I always got to the end and thought \u2018Far out, he must have smoked me. I didn\u2019t even catch him.\u2019 But obviously we were just back and forth with each other which is cool.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Rounding out the Pro Men\u2019s podium was Matt Walker (NZL).<\/p>\n
\nSam Blenkinsop<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n
Overall, conditions in the Whakarewarewa Forest were prime. Rain fell earlier in the week, followed by a few days of late-summer sun, paving the way for some signature New Zealand dirt gold on the forest floor.<\/p>\n
Keegan Wright:<\/h5>\n\nI think it\u2019s the first time Rotorua\u2019s had an enduro where it\u2019s not rained. It was cool just riding out on the dusty trails. Came into a few corners where it was blown out, but it keeps you on your toes. All the tracks were really good.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nVaea Veerbeck<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nThe wins for Wright and Brown put them in a strong position as the battle for King and Queen of Crankworx kicks off for another year. Each walks away with 225 points, the most awarded for a win in any Crankworx event (comparatively, a win in a Crankworx Downhill event bags a rider 150 points). Brown is on deck to battle for more points over the next eight days of Crankworx competition, currently registered in every single event open to female competitors.<\/p>\n
\nMatt Walker<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nWright on the other hand will take his points with him to Chile, missing Crankworx competition from Monday onward in order to compete in the first round of the Enduro World Series in South America. But he says this taste of victory ought to satisfy him until the Crankworx World Tour hits Europe in June.<\/p>\n
Keegan Wright:<\/h5>\n\nI\u2019m doing the other three stops. Going to bring my jump bike and my slalom bike and give it a good nudge for sure. Can\u2019t let the frenchies take it all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nCrankworx Rotorua 2018: Giant Toa Enduro presented by CamelBak podium<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nUp next, a stacked field of downhill racers, including reigning Queen Jill Kintner (USA) and downhill powerhouse Brook Macdonald, will return to the site of today\u2019s Enduro for the all-new Redwoods Downhill.<\/p>\n
I think it\u2019s the first time Rotorua\u2019s had an enduro where it\u2019s not rained. It was cool just riding out on the dusty trails. Came into a few corners where it was blown out, but it keeps you on your toes. All the tracks were really good.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nVaea Veerbeck<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n
The wins for Wright and Brown put them in a strong position as the battle for King and Queen of Crankworx kicks off for another year. Each walks away with 225 points, the most awarded for a win in any Crankworx event (comparatively, a win in a Crankworx Downhill event bags a rider 150 points). Brown is on deck to battle for more points over the next eight days of Crankworx competition, currently registered in every single event open to female competitors.<\/p>\n
\nMatt Walker<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n
Wright on the other hand will take his points with him to Chile, missing Crankworx competition from Monday onward in order to compete in the first round of the Enduro World Series in South America. But he says this taste of victory ought to satisfy him until the Crankworx World Tour hits Europe in June.<\/p>\n
Keegan Wright:<\/h5>\n\nI\u2019m doing the other three stops. Going to bring my jump bike and my slalom bike and give it a good nudge for sure. Can\u2019t let the frenchies take it all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nCrankworx Rotorua 2018: Giant Toa Enduro presented by CamelBak podium<\/em><\/center><\/p>\nUp next, a stacked field of downhill racers, including reigning Queen Jill Kintner (USA) and downhill powerhouse Brook Macdonald, will return to the site of today\u2019s Enduro for the all-new Redwoods Downhill.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m doing the other three stops. Going to bring my jump bike and my slalom bike and give it a good nudge for sure. Can\u2019t let the frenchies take it all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nCrankworx Rotorua 2018: Giant Toa Enduro presented by CamelBak podium<\/em><\/center><\/p>\n
Up next, a stacked field of downhill racers, including reigning Queen Jill Kintner (USA) and downhill powerhouse Brook Macdonald, will return to the site of today\u2019s Enduro for the all-new Redwoods Downhill.<\/p>\n