Photo: © Fraser Britton / Crankworx 2019
The international mountain biking season will again begin in New Zealand with Rotorua to host the opening event of the 2024 Crankworx World Tour in March in a milestone event.
The 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua will feature international athletes, as well as some of the top New Zealand riders, including local legend and King of Crankworx, Tuhoto-Ariki Pene.
Pene says having the festival on their back doorstep allows local riders to "see first-hand what level [they] need to be at before heading across the oceans to race [at Cairns, Innsbruck, and Whistler]."
Pene believes the past decade of Crankworx Rotorua has "flown by".
"I remember my first Crankworx Rotorua, when I raced the downhill as a little grom. I'm looking forward to seeing my mates again, having that race vibe and maybe throwing down some whips with the boys."
Crankworx Rotorua took flight in March of 2015, becoming the first festival outside of North America and Europe.
The Crankworx World Tour brings together the best mountain bike athletes to compete in elite-level competitions in a variety of disciplines.
Rockshox Taniwha Downhill race will kick off the festival, from Saturday 16 March in the Whakarewarewa and Tītokorangi Forests with category 1 UCI points up for grabs.
The festival will then continue from the 20-24 March at its original home on the slopes of Mount Ngongotahā, where Crankworx Rotorua first broke ground in 2015 at Skyline Rotorua.
On the schedule is AirDH, Whip-Off, Speed and Style, Dual Slalom, Pump Track and Slopestyle.
The North Island Schools MTB Champs will also be included in the Crankworx Rotorua festival.
The festival is aiming to increase the inclusivity and youth engagement in the world of mountain biking, with a focus on encouraging students from Year 1 to Year 13 to experience the festival in both on the bike and off the bike environments.