Nitro Circus crew comes to Rotorua

Rotorua is thought of by many as the adventure capital of New Zealand, so what better place to bring some of the world's maddest, baddest stunt-people?

About 45 members of the world famous Nitro Circus arrived yesterday getting a taste of what Rotorua offers its millions of visitors.

The dare-devil collective of dirt bike, BMX and pretty much anything with wheels riders, had a team lunch at the Ogo site on Mt Ngongotaha before being taken out to the Kaituna River for some action on the white water.

Nitro Circus creative manager Dov Ribnick said many of the crew were in Rotorua when the circus last toured New Zealand two years ago and had fallen in love with the country and its people.

"Rotorua and New Zealand really fits our Nitro shape.

"These guys are mad and they're crazy so you have to set stuff up like this for them to do while they're on tour - otherwise they would go mad."

Taupo's Jed Mildon, the first person in the world to pull off a triple back flip on a BMX bike, has been touring the world with the Nitro Circus saying it is awesome to be travelling around New Zealand with some of the most talented people he has ever met.

"I feel like one of the luckiest New Zealanders right now. Everyone here is so on to it and talented, a lot of them are studying as well, it's really inspirational."

He said he had never rafted the Kaituna River before and was looking forward to the experience.

"It's going to be pretty cool ... these guys are like one big family."

Mildon said he wanted to continue pushing the boundaries of his sport and putting his all into trying new tricks and, in future, running coaching clinics for children in New Zealand.

Rotorua Rafting spokesman Tak Mutu has a few exciting activities lined up for the circus crew while on the Kaituna River. "We've set up a high-speed winch for a bit of wake-boarding on the first two waterfalls and a bike ramp into a pool a bit further down.

"This is not a commercial trip ... we've had to really step it up for these guys ... we intend to really thrash them about," Mr Mutu said.

The Nitro Circus performed in Hamilton on Wednesday and their final show is in Wellington tomorrow night.