Coroner calls for national standard on track grades and signage after mountain biker’s death in Rotorua

Clinton Handcock and his partner Rosie Sargent on a hike up Mt Owen in the Tasman District. Handcock died of injuries sustained in a mountain biking accident in Rotorua in 2022. Photo / Rosie Sargent

Clinton Handcock was a “competent but cautious rider” with 24 years of experience riding on challenging and tough trails, but a mountain bike adventure two days after his 48th birthday was to be his last.

In November 2022, the Rotorua engineer took to the trails in Whakarewarewa Forest, in his home city, with his brother-in-law and nephew.

As Handcock approached a fork in a trail, he took the left exit and was found shortly afterwards in bush below the trail in a critical condition.

A photograph included as evidence at an inquest that followed, showed he appeared to have clipped a tree while attempting to negotiate a small log on the track, which then possibly sent him head-first over the handlebars.

Handcock was rushed to Rotorua Hospital where he died three days later on November 13 of what Coroner Ian Telford described as an unsurvivable head and spinal cord injury.

Telford has now called for the mountain bike industry to collectively identify the best trail grading standards for national adoption - across all settings, including trails on private land.

He has also recommended that similar consultation is conducted leading to the development and implementation of a single national signage standard, similar to that of the water safety sign, including advice on key safety messages.

In his findings, released this week, Telford said it became clear from evidence at the inquest, that there was no consistent national standard but several different grading standards.

It was a matter of choice for the relevant entity which one they adopted, if any.

Handcock’s partner Rosie Sargent said he had been pleased that day to have time off work to go mountain biking in the Whakarewarewa Forest, which he loved and rode in regularly.

She described him as a man who loved life, had an incredible sense of adventure, and wanted to get the most out of every day.

He was sorely missed by friends and family.

“Everyone liked him - he was also very kind and generous, and went out of his way to help other people.”

Handcock was always careful to assess risks, whether in the outdoors or at work.

On the day of the accident, he had been looking forward to showing his brother-in-law and his nephew around some of his favourite tracks.

“Clint crashed on the homeward leg of their ride on a track he had ridden many times before and I know it’s a cliché but... he was doing something he loved with people that he loved,” Sargent said.

The Whakarewarewa Forest contains about 200 kilometres of mountain bike trails, many created and maintained by volunteers. The tracks are used by about 500,000 people each year.

The riders Handcock was with that day said as they approached the Taura Trail, Handcock went first, then took a right-hand bend and was soon out of sight when they approached a fork in the road and took the right trail.

Handcock went left but was soon seen, immobile in the bush to the left of the trail.

Emergency services were called as Handcock’s brother-in-law began CPR. Paramedics were quickly on the scene and took over CPR and other advanced life support measures, but he died of his injuries in hospital.

The Whakarewarewa Forest contains about 200 kilometres of mountain bike trails. Photo / Graeme Murray

Telford said there was nothing in the evidence that suggested Handcock’s experience, general manner of riding, or equipment contributed to the accident.

His bike and safety equipment were high quality, fit for purpose, and in good order.

Telford focused instead on the lack of “consistent national standard for track grading and signage across the country”, while also making a list of recommendations to the local entities responsible for the forest trails.

He also needed to assess whether the absence of a warning sign - now in place on the trail Handcock took that day - was material to his decision to use that route, and not the less difficult main A-line track.

At Whakarewarewa Forest, the “Recreation Aotearoa” standards were used for trail design, construction (and grading) and selected after consultation between the Rotorua Lakes Council and the Rotorua Trails Trust.

The council manages the forest with Kaingaroa Timberlands and the trails are overseen by the Rotorua Trails Trust.

Telford found, after viewing all the evidence and making a site visit to the trail, that at the relevant time, the signage and track grading did not comply with the standards (voluntarily) adopted and advertised by the council.

He said that while trail users and their decision-making could not be policed, it ultimately fell to the council to ensure the public was provided with good information to enable them to make informed decisions, and for the safety of the tracks to be consistent with that information.

The coroner said with the growth in popularity of mountain biking, and with the advent of e-bikes in particular, the activity was increasingly enjoyed by mainstream users which brought additional, new challenges.

“I consider this heightens the importance of ensuring track grading and maintenance meets the expectations of users and provides a safe experience.”

The council has been advised to “urgently and systematically” initiate a project to identify any portions of the track that are “out of grade” and where riders should be warned of significant changes or danger.

The council and the trust supported the recommendations and advised Coroner Telford their implementation was already under way.

Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.