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Olympians Sammie Maxwell and Sam Gaze are among a talented line-up for the UCI Marathon MTB National Championships in Rotorua.
The Whaka 100 MTB Marathon has fully filled entries in every category with more than 3000 competitors to take part in the Whakarewarewa Forest this weekend, CyclingNew Zealand said.
Two official national championships will be decided as part of the Whaka 100 comprising the National MTB Eliminator Championships (XCE) as well as the marathon titles across five categories – elite, U23, U19, Sport and Masters classes.
Sam Gaze will compete in Rotorua this weekend. Photo / Photosport
Cycling NZ said it had partnered with race promoters, Nduro Events, for the Southern Hemisphere’s largest mass-participation MTB event, first staged in 2007.
The elite men’s title has been the domain of North Canterbury brothers Craig and Ben Oliver, with older brother Craig to defend his title and younger brother Ben, the Birmingham Commonwealth Games silver medallist, who triumphed in 2022.
There is a late entry from Paris Olympian Sam Gaze, who won the UCI Marathon World Championship in 2023, the same year he also won the global short-track world title.
Just returned from his long season on the UCI circuit, Gaze will provide real interest along with Caleb Bottcher (Palmerston North), Bailey Fredericksen (Whakatāne), the Nicol brothers Coen and Corban (Taupō), who are leading cyclocross exponents, the experienced Glenn Haden (Whanganui) and multisport and adventure star, Sam Clark from Tauranga.
Maxwell, 10th in her Olympic Games debut in Paris, is also on the start line to defend her Whaka 100 women’s title in a field of talented Kiwi professionals including UCI enduro specialist George Swift (Nelson), and XCO internationals Mary Gray (Christchurch), Mary-Ann Moller (Wellington) and Taupō’s Mia Cameron.
Sammie Maxwell will look to defend her Whaka 100 women’s title. Photo / Photosport
Action gets under way on Friday with the UCI Eliminator National Championships, an exciting and fast elimination competition which carries a national jersey for the second time.
Defending men’s champion is Lochie Brown from Cambridge, who enjoyed his first year on the world circuit, picking up a world cup victory on debut in Indonesia.
He will have likely competition from the likes of Ben Oliver, a former winner, in the men’s competition while Maxwell will defend her women’s crown against the likes of international enduro star Rae Morrison (Nelson).
The action begins at the Waipa MTB facility with the UCI XCE Eliminator on Friday from 11.45am with finals from 3.15pm.
Saturday features the NZ Sotheby’s International Realty 50km event from 8.30am, along with the Kids 5km Run Ride from 9.40am.
Sunday includes the Whaka Miler Event from 4.30am, the Shimano 100km Marathon event from 7.40am with first rider expected around 12.30pm, the Stan’s 25km event from 8.50am and the That’s It 10km Fun Ride from 9am along with the Finishline Festival & Expo.
Reporter Martha and friends are in Minginui introducing us to their favourite four-legged neighbours, wild but friendly horses that have had free reign of the place since 1870.
