With all the good things going on, spectators and riders alike are getting into the Crankworx spirit - despite the several crashes.
Tak Mutu Rotorua Crankworx organiser said there were fewer crashes than last year.
"There are some hurt bodies, but no one is in critical condition or anything like that.
"There have been a few crashes in the practice rounds but nothing major or life threatening. It's very standard for Crankworx for there to be some injuries."
He said he was elated with how everything was going.
Jai Merrick, 20, Lulu Bejot, 24, and Clement Dufaud, 22, rocking out at Crankworx today. PHOTO/BEN FRASER
"I was always going to be a bit nervous because it's the second year, but yesterday we were up over 200 per cent on visitor attendance compared to the same day last year."
Louis Hamilton, 21 local mountain biker said he had been practicing his downhill and air downhill yesterday for his air downhill race that afternoon.
"I just keep it smooth and keep it fun. If I can do well in front of the home crowd that's always a bonus."
He said living in Rotorua itself was one of his motivators because it was world class.
"My dad got me into it, he used to take me to bike down stairs and stuff. Ever since it's been a dream to ride and go international and having Crankworx on the back step is even better."
Jai Merrick, 20, Lulu Bejot, 24, and Clement Dufaud, 22, were down from Auckland especially for Crankworx. They are BMX riders and just wanted to enjoy the show as it was their first time coming. Mr Merrick said they wanted to get into the Crankworx spirit so they dressed up in bright coloured wigs.
"We are most looking forward to the Slopestyle," Mr Merrick said.
Mr Bejot said he was excited for the international bikers.
Louis Hamilton competes in the Crankworx Rotorua Air Downhill this afternoon Photo/Ben Fraser
"It's just crazy, everything is huge. We are here to support the best," he said.
Tim Hunter, race team manager from hukkit. clothing and apparel said it was their second year having a stall at Crankworx.
"Being in the mountain biking community you have to be here, if you're not here then you're doing something wrong."
He said they were a team of five guys who worked at the stall and race together and all five would be racing during the weekend.
"We are all downhill races so essentially this is a way for us to help us fund our race team and we really like being a part of this sort of stuff. We can't not be here."
He said they only stocked their products in Mountain Bike Rotorua and Woodhill Mountain Bike Park as well as their online store.
"We don't want to be a big store, we want to be in amongst what we do and this is it. We are always at all the races when we can be and we sell our stuff there when we are allowed to."
He said Crankworx was a venue where they could race and sell there gear and get their riding "fix". He said they started with a line of two t-shirts four years ago and now they have more than a dozen different lines. He said Crankworx helped raise their profile last year and they could see no reason why they wouldn't want to come back.
"A lot of people really like what we do because we are local, we are not trying to be a big company, we are just trying to do our own thing and that's just really about riding bikes."
- To buy tickets, visit www.crankworx.com or go to the bottom terminal of Skyline Rotorua Gravity Park.
Saturday: - Deep Summer Rotorua Photo Challenge: 8pm to 9pm at the arena. - Crankworx Rotorua Slopestyle: 3pm to 5.30pm at Skyline.
Sunday: - Crankworx Rotorua Downhill: 2.30pm to 5.30pm at Skyline.
Tickets: - Multi-Day Pass: Adult $80, Child (5-14-year-old) $60, Family Pass $280 - Day Pass: Adult $45, Child $35, Family Pass $160 - Family pass includes general admission for 2 adults and 3 children. Multi-Day pass is for all 5 days of the festival. Tickets include unlimited gondola rides for the day. VIP Passes: -Tomorrow $90 -Thursday $90 - Friday $120 - Saturday $150 - Sunday $120 -Includes General Admission + access to exclusive VIP Centre + 2 complimentary beverages and Canapes during webcast sessions. -For more information on other events and how to register go to www.crankworx.com.
