Crankworx Rotorua whip-off on day one of Crankworx Rotorua. Photo / Clint Trahan
The 12th edition of Crankworx Rotorua has kicked off with some of the world’s best mountain bikers dropping straight into competition.
Day one of five on Wednesday featured the Crankworx Rotorua Air DH, presented by Rotorua Canopy Tours, in the morning before riders had a chance to check out the track for the Specialised Kārearea Downhill ahead of today’s seeding.
With the New Zealand National Downhill Championships held at the same time, this seeding run will double as the National Champs race run for Aotearoa riders.
Image 1 of 12: Crankworx Rotorua AirDH Podium, Presented by Canopy Tours. 1st: Ryan Gilchrist, Sabina Kosarkova, 2nd: Richie Rude, Matilda Melton, 3rd: Anna Newkirk, Tegan Cruz Crankworx Rotorua AirDH winning podium (from left) Matilda Melton, Richie Rude, Ryan Gilchrist, Sabina Košárková and Anna Newkirk. Photo / Clint Trahan
As the sun dipped behind the hills, the action continued with the Official Oceania Whip-Off Championships, bringing a stylish close to the festival’s opening day.
Set on Skyline Rotorua’s Mr Black trail, the Air DH challenged athletes with 32 jumpable features, demanding both pedalling power and strategic line choices to keep momentum while chasing the fastest time.
In the women’s race, Sabina Kosarkova delivered a standout performance to take the win, earning valuable points in the Queen of Crankworx standings.
She sits six points behind the current Queen standings leader, Rotorua’s Jenna Hastings, tightening the battle early in the season.
Matilda Melton impressed in her first-ever Crankworx Rotorua appearance, claiming second place and her first Crankworx Elite podium.
Rounding out the podium was Anna Newkirk, who made a strong return to the Crankworx World Tour after a two-year hiatus.
On the men’s side, Ryan Gilchrist continued his dominance on the Air DH course, securing his third consecutive victory in Rotorua after previous wins in 2023 and 2024.
Joining him on the podium was teammate Richie Rude in second, repeating his strong performance from 2024.
Tegan Cruz finished just 0.028 seconds behind Rude, claiming third and keeping himself firmly in the King of Crankworx conversation.
As evening settled over Skyline Rotorua, the Official Oceania Whip-Off Championships lit up the arena set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Rotorua.
After an intense final round, Kiwi Erice Van Leuven returned to the top podium after spending most of last year recovering from injury.
Behind her were Indy Deavoll from New Zealand and American Janelle Soukup.
On the men’s side, Andy Lehmann from Great Britain secured the top spot, improving on last year’s silver medal.
American Chase Riggs landed second in his very first Crankworx Whip-Off competition, with Kade Edwards of Britain rounding out the podium.
DAY ONE RESULTS:
Crankworx Rotorua Air DH:
Top 5 – Women
Top 5 – Men
Day one full results here.
Thursday: Seeding for the Specialised Kārearea Downhill, with finals set for Saturday.
Friday: The Crankworx Rotorua Pump Track Challenge presented by The Rock will bring high-speed head-to-head elite racing under the lights.
Saturday: The Specialised Kārearea Downhill Finals headline the day, alongside the return of Rotorua Roulette, the invitational best trick contest where athletes battle head-to-head for cold hard cash.
Sunday: The festival concludes with two major finals – the Crankworx Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza, the second stop of the Slopestyle Super League, followed by the Elite finals of the Crankworx Rotorua Dual Slalom, delivering tight shoulder-to-shoulder racing in front of the Rotorua crowd.
Beyond the elite competition, fans can enjoy Kidsworx action, amateur racing, live music, and the vibrant expo area, celebrating the heart of mountain bike culture.
Festival passes are still available online: https://www.crankworx.com/rotorua/passes/
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