Crankworx Rotorua 2026: Young fans help create ‘banger’ atmosphere

Two-year-old Boden Thwaites is set to attend his first Crankworx Rotorua event this week. Photo / Annabel Reid

Two-year-old Boden Thwaites is geared up to watch the action on the slopes of Mt Ngongotahā for the first time.

The toddler and his dad, Luke Thwaites, are two of the 10,000 supporters expected at Crankworx Rotorua this week.

The international mountain biking festival is in its 12th year and has attracted its largest athlete field yet.

Thwaites said bikes had effectively been part of Boden’s life since birth.

They recently moved to New Zealand from Canada where they had attended Crankworx in Whistler, the origin of the global event.

Gripping his bike with helmet and glasses on, Boden was keen to see plenty of tricks.

“He absolutely loves it,” Thwaites said.

Crankworx youth education co-ordinator Karen Pene said about 303 children from schools attended yesterday.

Tomorrow was expected to be the “big day” for school visits, with about 14 schools attending.

Pene said engaging young people was a “huge part” of the festival and organisers were working with schools and youth groups to get them there.

Many students were excited to see world-class riders in action. Some were passionate about mountain biking and others were curious to see the sport.

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

Pene said local riders had the Whakarewarewa Forest trails “in their backyard”, making Rotorua a special place for generations of riders.

Elite athletes were also known to spend time with young fans, often stopping for photos or chats around the event village. Some had visited schools.

Pene said the riders understood the importance of “giving it back to the community”.

A group of 13 primary school kids from The Growing Minds Hub visited the event today.

Educational psychologist Nicole Lovegrove said the group wanted to explore what was happening in the community.

The academy runs a one-day-a-week programme, with students enrolled at other schools and attending the Rotorua-based initiative to support their learning.

Lovegrove said the programme had been operating for about three weeks.

“For children to want to learn, they need to see purpose for their learning,” she said.

“An event like [Crankworx] sparks that excitement.”

The visit aimed to inspire projects in the classroom, including designing bike jumps. It helped students understand the “why” behind their learning, Lovegrove said.

Feed The People (FTP) Vegan Eats owner Kaya Sparke said the first day of the event led to the business selling out of burgers and she described the night as a “banger”.

Feed The People (FTP) Vegan Eats owner Kaya Sparke has been serving festival-goers at Crankworx Rotorua for seven years. Photo / Annabel Reid

It was Sparke’s seventh year at Crankworx and she said it felt “really good” seeing large crowds after quieter years.

Sparke expected the week to get busier, with Friday set to be “quite crazy”.

She said the event created a relaxed atmosphere where locals could drop in after work, families could bring children to watch the riding, and international visitors returned year after year.

The evening whip-off competition helped draw people to the event last night.

Sparke said it was one of her “favourite” events and the team was ensuring they had enough burger buns to keep up with demand.

Crankworx runs until Sunday, with today and Friday designated as locals’ days.

Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.