Crankworx Rotorua named a New Zealand Sport and Recreation Award finalist

Crankworx Rotorua has been announced one of 16 finalists in the annual New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards.

The New Zealand leg of the international mountain biking festival is a finalist in the Event Excellence category.

Crankworx has just wrapped its third year in Rotorua and recently secured a 10-year contract to hold the event until 2027.

It's a huge drawcard for Rotorua - in 2016 alone the city saw an economic boost of $8 million thanks to the 35,000 spectators, 435 pro-athletes and 234 volunteers living and breathing high octane, two-wheeled action across five days.

Crankworx Rotorua event director Tak Mutu said it was truly humbling to be a finalist in this year's awards.

"Thousands of volunteer hours go into making Crankworx Rotorua one of the best biking festivals in the world and to be recognised by Sport NZ is a testament to the hundreds of people who bring the event to life."

Image 1 of 32: Crankworx Slopestyle. Photo/Ben Fraser

The New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards, now in its 10th year, are organised by Sport NZ and presented in conjunction with its annual Connections Conference held in Auckland on May 29-30.

Other 2017 finalists in the Event Excellence category are Bowls NZ for the 2016 World Bowls Championships, Yachting NZ for the Aon 2016 Youth Sailing World Championships, and Waka Ama NZ for the Te Wānanga o Aotearoa Waka Ama Sprint National Championships.

Judging panel chairman Peter Dale said the number and range of outstanding nominations in every category points to the high-quality work being carried out across the sector.

"Nominations range from high performance campaigns which delivered great results at Rio to those showing the positive impact sport can have on social issues in communities.

"In total they exemplify just what sport and active recreation can do for our national wellbeing."

General Manager of Community Sport at Sport NZ Geoff Barry said sport and recreation bodies needed to think and act differently to attract New Zealanders, especially with the range of other pastimes on offer in today's technological world.

"We know that overall participation has been declining. Our aim is to arrest that and we are delighted with the quality and range of this year's finalists, not least because they show us that our partners are just as committed as we are to keeping the country active."