Downhill action returns this weekend

The Skyline Sprint Warrior returns this weekend. Photo/File

Top downhill riders and weekend warriors are set to tackle a gnarly course under the gondolas on Mt Ngongotaha during the return of the Skyline Sprint Warrior.

The Skyline Sprint Warrior downhill mountain bike event is returning tomorrow after taking a break in 2015.

It was originally scheduled to be held in February, during the Rotorua Bike Festival, but poor weather forced organisers to postpone it to April.

Race organiser Adrian Ashmore said they hoped the weather would play ball this time around. "We are still crossing our fingers as the weather forecast for this weekend was looking a bit sketchy, but if we do postpone it again we will give 24 hours notice, on the Mountain Bike Rotorua Facebook page."

The all-day event starts at 11am tomorrow for practice runs and race runs begin at 2pm.

The course is about 1.2km long and takes in three different trails at the Skyline Gravity Park - Sprint Warrior, Moss Piglet and Hipster. Riders will gondola up to the start before each run.

Ashmore said people could still enter on the day for the event with the cost being $139 per entry.

Some of Rotorua's top riders are taking part including the Hamilton brothers, Louis and Connor, Keegan Wright, and Ronja Hill-Wright, Ashmore said.

The Hukkit Sick Trick is also returning at the event with 10 hand-picked competitors attempting their biggest tricks for a cash prize.

"In 2014, Cole Lucas took the title with a spectacular back flip," Ashmore said. "As we saw at Crankworx, tricks are evolving all the time, so who knows what the riders will throw down on Saturday."

The Mountain Bike Rotorua Fundy Hundy is a new feature of the event and is for riders over 100kg.

"The highest placed of these in the Sprint Warrior will win $1 per kg of body weight over 100kg," Ashmore said. "We'll be conducting random weight testing throughout the day."