Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Mountain biking: Speed and consistency key at Rotorua downhill champs

David Beck
By David Beck
Multimedia sports journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
19 Jan, 2018 02:48 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Rotorua's Connor Hamilton in action during the second round of the New Zealand national Downhill Series in Auckland. Photo / Cameron Mackenzie

Rotorua's Connor Hamilton in action during the second round of the New Zealand national Downhill Series in Auckland. Photo / Cameron Mackenzie

New Zealand's top downhill mountain bikers are set to do battle in Rotorua.When it comes to the mountain biking family, downhill is that sibling who cannot stay still.

It is for the fast-paced, thrill-seeking daredevil riders who each have one run to get from top to bottom as fast as possible - with plenty of thrills and spills.

Tomorrow,Descend Rotorua is hosting the third round of the New Zealand National Downhill Series - the first two rounds were held in Auckland. Practice runs start at 9am before seeding and then racing from 3pm.

Descend Rotorua president Dave Hamilton said about 100 riders would take on the 2.3km course, which had an elevation of 320m.

"It will be fantastic for spectators, the wet conditions mean there will be plenty of action as the guys try and go quick in the mud," Hamilton said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It's about being consistent and holding your speed - and obviously not falling off."

He said organisers had been "working frantically" to get the course ready.

"With that storm we had, it brought a lot of trees down, but we've got the course clear and in good shape now. You want to leave a good impression on the guest riders. The reputation of Rotorua is that it's one of the best places to ride in the world, we just showcase it," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

While there will be international riders competing, including former world champion Jared Graves, of Australia, and American Curtis Keene, the hottest battles are likely to be between the locals.

Rotorua rider Keegan Wright won round one, ahead of Hamilton's Cole Lucas who races for Descend Rotorua. Wright did not race in round two and Lucas took his place at the top of the podium. Rotorua's Louis Hamilton and Connor Hamilton have each achieved a top-five placing in the first two rounds. Tomorrow,they will all battle it out on the trails they know best.

Rotorua's Keegan Wright is one of many local riders who will be vying for top honours during the third round of the National Downhill Series in Rotorua. Photo / File
Rotorua's Keegan Wright is one of many local riders who will be vying for top honours during the third round of the National Downhill Series in Rotorua. Photo / File

Wright, who won the series last year as well as the National Downhill Championship, said he was looking forward to racing on his home track and "having some fun".

He was a taking a more relaxed approach to the downhill events as he had another Enduro World Series on the horizon to prepare for.

Discover more

Meet 64-year-old thrill-seeker Gordon Stilwell

20 Jan 08:27 PM

Fierce competition at national downhill series

20 Jan 09:07 PM

Wright joins Devinci global racing team

24 Jan 07:00 PM

"It should be a bit of fun. After all the rain it should be interesting out there, but I'm just looking forward to doing a few runs with some mates. I'm not going to put my life on the line to win it, I'm just going to have some fun and whatever happens, happens.

"It should be some good racing, I'm pretty comfortable on the Rotorua track, but you never know, anything can happen. It's probably one of my favourite tracks, it's got a bit of everything in it - it's got a bit of fast, loose stuff and a bit of tight stuff, it's a good mixture," Wright said.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Rotorua Daily Post

Five Steamers players making waves in the Māori All Blacks

03 Jul 10:00 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

'It’s a big deal': Young gamers chase international esports glory

30 Jun 06:00 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

'Biggest summer of cricket' shapes up for Bay Oval

25 Jun 07:00 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Five Steamers players making waves in the Māori All Blacks

Five Steamers players making waves in the Māori All Blacks

03 Jul 10:00 PM

The Māori All Blacks face Scotland in Whangārei on Saturday.

'It’s a big deal': Young gamers chase international esports glory

'It’s a big deal': Young gamers chase international esports glory

30 Jun 06:00 PM
'Biggest summer of cricket' shapes up for Bay Oval

'Biggest summer of cricket' shapes up for Bay Oval

25 Jun 07:00 PM
Small but mighty: Kyro gets set for Tai Mitchell challenge

Small but mighty: Kyro gets set for Tai Mitchell challenge

24 Jun 09:26 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP